Michael King, 85, accused Lidl of being ageist after being told he needs a smartphone app to get a pound off his wine (Picture: Solent)
An angry Lidl customer has slammed the budget supermarket for ‘discriminating against old people’ after being told he can’t have access to discounts without a mobile app.
Michael King, 85, was left horrified when he was ‘very unfairly’ told he needed a smartphone to qualify for reduced deals.
The pensioner – who has been shopping in the same store for more than 25 years – had been looking to snap up some discounted wine, but was instead charged full price.
He has called for the shop in Southampton, Hants, to follow the example of fellow supermarkets and offer physical cards for old people without phones.
‘I hadn’t taken much notice of the app as I don’t have a smartphone,’ he said.
‘I have tried to have one before a few years back, but I inadvertently got charged a load of money for something I didn’t pay for which put me off.
‘I went into the store and saw a wine was on offer for a pound off – we aren’t big drinkers, but I thought I would get a few bottles to put away.
Mr King has implored the supermarket to issue physical cards for pensioners (Picture: Getty Images)
‘When I looked at the receipt, I realised I had been charged full price.’
He took his complaint to Lidl, but was told there was no alternative except having the Lidl Plus app on a smartphone.
‘I could not believe it,’ he added.
‘All the other big shops like Morrisons and Sainsbury’s have a physical card for people my age.
‘I enjoy shopping at Lidl – you can get exactly what you need at a decent price.
‘Their products are good bits of kit, real value for money, but this seems very unfair.
‘I feel that older people are being discriminated against here.’
In response to Micheal’s complaint, a spokesperson for Lidl said: ‘As a discounter, everything we do is designed to give households access to good food at low prices.
‘We remain mindful of those who don’t have access to a smartphone or tablet, and still have in-store promotions through our Pick of The Week offers.
‘Customer feedback is also incredibly important to us, as it is taken into consideration as we continue to develop the scheme.
‘Therefore, we always encourage customers to share any feedback with our Customer Care team.’
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