Lidl’s broad reach generates lots of customer interactions and, no doubt, a considerable volume of complaints. Therefore, it must have a system to resolve them.
So, if you are curious about how this complaint resolution mechanism works, and how to make complaints under it, keep reading to see what I discovered!
How Does Lidl’s Complaint Resolution Mechanism Work In [currentyear]?
Lidl offers channels through which its customers can make their complaints in each area of operation. Customers can channel their complaints in-store, or contact customer care by calling, emailing, mailing on the Lidl website and social media accounts in [currentyear]. However, customers are generally dissatisfied with Lidl’s resolution of complaints.
Keep reading to discover how Lidl processes customer complaints, the common complaints it receives, and reviewers’ opinions of its effectiveness!
How Can I Make a Complaint About an Incident at a Lidl Store?
For complaints arising from transactions wholly or partly conducted in-store, you should first engage the associate that served you.
These associates are competent enough to handle simple non-contested complaints. If they cannot help you, however, they will refer you to the appropriate staff.
If the associate won’t help you or the complaint is about them, you can approach their supervisor or ask to see the manager.
The manager will resolve most of the incidents in their store, but what they cannot resolve, they will refer to corporate.
How Do I Make a Complaint to Lidl When I Shop Online?
This alternative is available to both in-store and online shoppers. However, each customer has to make complaints through the channels available in their region.
You can channel your complaint by calling customer care in the country in which you reside, or by writing to the corporate headquarters in your country.
Alternatively, you can reach Lidl by filling out the form on the contact page on the company website, and commenting on Lidl’s social media pages.
Here are Lidl’s contacts through which customers can make complaints:
United States:
- Email compliance@lidl.us
- Call Customer Care: 1-844-747-5435
- Youtube
Additionally, you can mail your complaint to the Compliance Department:
Lidl US, LLC
3500 South Clark St.
Arlington, VA 22202
United Kingdom:
- Email Customer Services: customer.services@lidl.co.uk
- Call Customer Services: 0370 444 1234
- Visit Customer Contact Form
- Email Ronny Gottschlich (CEO) on Ronny.Gottschlich@lidl.co.uk
- Tweet Lidl UK
- Subscribe to Lidl UK on YouTube
- Follow Lidl UK on Facebook
- Follow Lidl UK on Instagram
What Other Ways Can I Lodge a Complaint Against Lidl?
If customers feel that Lidl has not done or cannot do enough to resolve their complaints, they may seek other options to air their grievances.
The most popular and effective options include government agencies that protect consumer rights and review sites.
In the US, Lidl’s customers can complain to the following consumer protection government agencies:
- Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
- Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
When an agency receives an actionable complaint, it launches an investigation and takes the appropriate action.
In the UK, Lidl customers may complain through the following contacts:
England and Wales:
- Contact Citizens Advice,
- Telephone 0808 223 1133
Scotland:
- Contact Advice Direct Scotland
- Telephone 0808 164 6000
Northern Ireland:
- Contact Consumerline
- Telephone 0300 123 6262
Lidl customers may also air their complaints on various review sites. This is sometimes sufficient for Lidl to act to avoid negative publicity.
Further, customers may also seek to resolve their complaints through legal action if promised their desired results.
What Happens After You Lodge Your Complaint to Lidl?
Lidl’s complaint resolution mechanism has an established process of dealing with complaints.
The system is designed to resolve customer issues with little antagonism.
Consequently, Lidl may appease you, even if you don’t make out your case.
Lidl processes customer complaints according to this general process:
- When you first make your complaint, Lidl sends you an acknowledgment and logs the complaint.
- In due time, an employee gets in touch with you to inquire into your complaint in detail. Try to be as accurate and precise as possible, and present whatever relevant evidence you may have.
- Lidl will make a record of its engagement with you, and you are advised to do the same.
- An investigation into the veracity of your claim follows, after which Lidl responds to your claims in a way it deems appropriate.
- The response may involve an apology, an offer of amends, or a clarification of its position. If the response is unsatisfactory, you may pursue alternative means of resolution.
What Are Common Complaints Made Against Lidl?
Common complaints against Lidl generally concern the products, staff, transaction process, and how complaints are processed effectively.
These are the most common complaints made against Lidl:
- Customers accuse Lidl of stocking poor-quality products. The vegetable and fruits are either unripe or go bad quickly, and the beef is bad.
- Some Lidl stores also don’t restock regularly and prefer to keep spoilt foodstuff on the shelves.
- Lidl customers accuse the staff, especially the security personnel, of being overeager and harassing innocent shoppers over suspicions of shoplifting.
- Some customers claimed that they were assaulted by the security, even though they were innocent.
- Customers also claim that they are sometimes overcharged or that discounts they deserve are not excluded from their final charge.
- Lidl’s manner of handling complaints is also a common grievance.
- Many customers allege that Lidl staff members are apathetic to their complaints and, in some instances, even ridicule customers for complaining.
In some instances, the in-store management passes on complaints to corporate to avoid dealing with them.
How Effective Is Lidl’s Complaint Resolution Mechanism?
Most of these scores rate Lidl on all key indicators, including customer service and support, and for most customers, that is the deciding factor.
Pissed Consumer awards Lidl 3.1 stars based on 57 rated reviews, while Trust Pilot awards it 1.9 stars based on 2,814 customer reviews.
On Reviews.io, Lidl has 2.79 stars based on 440 reviews. On Facebook, Lidl US has 3.7 stars based on the opinion of 1,604 users.
Site Jabber awards 4 stars to Lidl based on 5 reviews, and Glassdoor awards it 3.3 stars based on 6,926 reviewers.
These statistics indicate that customers are generally satisfied with Lidl as a whole, including how it handles customer complaints.
What Are Lidl’s Customer Care Hours of Service?
Customers may contact Lidl at any time, especially if they are doing it through any of Lidl’s online channels.
However, it takes a while before live assistance comes on, depending on the working hours in the particular region, about 8:00 AM- 10:00 PM every day.
You can complain in-store any time Lidl is open for business. Live assistance on call is also available during the working hours indicated.
If you are looking to learn more, you can also read our posts on the Lidl business model, what is Lidl, and Lidl SWOT analysis.
Conclusion
Lidl provides various channels for its customers to air their grievances, and reviews show that most customers are generally satisfied with the way their complaints are handled.
However, disgruntled customers can resort to non-Lidl affiliated review sites, government consumer protection agencies, or the law.
