The discount supermarket LIDL now offers the new Scan&Go service via the LIDL Plus app in some of its stores. I tried out the digital shopping experience.
My shopping experience with LIDL Scan&Go – Here's how it went
I needed to do some quick shopping at LIDL. I only needed a few small items for the road – and I was excited to try out the new Scan&Go system. Right in the entrance area, a large display with a can of Coke and a QR code advertised the new service: “Scan, pay, done!” – that’s how easy it’s supposed to be. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite that simple at first. A nice gentleman at the information desk tried to help me, but he didn't have any useful tips. Since the Scan&Go option didn’t appear in my app, I was advised to uninstall the app and download it again. A bit time-consuming, but okay – I did it. (It turned out that I had simply selected the wrong store in my app, one that doesn't offer Scan&Go.)
I started with the new LIDL Plus app on my phone. I activated the Scan&Go function by scanning the check-in code at the entrance. From then on, my smartphone was my mobile scanner: I simply scanned the barcode on the product and put it straight into my shopping bag. No repacking at the checkout—that saves time and hassle.
The challenge of loose goods?
I deliberately bought some loose goods, such as baked goods and fruit, as I believe these are often problematic when it comes to self-scanning or self-checkout. But in this case, it's really well done: at the bakery section, there's a small QR code on each price tag that you can transfer to your digital receipt. At the scales, you can click to indicate that you are shopping via Scan&Go and you will immediately receive a barcode for the weighed fruit. It's nice and simple, and the store has really good signs explaining how to proceed!
A nice bonus that I didn't use, but also: a 3 euro discount on my first Scan&Go purchase of 10 euros or more – automatically activated as a coupon in the app.
After shopping, I headed for the Scan&Go checkout. The app showed me a list of my purchases, and payment was only possible contactless with a card or LIDL Pay. I had registered the latter. The terminal was intuitive to use. A quick security check on the display – “Have you scanned all items?” – and then: payment successful. By the way: if you're not quite sure how to use the self-service checkout, you can go to a staffed counter in the same area and ask the staff for help – a good alternative solution, in my opinion. The receipt was digital, I held it over the exit gates, and I was done!
My conclusion
Once you have set up all the necessary details in the app, it is a really good shopping experience. Digital shopping at LIDL works smoothly, is quick to learn, and offers real benefits—especially for those who like to shop efficiently and without contact.
