Lidl settles 5p veg dispute with £25k payout
Lidl paid £25,000 to a shopper after wrongly accusing him of violating its 5p Christmas vegetable promotion rules.
The dispute occurred in December at the chain’s Whalley Banks store in Blackburn. Staff stopped the unnamed shopper, claiming he had entered the store twice to purchase more than the allowed three packs of 5p shallots.
Accusation and claim
The shopper denied the allegation, stating he had visited the store only once that morning. He recounted being confronted near the checkout by a male employee in front of other customers and workers.
“As someone from a minority background, I felt the incident was racial profiling,” he said. “Being stopped, questioned, and refused service in that way made me believe I was targeted because of my race.”
The encounter triggered a panic attack linked to a diagnosed mental health condition. A store manager arrived but left without resolving the matter, the shopper added.
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He pursued a £25,000 claim under the Equality Act through the government’s online civil money claims service. Lidl failed to submit a defence on time, resulting in a default County Court judgment in the shopper’s favour.
Payment and response
Lidl settled the £25,000 payment after court enforcement officers visited its Tolworth headquarters in southwest London on 15 June. The company was also ordered to cover £1,250 in costs.
The shopper received a standard apology from Lidl a week after the incident but said it did not address the harm done. He had multiple exchanges with the company and even contacted his MP before taking legal steps.
“The whole situation began over three packs of Lidl’s 5p Christmas vegetables—specifically the shallots—along with other groceries,” he said.
Discounted vegetables have become a key part of the Christmas shopping rush. Supermarkets frequently lower prices in the week before 25 December to attract last-minute buyers. Aldi, Lidl and Morrisons set a new low of 5p in December.
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A Lidl representative stated the company was dedicated to maintaining an inclusive environment and had a strict policy against discrimination. “We treat any such allegations with the utmost seriousness,” the representative said.
The representative noted that an administrative mistake by an external partner prevented Lidl from filing a defence on time, leading to the default judgment. No court determined that discrimination had occurred.
For the shopper, the case was about more than compensation. It was about being acknowledged after months of unresolved communication with the company. While the £25,000 payment may end the legal process, the experience left lasting effects that a generic apology could not repair.
These promotions aim to attract holiday shoppers, but the rules are rigid. Quantity limits exist to prevent resellers from stockpiling items. However, they can also create friction at checkout, particularly when staff are under pressure to enforce them.
The incident shows how a simple shopping trip can spiral when accusations of rule-breaking collide with issues of race and mental health. A disagreement over 15p worth of shallots led to a court ruling and a substantial settlement.
