The Lidl retail chain is testing a new way to access promotions that does not require customers to have a smartphone or scan a mobile app. According to information from several portals, an option has been introduced in selected stores where a customer can provide their phone number at the checkout to take advantage of an offer. This is a response to the needs of older people or those who do not want to use the app. The tests are pilot in nature and do not yet include all stores.
New method for accessing promotions
Lidl is testing a solution where a customer, instead of scanning a code in an app, can provide their phone number at the checkout. The process is intended to be simpler and more accessible for people without smartphones.
Response to customer needs
The initiative aims to meet the needs of people who, for various reasons, do not use mobile apps, for example seniors or those who prefer traditional methods.
Test phase in selected stores
The new option is currently being tested only in some Lidl stores in Poland. The chain has not yet provided details on the scale of the pilot or the schedule for a potential rollout across the entire network.
The Lidl discount chain has begun testing a new way of providing promotions, intended as an alternative to the previous requirement to scan a code in a mobile app. Instead, in selected stores, a customer can provide their phone number at the checkout to activate a discount. This information, reported by several industry and technology portals, indicates an attempt to adapt the offer to a wider audience. The novelty is a response to signals from customers who, for various reasons, do not want or cannot use a smartphone and a dedicated app. This mainly concerns older people and those who prefer simpler, traditional solutions. Introducing an option based on a phone number aims to eliminate barriers related to digital exclusion and increase the accessibility of promotions. The tests are pilot in nature and do not yet cover the entire network. Lidl has not revealed exactly how many stores are implementing it or how long the test phase will last. In the context of broader trends in retail, Lidl's actions fit into an observed dichotomy. On the one hand, chains are intensively developing digital and loyalty solutions based on apps; on the other, they are trying not to marginalize customers who do not use them. Since the 1990s, with the development of discount chains in Poland, promotions have become a key element of competition. In the last decade, following the widespread adoption of smartphones, they have increasingly been linked to mobile apps, forcing consumers to adapt to new technologies. The current test may be a signal that the market is beginning to see the limits of digitization and the need to preserve analog paths to access offers. The success or failure of this pilot will likely influence the strategy not only of Lidl but also of other major players in the market.
Perspektywy mediów: Technology and industry portals present the novelty as a positive step towards greater inclusivity, emphasizing convenience and the removal of a technological barrier. Critical voices, though absent from the provided articles, could point to potential risks related to the processing of phone numbers and the expansion of customer databases.