Shopping with own bag in Lidl

Claire121

Not sure if this is the right place to post this, but I was just wondering about something. You know how in Lidl, they only have trolleys and not baskets? Well I never want a trolley as you can't really tell if you could comfortably carry the stuff (it's a 20 minute walk home) and it also encourages me to buy more than I really want. Is it OK to use your reusable Lidl bag to carry your groceries around, before you pay? I was hesitant about doing it in case I got accused of shoplifting, but I saw lots of other people doing it. I have seen other shops in my home town with signs saying 'to avoid misunderstandings, please use trolleys provided' but never noticed such a sign in Lidl in Dublin. It's very handy to use the bag as you can see how much comfortably fits and it's a lot easier than trying to balance everything in your hands! Is this acceptable?

Nody

I'd lean on no for the simple reason that one of the security guards/employees will take it the wrong way eventually. I'd be more inclined to use one of the boxes they leave around or similar instead.

ejmaztec

I don't see any problem - unless you fill it up and run out onto the street. Anyone seeing you putting stuff in the bag would probably assume that you're a shop-lifter. I saw a woman in a super-market a couple of weeks ago, dropping stuff into an un-marked bag, but when she got to the check-out, she emptied it. I was quite disappointed that there was no scuffle at the exit.

It's better than walking in with no bag and trying to find half a cardboard box to balance your stuff in because you forgot to bring any money for a trolley -as you only ever use a Laser card.

Claire121

Well I really don't want any hassle or people thinking I'm a shoplifter. Which would be ridiculous, as Lidl should provide baskets so people aren't forced to use their own bag, but I still don't want the hassle. It just seemed ridiculous that I was walking around balancing all the stuff with an empty Lidl bag in my hand while other people were just putting the stuff in their bag quite openly. The cashiers didn't seem at all bothered, which is why I thought this might be perfectly acceptable in Lidl.

JackieChan

My initial thoughts are to save any potential embarresment and not to do it.
I notice more and more shops have signs up not to use your bags when shopping.
Saying that security only ever seem to be at the far end of the cashiers so nobody should say anything unless your seen leaving with a bag having not gone through a cashier.

Oryx

Shops need to be careful on this one, falsely accusing someone is more aggravation than losing stock. Unless they have the sign you talk about, Id have no problem doing it. Youre perfectly above board until you cross the line past the tills, doing that would show you intend to leave without paying which is the crucial thing.

claiva

hi op,
i do this all of the time in aldi with my superquinn or dunnes branded bags. there is no problem doing it. I've seen loads of other people doing it aswell.
believe me, no one will accuse you of shoplifting.

Claire121

Hmm yea I can't see how they could arrest me unless I'd crossed the tills, but I suppose they could come up and give me hassle? I already get hassle the odd time from security guards following me around thinking I'm a foreign national (I'm a quarter Italian, God knows where they think I come from) so I always feel very self conscious doing anything that could be seen as stealing. :rolleyes: I do think a lot of people do it though! Hmm.

jw297

I got asked at the checkout of Aldi/Lidl to pay for the reusable bag that I was reusing.....:o

Claire121

Oh hmm I didn't think of that! Did you tell them where to go?

jw297

Went bright red and stuttered so looked completely guilty! But it was fine once I explained I had bought the bag before. Am now considering getting the permanent marker to it so that it wont happen again!

Oryx

Claire121 wrote: »

Hmm yea I can't see how they could arrest me unless I'd crossed the tills, but I suppose they could come up and give me hassle? I already get hassle the odd time from security guards following me around thinking I'm a foreign national (I'm a quarter Italian, God knows where they think I come from) so I always feel very self conscious doing anything that could be seen as stealing. :rolleyes: I do think a lot of people do it though! Hmm.

As a student I was a bit well, scruffy...:p and I used to get hassle. The main thing to do is keep your hands where they can be seen, be upfront and confident. Dont do anything furtive.:)

ciaran76

I do it all the time in Lidl no problems.

I went into Dunnes in Ongar once and was told not to do it any more as it had shop policy. When I walked into the shop there were no baskets left and I went to the counter to get some and there were none so I used my bag instead.

Security guard came over half way through my shop and said you need to use a basket. Anyway it was embarassing as I was explaining there were no baskets and when we went to the counters there were some back there. So I looked stupid.

jaggeh

they really cant do anything to you until you try to leave the store with the bag. so once you go to the register and pay for everything if they stop you shove the receipt in their face.

hellbent

No problem using your own bag in lidl or aldi down the country, I see it all the time. Just ensure the checkout person can clearly see that you have fully emptied the bag before you pass through to the street-side of the checkout.

sunny2004

Nody wrote: »

I'd be more inclined to use one of the boxes they leave around or similar instead.

I would, for the sake of it, go with this advice !

ejmaztec

sunny2004 wrote: »

I would, for the sake of it, go with this advice !

With my vast experience of having family members nick the trolley-Euro off the dash-board, I find that suitable boxes in Lidl are as rare as hens' teeth.

banchang

Claire

Go for it.

Legally they cannot do anything

You can do what you want legally up to the threshold of the store ie security can only approach you for non-payment after you cross the threshold. If they do otherwise, as mentioned above, it could cost them.

Tell them you have no coins for a trolley, only need 8 items, & are paying by laser

If someone makes an issue of it, ask to see the manager, say the same, & ask why they don't provide baskets (with security tags, of course, as in Tesco)

fatal

hellbent wrote: »

No problem using your own bag in lidl or aldi down the country, I see it all the time. Just ensure the checkout person can clearly see that you have fully emptied the bag before you pass through to the street-side of the checkout.

+1.I always carry the grocies around the store in a lidl/aldi bag

Orobhsa

Done it lots of time as well. Hold the bag unside down at checkout so they can see you've nothing in the bottom.

sunny2004

ejmaztec wrote: »

With my vast experience of having family members nick the trolley-Euro off the dash-board, I find that suitable boxes in Lidl are as rare as hens' teeth.

Have you considered CCTV ? :P
@ OP, what about a string bag !!!

jor el

I do this all the time in Lidl and Aldi, I never use trolleys anywhere. As mentioned above, you cannot be accused of shoplifting until you actually leave the shop, even if you're putting things in your pockets or under your coat.

foggy_lad

one reason this might be frowned upon in aldi or lidl is because of the system at the till where you empty your trolley onto the conveyor then turn the trolley around to fill it as your items are passed over the scanner.

if you have no trolley this may cause delays at the till as you try to pack your bags pay for your shopping and most people saving time like this will have to search for change or for a laser card to pay and all the time other people are waiting with their trolleys...

Joseph Kuhr

Yeah I use a bag in Lidl. Only ever go there to get a fews bits a pieces. I've also been known to put stuff in my pocket when I just pop in to a place to get a few bits and discover I really should have got a basket and am in danger of dropping everything. This obviously would arouse suspicion but I've managed to get away with it :-) Anyway there's no danger of getting into trouble. Its not shop lifting until you leave the store.

Corruptedmorals

Why not put the bag in the trolley and fill it like that? Like in Superquinn for the Superscan thing. Might be an issue if you don't have the €1 coin but it'd be easy to unpack, wouldn't look dodgy, you'd know if you have too much to carry and you wouldn't have to carry all the stuff around the supermarket with you.

They won't provide baskets because in the choice between baskets and trolleys, more people use trolleys and it makes more sense anyway to encourage people to buy more.

ejmaztec

sunny2004 wrote: »

Have you considered CCTV ? :P
@ OP, what about a string bag !!!

Oh yes, they sell these in Lidl. I must remember to stuff one up me jumper next time they're in stock.

Shelflife

Why not just go to your local shop where they supply you with baskets , trollies boxes and bags and will even carry your shopping out to your car for you!!!
They will also tell you not to worry about the 10c you are short , will take all debit and credit cards sponsor your local school, football team , charity , pay all their taxes in ireland and support local suppliers and irish companies as well as employ your kids during the summer.

just a thought.

ejmaztec

Shelflife wrote: »

Why not just go to your local shop where they supply you with baskets , trollies boxes and bags and will even carry your shopping out to your car for you!!!
They will also tell you not to worry about the 10c you are short , will take all debit and credit cards sponsor your local school, football team , charity , pay all their taxes in ireland and support local suppliers and irish companies as well as employ your kids during the summer.

just a thought.

....and rip you off till the cows come home.:(

mike65

I shop in Lidl with a Superquinn bag and its grand, what I do is place the contents on the conveyer then I flatten the bag and stick it under my arm. Pretty clear its empty.

Oh and the SQ bag is used for its strength, nothing else

Honest.

Mike.

Shelflife

ejmaztec wrote: »

....and rip you off till the cows come home.:(

Common misconception, when you factor in the cost of travel etc there is very little difference, had an arguement with a friends wife over prices , she said the supermarket was cheaper than her local shop but couldnt tell me the price of any of the basic products yet was adamant that they were cheaper.

jor el

Shelflife wrote: »

Common misconception, when you factor in the cost of travel etc there is very little difference,

I would disagree. The difference can be quite a lot. Milk, bread, corn flakes, mushrooms (and other veg, but I remember that one off hand), fruit, and pretty much everything else can be as much as 50% more expensive in local shops when compared to supermarkets. I still buy all of these products in the local shop, as you don't go down to Tesco just to buy a loaf of bread (unless it's beside you), and I generally end up buying something in the local Spar every day. For doing a weekly shop though, the supermarket will be a lot cheaper. The cost of travel shouldn't make any real difference, unless you're going by helicopter or something.

ejmaztec

Shelflife wrote: »

Common misconception, when you factor in the cost of travel etc there is very little difference, had an arguement with a friends wife over prices , she said the supermarket was cheaper than her local shop but couldnt tell me the price of any of the basic products yet was adamant that they were cheaper.

It certainly isn't a common misconception with regard to being ripped off. If it were not for the competition brought in by the non-locals, the rip-off would be substantially greater, much like it was before the competition arrived.

People like the Musgraves never got rich by reducing consumers' shopping bills.

Cost of travel? I wasn't aware that the likes of SuperValu tow their stores to your front door to reduce your travel costs.

Housewives tend to know their stuff. If one were to tell you that a supermarket was cheaper, then that's probably because it is.

Isn't Shelflife the name of the Irish grocers' publication?

foggy_lad

Shelflife wrote: »

Common misconception, when you factor in the cost of travel etc there is very little difference, had an arguement with a friends wife over prices , she said the supermarket was cheaper than her local shop but couldnt tell me the price of any of the basic products yet was adamant that they were cheaper.

my nearest shop sells 2 litres of milk for€2.49 and just up the road lidl sell it for €1.65.
for most people there is no extra travel cost involved in shopping in a real supermarket instead of a local londis or centra

axer

foggy_lad wrote: »

my nearest shop sells 2 litres of milk for€2.49 and just up the road lidl sell it for €1.65.
for most people there is no extra travel cost involved in shopping in a real supermarket instead of a local londis or centra

it costs me about 8c per mile in my avensis. It definitely is cheaper to travel to the supermarket.

OP there is absolutely no problem using your bag for holding your shopping whilst going around the shop.

Shelflife

Cost of travel? I wasn't aware that the likes of SuperValu tow their stores to your front door to reduce your travel costs.

unless the supermarket is beside you its going to cost monet to get there.

Housewives tend to know their stuff. If one were to tell you that a supermarket was cheaper, then that's probably because it is.

most shoppers dont know the price of the products that they are buying.

Isn't Shelflife the name of the Irish grocers' publication?[/quote]

yes it is, but ive no connection to it.

Shelflife

Axer you prob based that on your mpg and the cost of fuel, but you prob havent included maintenance costs, tax, insurance and the biggie depreciation .
the cost per mile is alot closer to €1.

foggy_lad

Shelflife wrote: »

Axer you prob based that on your mpg and the cost of fuel, but you prob havent included maintenance costs, tax, insurance and the biggie depreciation .
the cost per mile is alot closer to €1.

most people waste more money driving to the local shop than they ever will in a weekly trip to lidl or aldi which will save the average household over €50 weekly

Shelflife

thats true foggy lad , the point im making is that when people travel a 20 mile round trip to save a tenner its a false economy.

ejmaztec

Shelflife wrote: »

Cost of travel? I wasn't aware that the likes of SuperValu tow their stores to your front door to reduce your travel costs.

unless the supermarket is beside you its going to cost monet to get there.

Housewives tend to know their stuff. If one were to tell you that a supermarket was cheaper, then that's probably because it is.

most shoppers dont know the price of the products that they are buying.

Isn't Shelflife the name of the Irish grocers' publication?

yes it is, but ive no connection to it.

You must think that all shoppers are stupid. Why would people constantly talk about rip-off Ireland if they didn't know what they were spending?

Because my local town is not competitive enough, mainly thanks to greedy Musgrave franchisees, I can drive twenty miles each way to either a Dunnes or a Tesco in another town - and still make enough savings to cover my costs.

Of course, if the local retailers decided to be more competitive, I would shop there. Unfortunately, they don't feel the need to compete, because they think that they have a captive audience.

foggy_lad

Shelflife wrote: »

thats true foggy lad , the point im making is that when people travel a 20 mile round trip to save a tenner its a false economy.

as stated already unless you travel by helicoptor or jet-car it will not cost most people €10 to drive a few miles to their nearest aldi lidl tesco's or dunnes but they in a lot of cases will be saving in the region of €50!

Xcellor

Seems like this thread as gone a bit off topic.

I don't know about lidl but the other day I didnt have 2 euros for shopping trolly in aldi so just brought my bag.. filled it up and then went to checkout... emptied it out in a very obvious fashion to show that nothing else remained (in case security were watching me). Then I paid.

No problem.. Ill do it again if I need to.

X

NoSummer

Why not mention it to a staff member on the way in? Im gonna use this bag ok?