Every Lidl hurts

The super-low prices of Lidl, Europe's answer to Wal-Mart come at a cost: the rights, wages and dignity of the company's workforce. Chris Leach reports

Lidl is what's known as a "deep discount" supermarket chain. Translated from corporate patois, that means that low-income groups (what used to be known as working-class people) can get a week's shopping there for less than what it costs for a pot of crème fraîche in Waitrose. Now, Lidl is a rapidly expanding business, not a charity. So its low prices come at a high cost for someone. And that someone is the company's workforce in all the many locations where it operates.

Still privately owned by German entrepreneur Dieter Schwarz, Lidl is one of the fastest expanding retail companies in Europe. In addition to operating 2,500 stores and having more than 151,000 employees in its domestic German market, it has outlets in 16 other European countries and is planning to expand into Asia and Canada. Providing the impetus for this rapid growth are the sunrise economies of Mittel Europa: countries like Slovakia and Poland, where the combined privations of Stalinism and shock-treatment neo-liberalism mean that independent trade union structures are young and weak.

According to Uni Commerce, the international umbrella organisation of retail unions, Lidl is trying to copy US retailer Wal-Mart's model of "pressing down wages and benefits and squeezing as much as is possible from its personnel". Uni Commerce also castigates the company's culture of secrecy, suspicion and anti-union dirty tricks. In one instance the company reacted to a successful union recruitment drive at its distribution warehouses by reconfiguring its entire corporate structure overnight.

In the new EU member states the most famous, or infamous, allegation of Lidl abusing its workforce came to light in August last year. It was claimed that menstruating workers in Poland and the Czech Republic had to wear white headbands if they wanted to be allowed to use the toilet during working time. Of course, this very serious charge was sternly denied by Lidl's senior management. But the story had enough substance to feature in Lebensmittelzeitung, Germany's leading commerce magazine.

Bullying and intimidation are not restricted to Lidl's operations in "new" Europe. When the German retail union Ver.di opened a weblog enabling workers to report on the company's bad practices it was contacted by more than 3,500 present and former Lidl employees. The reports, which form the basis of a "black book" published by the union about the firm's tawdry employment practices, chronicle how "the company is obsessed with control to the extent that it becomes a serious violation of the integrity of its workers. Everyone is treated with mistrust, as a potential thief".

A culture of constant surveillance extends to every nook and cranny of Lidl's retail environment, with workers being subjected to frequent checks for contraband. Pockets are searched, as well as workers' cars. Even mandatory periods away from the shop floor take on a Big Brother aspect. One Finnish worker said: "Everything that is consumed at the workplace during the breaks, be it a yoghurt or a soft drink, must not only have a cash ticket taped to it; the ticket must also be signed by the supervisor."

So if you're ever in a once noble town that's fallen on hard times in this austere post-Thatcherite era you may happen upon a Lidl. Please try not to be beguiled by any of the company's weekly special deals (when I looked, it was offering a pink velour two-piece of the type favoured by Little Britain's Vicky Pollard at an amazing £5.99). Those prices may not bust your wallet, but you may inadvertently help to bust the union.

Now, I must remember to get some crème fraîche. Anybody in Islington fancy an early night?

14 comments

HONEYBEE says:

May 30, 2011 at 12:29 pm

What makes you think only Lidl does these things? I worked for Toys r Us in 1993 and next from 2007-2008. The toystore searched inside our clothes at shift end and tried to confiscate one guy’s 15 year old travel chess set in case it was stolen from them. We worked through breaks and had no access to drinking water. instead having to buy water from a vending machine. At Next they don’t recognise unions and breaks are closely monitored. When they wanted to get rid of us they just changed our shifts to the middle of the night so we’d quit.I used to work at Dillons which was great but went bust. I have worked in many shops, all big names including Waterstones; none recognise unions.

Lidl's employee says:

June 1, 2011 at 2:34 pm

I work at Lidl and it’s not THAT bad. The wage we get is actually pretty decent, with a set payrise every year, although it’s true that we work bloody hard and are expected to do a lot of overtime. And they do spot checks at the end of your shift to make sure you have a receipt for everything, but they’ve never searched my car or anything like that. And it’s not like they’re going through my handbag even, just asking do we have recipts for everything as part of their procedue

It would be nice to have a couple more workers per shift though, it’s ridiculous being down to 3 or 4 people for the closing shift!

I understand that some branches might my worse than others though, but the managers at my store are all right and it might sound corny, but there really is a good team spirit involved in just rolling up your sleeves and getting on with it. The managers actually have to work harder than us store assistants as there just isn’t enough workers for them to get away with lazing around and still closing up on time

The worst part of working here is actually the customers, some of them are really foul-mouthed and rude, and some of them really stink too!

Gabbyco says:

June 16, 2011 at 8:42 pm

Lidl is the same as any british retailer. All are anti union, all can pick and choose there staff and all are dispensable.

Lidl don’t just cater for the low income increasingly the wealthy and the tight fisted shop there

Why 8 rolls of plenty for 3.99 a saving of 76p if you buy in two’s from Savers every little helps to borrow Tesco’s slogan

graham says:

July 27, 2011 at 1:42 pm

lidl is not as bad as the co-op,the copo are supposed to be good to work for as they have close tyes to the union .I know who i would rather work for Lidl at least give a better wage ,and treat their staff better ,unions are only interested in taking money off you ,i should know i have worked for both .

Phaysal says:

August 24, 2011 at 11:04 am

I have been working for the company for seven years. What I think is everything is depend on store manager if he is hard worker, capable and responsible and he recognised needs of his staff there are no such problems like overtime, un-paid hours etc. when you talk about spot checks and presentation of receipts it’s company procedures no one want to lose money in this world why lidl do so. Owner of lidl have full right to pretect his business. Pay rate is very reasonable compare to other business operators in retail industry. Another back draw is no staff discount but company is in process to introduce in near future. I bet no other store gives you £9.50 to just sit on till and scan items how difficult it is to do so not a rocket science of course.

Brennan says:

October 22, 2011 at 10:57 pm

Lidl force you to buy more by making you get a trolley. If you dont want a trolley full of food you carry it in your arms. Get a trolley and you end up with a till that u cant pack your food on because their isnt enough room for you to put a bag on….so you have to have a trolley. So u have to re-pack your food in the window. What a hassle to shop. I SAY to the missus, cant be bothered with the rest of the shopping we want…we will get it at ANOTHER supermarket around the corner….i rest my case…LIDL….you are a pain in the bum!!!! Sorry.

Paul says:

November 21, 2011 at 4:55 pm

I like to think that Lidl’s prices help out the lower paid among us. Although you’ve now got the tesco’s and Sainsbury’s shoppers coming into the stores to see what the bargains are and slightly miffed that they don’t recgonise half the brands and because they don’t recgonise them then they think they’er of poor quality. I have been shopping in Lidl for years and the majority of the staff are the same people, hard working and I beleive paid a reasonable wage.
So don’t knock Lidl to much, the state of the Unions in this country is down to one thing past and present Tory governments!

Luke says:

December 5, 2011 at 5:47 pm

so let me get this right…

based on the number of people they employ, 2.2% had complaints. I`m all for unions in the work place but I have to say2.2% isnt bad at all.

Since I was made redundant, I can no longer afford the ever increasing costs of food, so I have had to change ALL of my habbits. I used to shop at tescos and sainsburys, as a single person my food budget per month was around £100.

Now, I shop at Lidl for some things and my Local Market for all my fresh foods, and home bargains for cleaning / toiletries, and I visit a travelling butcher once a quarter and buy all the meat I require. This has halved my food budget, and whats more the food is actually fresher and better quality.

These brands you see being sold in lidle and Aldi are not cheap surplus muck, they are in fact premium european brands as my italian parents have often confirmed to me…

The trouble with people in the UK is that most are brand/food snobs. I should know, I was one too.

For Xmas this year, I`m having a Lidl Duck… £7.

Ian Dunmore says:

December 20, 2011 at 11:23 am

I shop at Lidl. I like the price and the quality.
I once worked for the NHS. They gave us a decent payrise one year by cutting our working hous and increasing our break times. As no one on the shop floor/sharp end took breaks at all because there was insufficient staff the end result was a much trumpeted non existant pay rise.

Ian Dunmore says:

December 20, 2011 at 12:57 pm

If anyone from Lidl is reading this, where are the Bratwurst?
Have they gone forever like the Yellow Handbags or will I have to wait till I next visit Germany.
It’s been 4 weeks and I am suffering withdrawall symptoms.
As for Brennan, I shop on a motor bike and have no problem. You are weird mate.

jolly roger says:

January 20, 2012 at 2:40 pm

worked there for 18 months,really heavy work and they make you feel like you are theifs,some long hours and 1 break.10 hour shifts really crap.

old employee says:

January 20, 2012 at 2:59 pm

they really treat there staff like rubbish,they changed the workwear to long sleved polo tops,in the summer its so hot but they dont want to know.you cant have a cold drink on the till bloody vile place.

employee says:

January 21, 2012 at 8:16 pm

bratwurst are back. they stopped them to make room for christmas stock.

Inaki says:

February 3, 2012 at 1:34 pm

Yes we all laughed at Lidl when they came to our town about 12 years ago. Not so many of us laughing now in this recession!! me included, I do all my shopping at Lidl and have saved a fortune.
If it weren’t for the Governments help to the Banks with our money I wonder how many high flyers in the City would be now shopping at Lidl.