# LIDL: What are they like to work for?



## potnoodler

Spotted a few vacancies in the LIDL empire in last weeks examiner, district manager, junior purchasing manager and retail managers. Anyone have any hands one experience or even reliable hearsay on what they’re like to work for.

I do understand that it’ll be extremely tough with long hours involved, that in itself is no bother. However my understanding is the standard day is10-12 hours with no overtime being paid or time off in-lieu . In fact there salary ain’t even that spectacular to begin , in around the 30k and seemingly no annual bonus or share on profits incentive.

So on saying that outside of rapid promotion or some other magical incentive how do they keep or even recruit worthwhile staff , as 30k quickly reduces to nearly minimum wage on those excessive hours, which I also understand is barely if even legal


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## ClubMan

*Re: LIDL, dynamic or just abuse?*

Maybe it's just me but the title of your post seems to be very leading (i.e. almost inviting people to bitch about _Lidl _as an employer whether warranted or not)...

Purely anecdotal but in my _Lidl _store more or less the same people have been working there since the store opened. A possible sign that things may not be as bad as some people might make out? Also - whatever about long hours and demanding expectations _Lidl_, like any other employer, will have to abide by the relevant employment rights legislation including the working time directive:



DETE


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## HB1

*Re: LIDL, dynamic or just abuse?*

LIDL demands more from their employees than most competitors.But Aldi does so as well.It is not just the "overtime" but other conditions as well,like for example they hate their staff to engage in union politics.Both,LIDL and Aldi , are well known on the continent (France and Germany and the Netherlands I know about) to control/pest their unwanted staff untill they kick the bucket themself.That is to avoid solidarity between the workers and to avoid compensation payments.In the Netherlands Aldi was stung very badly last year when they sacked an employee and the colleagues walked out -without even waiting for the union to look at the matter.The company had to give in,they sacked/"transferred" the boss who sacked the employee.                   With LIDL I suppose it is the same thing.They go as far as they can to get the most out of the workers,not only with the shop floor staff. 
If you have the will to work hard and can still be able to stay "humane" ( i.e. don't become a "pig"  just because the boss want's you turn pink ) than you can work nearly anywhere,even in LIDL . As clubman mentioned some stay there for years,for whole careers . But you need the spine,the back bone .And the sense for solidarity.


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## RainyDay

*Re: LIDL, dynamic or just abuse?*

I interviewed somebody who had done a stint at their head office (Kildare?) and found it to be a very tough environment.


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## ajapale

*Re: LIDL, dynamic or just abuse?*

Lidl hq is in Newbridge Co Kildare and Aldi hq is 4 miles up the N7 dualler in Naas.

In general does any one know what the story is for unpaid overtime for people on annual salaries?


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## shipibo

*Re: LIDL, dynamic or just abuse?*

Ajapale,



            Look into your contract for this , is overtime explicitely mentioned, if not the company is under no legal obligation to pay.

            As all employees are paid same , discrimination case is not feasible , what is their incentive for working over 37.5 hours..... surely harrassment cannot be that great. 

            Working time directive is 47 + hours a week, this is EU law , but not adhered to in Ireland yet, but moves in 2006 - 7 to implement.

            I expect Irish companies to stop overtime, and bring in bonuses , so hours are more difficult to track , .I.E Employees are given goal, and timeline is theirs to decide.


          Would be interesting to see LIDL / ALDI Contract.


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## potnoodler

*Re: LIDL, dynamic or just abuse?*



			
				ClubMan said:
			
		

> Maybe it's just me but the title of your post seems to be very leading (i.e. almost inviting people to bitch about _Lidl _as an employer whether warranted or not)...



thats not what I'm after anyway, as I was seriously thinking of going for a position but decided against. All I was seeking was feedback from anyone in the know good or bad.
Don't think just coz a checkout girl working 20 hours a week is still there 12months later is much of an indicator. Now if you spoke to
her it might be a different story.


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## ClubMan

*Re: LIDL, dynamic or just abuse?*



			
				potnoodler said:
			
		

> Don't think just coz a checkout girl working 20 hours a week is still there 12months later is much of an indicator. Now if you spoke to
> her it might be a different story.



I was not talking specifically about part time checkout girls (males also do that job these days by the way). However if somebody stays working for an employer for 12 months or more then it certainly suggests that they are to some extent content to stay in such an arrangement. If they are not and they stay put then, particularly in this era of practical full employment, they must be masochists. Anyway, I did point out that this was purely anecdotal evidence.


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## gailey

*Re: LIDL, dynamic or just abuse?*

Speaking from experience don,t go near them!!!


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## potnoodler

*Re: LIDL, dynamic or just abuse?*

Hi Gailey,

do ya mind me asking where you worked for them and how long?


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## MugsGame

I know someone who worked there as a trainee manager. They said you could replace the 'ID' in their name with "HE", jumble the letters, and have a far more descriptive name!

From their point of view, the money and benefits seemed good on paper, but the "required" hours bordered on the illegal (depending on how you interpreted the Working Time directives.).

As you can probably tell, they hated it, which may have jaundiced their view!


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## machalla

I know of one position I think based in their HQ which had a relatively good salary but required you to be on call 24 hours a day 365 days a year (so I was told by someone who interviewed for it) to be able to up and head off to any of their stores around the country.  Oddly enough the last I heard was that they had no takers for the job.  You also needed to speak excellent German so that limited the field somewhat too.  No idea if its been filled since.


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## terrlock

I got a job with lidl as a systems engineer. During the initil period your required to work in all sections of the industry, such as the shop and warehouses and all that. 

My contract was that I would work from 8 until 6 every day. 

My first day I was required to arrive at 7am, I was given a brief intro and then instructed to drive to the shop to start work there...I didn't end up finishing until 11pm.

So 1st day was from 7am to 11pm....not a good sign and barely got a break in that time also.

2nd day was 9 until after 11 also...after 2 weeks of working in the shop I had to go work in the warehouse....which they refused to tell me what my working hours would be after me asking 

They just told me that I had too work until the manager decided it was enough.

So started in the warehouse at 6am didn't get to finish until 10pm that night.

Next day was the same. 

I felt I was being totally abused and basically once you work in lidl you have no life outside it.

Sure they offer a nice salary and you get to drive around in an audi, but its really like making a deal with the devil. And it also feels like that.

I would recommend staying away from them.


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## Dearg Doom

I have a relation working as a manager for Lidl. It's certainly not for someone looking for the easy life. While he's been there a lot of people have come and gone - mostly people who expected a hands-off management role - it's very different to being a manager in the other supermarkets and that comes as a shock to some. Working in the shops is very much hands on for all members of staff; including lifting and moving boxes of stock. Days are long but they are rigorous about not breaching their legal requirements on maximum working hours. Lidl are not the only employers that don't pay overtime or give time in lieu - I've never worked for anyone that gave either of these. All said it's not for you if you're afraid of hard work, but someone prepared to roll up their sleeves and get on with things can do well.


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## rmelly

Dearg Doom said:


> Lidl are not the only employers that don't pay overtime or give time in lieu.


 
Correct, but by the sounds of it, long hours at Lidl are a very regular occurance rather than a once off or end of month/project occurance.


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## gebbel

My Brother worked as a store manager in Lidl for 2 years and his best mate worked as a district manager for the same length of time. In the end it wore both of them down, the long days, rotating weekends, bank holidays etc. Although they were well remunerated (district manager more so), they found it stressful enough at times. 
They both say that it would amaze them if any other company in Ireland has a higher turnover of staff. It wears you down in the end. They reckon that morale and job satisfaction are non-existent, and that even the fairly high level of remuneration will not make employees stick around too long.


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## rabbit

terrlock said:


> I got a job with lidl as a systems engineer. During the initil period your required to work in all sections of the industry, such as the shop and warehouses and all that.
> 
> My contract was that I would work from 8 until 6 every day.
> 
> My first day I was required to arrive at 7am, I was given a brief intro and then instructed to drive to the shop to start work there...I didn't end up finishing until 11pm.
> 
> So 1st day was from 7am to 11pm....not a good sign and barely got a break in that time also.
> 
> 2nd day was 9 until after 11 also...after 2 weeks of working in the shop I had to go work in the warehouse....which they refused to tell me what my working hours would be after me asking
> 
> They just told me that I had too work until the manager decided it was enough.
> 
> So started in the warehouse at 6am didn't get to finish until 10pm that night.
> 
> Next day was the same.
> 
> I felt I was being totally abused and basically once you work in lidl you have no life outside it.
> 
> Sure they offer a nice salary and you get to drive around in an audi, but its really like making a deal with the devil. And it also feels like that.
> 
> I would recommend staying away from them.


 
I stay away from them too.  Why some people would shop there is beyond me.  Some of their food is ok, but thats all.


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## ClubMan

rabbit said:


> I stay away from them too.  Why some people would shop there is beyond me.


Maybe because of things like this?

NCA publishes grocery price survey
Survey changes shopping habits

We do the bulk of our non fresh produce shopping there because they are cheaper/more competitive than the alternatives. The fact that some people can't hack working there wouldn't put us off.


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## Purple

ClubMan said:


> Maybe because of things like this?
> 
> NCA publishes grocery price survey
> Survey changes shopping habits
> 
> We do the bulk of our non fresh produce shopping there because they are cheaper/more competitive than the alternatives. The fact that some people can't hack working there wouldn't put us off.


I agree. We do the bulk of our shopping there as well.


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## cole

We do most of our shopping there too. There is a big difference in our weekly shopping bill.


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## Purple

cole said:


> We do most of our shopping there too. There is a big difference in our weekly shopping bill.



Same here. Down by about 40%


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## rabbit

Purple said:


> Same here. Down by about 40%


 
But are you comparing like with like ? The same brand in both shops ? When lidl sell jeans for example they may be 40% - or 90% for all I care - cheaper than say Levis or Wrangler or similar quality brands, but you are not comparing like with like. In my experience the lidl own brands in general , and their "weekly special offers", are not the same quality as most of the brand name goods. However, thats just my opinion , and that of some family / friends. When lidl are sell something I know / can trust ( not their own brands ) , then I have no problem shopping there.

N.B. I use levis and wrangler as an example - the jeans I wear are not levis or wrangler or indeed a lidl brand - I based my buying decision purely on design / texture / fit / quality / colour etc and do not even know offhand what brand they are.


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## Caveat

rabbit said:


> When lidl are sell something I know / can trust ( not their own brands ) , then I have no problem shopping there.


 
Have to say this sounds a bit narrow minded/parochial to me - to "know" these products you have to try them. Lidl/Aldi do not have the same "cheapo" image abroad that they seem to have in Ireland - they are regarded as equivalent to Tesco/Dunnes etc.

Not all Lidl products live up to my expectations sure, but I have been pleasantly surprised by many purchases I have made.


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## ClubMan

rabbit said:


> But are you comparing like with like ?


The _NCA _did - _Lidl _and _Aldi _own brands to _Tesco, Dunnes _etc. mid range. This is a fair comparison and the results were clear cut - _Lidl _and _Aldi _offer better value than the others by a large margin.


> In my experience the lidl own brands in general , and their "weekly special offers", are not the same quality as most of the brand name goods.


See above.


> N.B. I use levis and wrangler as an example - the jeans I wear are not levis or wrangler or indeed a lidl brand - I based my buying decision purely on design / texture / fit / quality / colour etc and do not even know offhand what brand they are.


I doubt that most people go to _Lidl/Aldi _most of the time for clothes!


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## MandaC

Caveat said:


> Have to say this sounds a bit narrow minded/parochial to me - to "know" these products you have to try them. Lidl/Aldi do not have the same "cheapo" image abroad that they seem to have in Ireland - they are regarded as equivalent to Tesco/Dunnes etc.
> 
> Not all Lidl products live up to my expectations sure, but I have been pleasantly surprised by many purchases I have made.




Would second this.  Some products are really dodgy, but some are lovely.  Aldi Feta cheese is €1.99 when it is €4.20 in Superquinn.  They taste the exact same.

I was making an orange cheesecake to bring to a dinner party and got all the bits and pieces in Lidl/Aldi where the last time I bought the stuff in local shop.  Ingredients worked out at next to nothing and everybody loved the cake.

Suppose we are getting off the point of working for Lidl.  Dont think I would fancy it myself.  Does anyone else find the atmosphere in most Lidl or Aldi Shops resemble a morgue.


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## Purple

rabbit said:


> But are you comparing like with like ? The same brand in both shops ? When lidl sell jeans for example they may be 40% - or 90% for all I care - cheaper than say Levis or Wrangler or similar quality brands, but you are not comparing like with like. In my experience the lidl own brands in general , and their "weekly special offers", are not the same quality as most of the brand name goods. However, thats just my opinion , and that of some family / friends. When lidl are sell something I know / can trust ( not their own brands ) , then I have no problem shopping there.
> 
> N.B. I use levis and wrangler as an example - the jeans I wear are not levis or wrangler or indeed a lidl brand - I based my buying decision purely on design / texture / fit / quality / colour etc and do not even know offhand what brand they are.


We buy all cleaning products, toiletries, fruit and veg (which is better than Superquinn or Tesco and mostly sourced from Dublin, Kildare and Meath) and frozen meat from them. We only buy meat that is Bord Bia marked.
We buy very little process food anyway so the cost there is small.
The rest of our meat comes from our local butcher and things like fresh herbs, spices and oils (and other things that Lidl don’t stock) from a local shop.


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## ClubMan

MandaC said:


> Does anyone else find the atmosphere in most Lidl or Aldi Shops resemble a morgue.


No. But I look forward to _Lidl _or _Aldi _doing special offers on coffins, burial shrouds and funerary urns in a few decades time.


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## Purple

ClubMan said:


> No. But I look forward to _Lidl _or _Aldi _doing special offers on coffins, burial shrouds and funerary urns in a few decades time.


Dying for it are ye?


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## MandaC

ClubMan said:


> No. But I look forward to _Lidl _or _Aldi _doing special offers on coffins, burial shrouds and funerary urns in a few decades time.




I love the special offer booklets, they are hilarious, one week it is all about stuff for old folks, another week it was horses, another week pets, another week keep fit, fishing and so on.  

Some of the topics were a bit bizarre and I would not doubt that coffins, etc may surface at some point.


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## Guest117

rabbit said:


> I stay away from them too. Why some people would shop there is beyond me. Some of their food is ok, but thats all.


 

Rabbit

I suggest you temporarily swallow your pride or principles or what ever and try shopping there. Thet are muuuuuch cheaper for many products and in my experience the quality is generally very good. In the town I live in they seem to be the busiest of all the supermarkets.

If you have a problem with the way they treat staff then you won't have any trouble finding similar problems with how the other multiples treat their staff and suppliers etc.

Soon this approach wll leave you with no where to shop.

I'm not suggesting that having principles is a bad thing - just that you take another look

PS no connection to LIDL


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## cole

ClubMan said:


> No. But I look forward to _Lidl _or _Aldi _doing special offers on coffins, burial shrouds and funerary urns in a few decades time.


 
As long as they're branded... Levi Funeral Shrouds HALF PRICE!


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## ClubMan

MandaC said:


> I love the special offer booklets, they are hilarious, one week it is all about stuff for old folks, another week it was horses, another week pets, another week keep fit, fishing and so on.
> 
> Some of the topics were a bit bizarre and I would not doubt that coffins, etc may surface at some point.


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## rabbit

Caveat said:


> Have to say this sounds a bit narrow minded/parochial to me - to "know" these products you have to try them.


 
Believe me, I have.  And I have more often than not been disappointed.  A zip - very lightweight and flimsy when you look at it - failed on a lidl item of clothing.  A mop thing fell apart.   etc etc


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## Green

Interesting thread...on one page we have people comment on the poor experience of the working environment (hours worked etc) worked and on the other those commenting on how cheap they are compared to competitors........perhaps it is because one is directly related to the other


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## foxylady

Dearg Doom said:


> I have a relation working as a manager for Lidl. It's certainly not for someone looking for the easy life. While he's been there a lot of people have come and gone - mostly people who expected a hands-off management role - it's very different to being a manager in the other supermarkets and that comes as a shock to some. Working in the shops is very much hands on for all members of staff; including lifting and moving boxes of stock. Days are long but they are rigorous about not breaching their legal requirements on maximum working hours. Lidl are not the only employers that don't pay overtime or give time in lieu - I've never worked for anyone that gave either of these. All said it's not for you if you're afraid of hard work, but someone prepared to roll up their sleeves and get on with things can do well.


 
My Oh works for a large supermarket as management and certainly does not have a hand off job, far from it in fact, he already has accrued about 16wks hols which there is no time to take off.


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## Purple

rabbit said:


> Believe me, I have.  And I have more often than not been disappointed.  A zip - very lightweight and flimsy when you look at it - failed on a lidl item of clothing.  A mop thing fell apart.   etc etc



Try the food


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## Caveat

rabbit said:


> Believe me, I have. And I have more often than not been disappointed. A zip - very lightweight and flimsy when you look at it - failed on a lidl item of clothing. A mop thing fell apart. etc etc


 
Ok, but I have had similar experiences with e.g. Dunnes products. I don't think anyone is saying that Lidl products are the ultimate in quality/design etc - it's just that similar products from competitors are no better - but are usually much more expensive.

_Edit: Oh and yes, as Purple says, try the food! _


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## ClubMan

foxylady said:


> My Oh works for a large supermarket as management and certainly does not have a hand off job, far from it in fact, he already has accrued about 16wks hols which there is no time to take off.


Employees have a statutory entitlement to take their holidays!


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## foxylady

ClubMan said:


> Employees have a statutory entitlement to take their holidays!


 
Am aware of this clubman but it doesnt mean the employer will be so forthcoming.


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## rabbit

Purple said:


> Try the food


 
We did.  Much of their own brand stuff is awful.  Never again.  But then again, what do you expect for the price I suppose.


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## ClubMan

YOBR said:


> Interesting thread...on one page we have people comment on the poor experience of the working environment (hours worked etc) worked and on the other those commenting on how cheap they are compared to competitors........perhaps it is because one is directly related to the other


Hardly rocket science if the likes of _Lidl/Aldi _*legitimately *get the best out of their employees and thereby effect efficiencies that lead to lower prices and better competition compared to others in the market?


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## ClubMan

rabbit said:


> We did.  Much of their own brand stuff is awful.  Never again.  But then again, what do you expect for the price I suppose.


I totally disagree that _Lidl/Aldi _food products are generally "awful". As far as I know the _NCA _survey which was pretty comprehensive and rigorous would agree. I suspect that some of them are even probably produced on the same lines as big brand products.


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## rabbit

ClubMan said:


> I suspect that some of them are even probably produced on the same lines as big brand products.


But even if that is true, in a small number of cases, I doubt they are made from the same materials or to the same specification.   There are so many factories in the far east producing stuff now, you know.


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## cole

rabbit said:


> We did. Much of their own brand stuff is awful. Never again.


 
I disagree, I think much of their produce is lovely and I'm delighted they've arrived here.



rabbit said:


> But then again, what do you expect for the price I suppose.


 
Price is not an indicator of quality.


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## Purple

rabbit said:


> We did.  Much of their own brand stuff is awful.  Never again.  But then again, what do you expect for the price I suppose.


 Own brand apples, oranges, onions, turnips, grapes, potatoes, salad stuff etc? I find their fresh fruit and vegetables to be consistently better than the larger chains.
I also find their Bord Bia approved meat to be the same as Tesco or Superquinn Bord Bia approved meat. We don’t buy much processed food so don’t really know how they compare.


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## Purple

rabbit said:


> But even if that is true, in a small number of cases, I doubt they are made from the same materials or to the same specification.   There are so many factories in the far east producing stuff now, you know.


Cabbages are made of cabbage. They are not produces in factories in the Far East.


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## ClubMan

rabbit said:


> But even if that is true, in a small number of cases, I doubt they are made from the same materials or to the same specification.   There are so many factories in the far east producing stuff now, you know.


I don't recall many of their food products having been produced in the far east!

Anyway - if you don't like their products (across the board) and are happy to pay higher prices elsewhere then that's your right. But to tar much (most?) of their stuff as awful is simply not true in my opinion. Obviously some others agree with me.


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## ClubMan

Purple said:


> Cabbages are made of cabbage. They are not produces in factories in the Far East.


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## davfran

YOBR said:


> Interesting thread...on one page we have people comment on the poor experience of the working environment (hours worked etc) worked and on the other those commenting on how cheap they are compared to competitors........perhaps it is because one is directly related to the other



+1 I so agree with you


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## Green

ClubMan said:


> Hardly rocket science if the likes of _Lidl/Aldi _*legitimately *get the best out of their employees and thereby effect efficiencies that lead to lower prices and better competition compared to others in the market?


 
Thats why so many posters have said that they are such a good firm to work for so.....where do I sign up...........


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## terrlock

This thread is about what lidl are like too work for not the quality of products they sell..

My expeirience from working for them is as per my first post on page one...a very bad one.

Saying that my experience from shopping from them is a good one.

They cheap of the cheap products can be bad, but many of the products they sell are of good quality, the fruit and veg is as good as you can get anywhere, and I know that as I worked in the shop as well as tested the fruit and veg when it comes into the main warehouses...they are very strict on quality.


If you shop in lidl you don't buy everything from them but i'd buy a lot of products from them that are simply much better value.

Shopping around saves you money... Just doing all your shopping in one shop isn't a good idea for your pocket, even if it saves a bit of time.


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## ClubMan

YOBR said:


> Thats why so many posters have said that they are such a good firm to work for so.....where do I sign up...........


Not sure what your point is but as I said earlier in the thread I seem to have seen a lot of the same faces working in my local _Lidls _and _Aldis _for years at a stretch. Presumably they are able to hack it and find something beneficial in working there. They don't seem oppressed to me and I find them more polite, helpful and friendly than many of the staff in my local _Tescos _and _Dunnes Stores_.


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## micmclo

Wow, there are more posts here about the quality of food then about employment conditions.

Maybe if you worked for 2-3 years and left you can work for another supermarket chain that demanded less hours.
You'd learn a lot in your time in Lidl or Aldi but once you can't do the hours anymore then I'd imagine other supermarkets would love to hire you

Offtopic: By far the friendliest and most helpful staff are in M&S. Maybe they are under strict instructions to be like but it's nice to see. They also seem to be a bit older than the teenagers you meet in Tesco or Dunnes.


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## Green

ClubMan said:


> Not sure what your point is but as I said earlier in the thread I seem to have seen a lot of the same faces working in my local _Lidls _and _Aldis _for years at a stretch. Presumably they are able to hack it and find something beneficial in working there. They don't seem oppressed to me and I find them more polite, helpful and friendly than many of the staff in my local _Tescos _and _Dunnes Stores_.


 
The point is that your view that they extract legitimate hours from their employees is not backed up by other posters, and also that aspect doesn't really seem to bother people as long as they get tins of beans for 20p...


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## euro2000

I know one manager who is with them for the last 3 years and one for 1 year. Both agree the working hours are long but they are extremely well remuniated and both for the moment are happy there. I don't think they abuse their staff at all as implied by the post, I don't know where you came up with that.



YOBR said:


> The point is that your view that they extract legitimate hours from their employees is not backed up by other posters, and also that aspect doesn't really seem to bother people as long as they get tins of beans for 20p...


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## Green

euro2000 said:


> I know one manager who is with them for the last 3 years and one for 1 year. Both agree the working hours are long but they are extremely well remuniated and both for the moment are happy there. I don't think they abuse their staff at all as implied by the post, I don't know where you came up with that.


 

Why dont you go and read the comments of the posters on the first page of this thread..............(indeed as I cited in my initial post)


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## ClubMan

YOBR said:


> Why dont you go and read the comments of the posters on the first page of this thread..............(indeed as I cited in my initial post)


You mean the *single *negative first hand experience that was posted:


terrlock said:


> I got a job with lidl as a systems engineer. During the initil period your required to work in all sections of the industry, such as the shop and warehouses and all that.
> 
> My contract was that I would work from 8 until 6 every day.
> 
> My first day I was required to arrive at 7am, I was given a brief intro and then instructed to drive to the shop to start work there...I didn't end up finishing until 11pm.
> 
> So 1st day was from 7am to 11pm....not a good sign and barely got a break in that time also.
> 
> 2nd day was 9 until after 11 also...after 2 weeks of working in the shop I had to go work in the warehouse....which they refused to tell me what my working hours would be after me asking
> 
> They just told me that I had too work until the manager decided it was enough.
> 
> So started in the warehouse at 6am didn't get to finish until 10pm that night.
> 
> Next day was the same.
> 
> I felt I was being totally abused and basically once you work in lidl you have no life outside it.
> 
> Sure they offer a nice salary and you get to drive around in an audi, but its really like making a deal with the devil. And it also feels like that.
> 
> I would recommend staying away from them.


along with a few other second or third hand anecdotal ones?


foxylady said:


> My Oh works for a large supermarket as management and certainly does not have a hand off job, far from it in fact, he already has accrued about 16wks hols which there is no time to take off.





RainyDay said:


> I interviewed somebody who had done a stint at their head office (Kildare?) and found it to be a very tough environment.





gailey said:


> Speaking from experience don,t go near them!!!





MugsGame said:


> I know someone who worked there as a trainee manager. They said you could replace the 'ID' in their name with "HE", jumble the letters, and have a far more descriptive name!
> 
> From their point of view, the money and benefits seemed good on paper, but the "required" hours bordered on the illegal (depending on how you interpreted the Working Time directives.).
> 
> As you can probably tell, they hated it, which may have jaundiced their view!





machalla said:


> I know of one position I think based in their HQ which had a relatively good salary but required you to be on call 24 hours a day 365 days a year (so I was told by someone who interviewed for it) to be able to up and head off to any of their stores around the country. Oddly enough the last I heard was that they had no takers for the job. You also needed to speak excellent German so that limited the field somewhat too. No idea if its been filled since.





Dearg Doom said:


> I have a relation working as a manager for Lidl. It's certainly not for someone looking for the easy life. While he's been there a lot of people have come and gone - mostly people who expected a hands-off management role - it's very different to being a manager in the other supermarkets and that comes as a shock to some. Working in the shops is very much hands on for all members of staff; including lifting and moving boxes of stock. Days are long but they are rigorous about not breaching their legal requirements on maximum working hours. Lidl are not the only employers that don't pay overtime or give time in lieu - I've never worked for anyone that gave either of these. All said it's not for you if you're afraid of hard work, but someone prepared to roll up their sleeves and get on with things can do well.





gebbel said:


> My Brother worked as a store manager in Lidl for 2 years and his best mate worked as a district manager for the same length of time. In the end it wore both of them down, the long days, rotating weekends, bank holidays etc. Although they were well remunerated (district manager more so), they found it stressful enough at times.
> They both say that it would amaze them if any other company in Ireland has a higher turnover of staff. It wears you down in the end. They reckon that morale and job satisfaction are non-existent, and that even the fairly high level of remuneration will not make employees stick around too long.


----------



## Green

ClubMan said:


> along with a few other second or third hand anecdotal ones?


 
So the point you are making is that what people tell their partners, wives, brothers, other relatives, friends about their working conditions in situations where they can talk in a candid way isn't a valid basis for getting an insight into the working conditions and environment of a company? 

So, lets assume that is the case, why do people, such as the OP, when they are deciding whether to apply to a company or researching for a job interview with a company seek out those who are or know people who have worked for the company. Indeed, you would imagine that they draw conclusions from the information that they glean. 

Indeed, if I were to extend your point to its logical conclusion, then askaboutmoney.com would not work as nobody would believe or act on the anecdotal information that they receive from those who are total strangers to them.


----------



## ClubMan

YOBR said:


> So the point you are making is that what people tell their partners, wives, brothers, other relatives, friends about their working conditions in situations where they can talk in a candid way isn't a valid basis for getting an insight into the working conditions and environment of a company?


No - I just pointed out that there was a *single *instance of a* first hand* account and then several second or third hand anecdotal accounts of negative working experiences earlier in this thread. It's up to the individual to judge how much weight to give to these when drawing conclusions about how good/bad _Lidl _might be as an employer. Personally I wouldn't really jump to too many conclusions/generalisations based on that sort of evidence. That's all. Others - especially those who might have other objections to or grudges against the company - might take a different view.


----------



## MandaC

YOBR said:


> So the point you are making is that what people tell their partners, wives, brothers, other relatives, friends about their working conditions in situations where they can talk in a candid way isn't a valid basis for getting an insight into the working conditions and environment of a company?
> 
> So, lets assume that is the case, why do people, such as the OP, when they are deciding whether to apply to a company or researching for a job interview with a company seek out those who are or know people who have worked for the company. Indeed, you would imagine that they draw conclusions from the information that they glean.
> 
> Indeed, if I were to extend your point to its logical conclusion, then askaboutmoney.com would not work as nobody would believe or act on the anecdotal information that they receive from those who are total strangers to them.



That is so true.  

From what I have read on this thread, first hand, second hand or third hand, I know Lidl would not be somewhere I would like to work.  There only appeared to be one positive posting about working for them.

In their defence, I dont think its just Lidl.  I worked in retail management in a past life.  At that time, the hours were long (often did 8am -9.30pm) and awkward, the pay was okish for its time (before Celtic Tiger), but you lived and breathed the company.  At one stage, I worked for 31 days on the trot (Monday to Sunday) without a day off.  

The company is now defunct, but some of the people I worked with stayed within the Retail Sector and still work under similar conditions.


----------



## rabbit

Purple said:


> Cabbages are made of cabbage. They are not produces in factories in the Far East.


What was being referred to was many of the products in the weekly so-called " special offers " they have in their centre aisles.  I gave an example earlier if a zip on a cheap pair of lidl jeans which broke ( the zip was very lightweight and the jeans did not fit as well as any other pair I ever bought anywhere else, regardless of price...) and a mop thing which broke after a few weeks.    Some of their food may be ok...but having tried 5 or 6 different things eg biscuits - and being disappointed - I would not risk my money there again.


----------



## ClubMan

rabbit said:


> I would not risk my money there again.


If the garment was faulty then you just had to bring it back for a refund.


----------



## Purple

rabbit said:


> What was being referred to was many of the products in the weekly so-called " special offers " they have in their centre aisles.  I gave an example earlier if a zip on a cheap pair of lidl jeans which broke ( the zip was very lightweight and the jeans did not fit as well as any other pair I ever bought anywhere else, regardless of price...) and a mop thing which broke after a few weeks.    Some of their food may be ok...but having tried 5 or 6 different things eg biscuits - and being disappointed - I would not risk my money there again.


I think I may have said this before but try their fresh fruit and veg


----------



## ClubMan

rabbit said:


> What was being referred to was many of the products in the weekly so-called " special offers " they have in their centre aisles.  I gave an example earlier if a zip on a cheap pair of lidl jeans which broke ( the zip was very lightweight and the jeans did not fit as well as any other pair I ever bought anywhere else, regardless of price...) and a mop thing which broke after a few weeks.    Some of their food may be ok...but having tried 5 or 6 different things eg biscuits - and being disappointed - I would not risk my money there again.





Purple said:


> I think I may have said this before but try their fresh fruit and veg


----------



## rabbit

ClubMan said:


> If the garment was faulty then you just had to bring it back for a refund.


 
It was easier just to throw it in the bin. A friend brought something back once and had to wait ages for the manager, all the time standing not too far from the checkouts and everyone queing. Then he got fobbed off. Maybe the lidl employee there was one of the stressed out and overworked people referred to earlier...it was not a happy experience for anyone.
This gets back to the point of the thread ....employee experiences in lidl etc


----------



## ClubMan

rabbit said:


> It was easier just to throw it in the bin. A friend brought something back once and had to wait ages for the manager, all the time standing not too far from the checkouts and everyone queing. Then he got fobbed off. Maybe the lidl employee there was one of the stressed out and overworked people referred to earlier...it was not a happy experience for anyone.
> This gets back to the point of the thread ....employee experiences in lidl etc


I have brought items back to _Lidl _and _Aldi _simply because they didn't suit or, more rarely, because of some problem, and never had any problems getting a refund. They both have no quibble 28-30 day money back guarantees covering most items if you find that they do not suit and bring them back unused for a refund. At least two members of my family have had the same experience. Even in two cases when items proved to be faulty and were brought back more than a year later with no receipt or proof of purchase.


----------



## rabbit

ClubMan said:


> Even in two cases when items proved to be faulty and were brought back more than a year later with no receipt or proof of purchase.


 
I do not find it hard to believe so many items bought in lidl were found faulty...but what happened when they were bought back "more than a year later with no receipt or proof of purchase".  Given that I know of three cases where no refund was given even within the 12 month period ( fobbed off with excuses from " no receipt and "wear + tear / mis-use etc ) I would find it difficult to believe.  Or maybe you were just lucky with your lidl store....maybe the lidl employeee / exploited trainee manager you dealt with there was not at the end of his / her 80 hour week!  Most Irish people, if they find something from a supermarket just tastes awful or not great quality, just dump it if it was cheap.


----------



## ClubMan

rabbit said:


> I do not find it hard to believe so many items bought in lidl were found faulty


Two items. Hardly "so many"...


> but what happened when they were bought back "more than a year later with no receipt or proof of purchase".


They both got a refund. In my mother's case neither she nor the manager could remember the original purchase price (pressure cooker) so they just agreed on a sum.


> Given that I know of three cases where no refund was given even within the 12 month period ( fobbed off with excuses from " no receipt and "wear + tear / mis-use etc ) I would find it difficult to believe.


Well if you think I'm making it up there's not much I can do. But I'm not.


> Or maybe you were just lucky with your lidl store....


Two different stores. And I've brought unused items back for refunds in the _Aldi _and two _Lidl _stores in _Dublin _city centre.


> Most Irish people, if they find something from a supermarket just tastes awful or not great quality, just dump it if it was cheap.


Maybe most people you know? She didn't attempt to eat the pressure cooker by the way.


----------



## extopia

ClubMan said:


> At least two members of my family have had the same experience. Even in two cases when items proved to be faulty and were brought back more than a year later with no receipt or proof of purchase.



A friend of mine recently brought back an electronic item which had stopped working after more than a year. No receipt. They let him exchange the item for a brand new equivalent model, no questions asked.

I've returned a fairly high value faulty item too (with the receipt), no problems whatsoever, money refunded (in cash, even though I'd paid for the item with a card) with a smile.


----------



## rabbit

extopia said:


> I've returned a fairly high value faulty item too (with the receipt), no problems whatsoever, money refunded (in cash, even though *I'd paid for the item with a card)* with a smile.


 
You mean high price faulty item ...as how could a faulty item be high value ?   If it did not work, and you could not get a replacement item to fulfill your needs because the shop does not stock or service such items on a regular basis ( only for a week or two each year ) ...how could it have been high value.   High price is what I think you mean. 
Interesting point re the card - do lidl still refuse to take visa , access and all credit cards, because of the bank charges ?   I know they take laser cards because the bank charges on those are much much less.


----------



## ClubMan

rabbit said:


> You mean high price faulty item ...as how could a faulty item be high value ?   If it did not work, and you could not get a replacement item to fulfill your needs because the shop does not stock or service such items on a regular basis ( only for a week or two each year ) ...how could it have been high value.   High price is what I think you mean.


The failure of a high price/value/whatever hair your splitting yourself item is hardly unique to _Lidl _or any other specific retailer. 


> do lidl still refuse to take visa , access and all credit cards, because of the bank charges ?   I know they take laser cards because the bank charges on those are much much less.


Yes. Cash or _Laser _(no cashback) only. So what?


----------



## rabbit

ClubMan said:


> The failure of a high price/value/whatever hair your splitting yourself item is hardly unique to _Lidl _or any other specific retailer.


 I never said it was unique to lidl.  The point is there is a difference between high value and high price.  Is not not hypocritical for someone to claim that something which failed and which was a high price item was high value ?


----------



## rabbit

ClubMan said:


> Yes. Cash or _Laser _(no cashback) only. So what?


I only asked the question as I was curious ( do lidl still refuse to take visa , access and all credit cards, because of the bank charges ?) so thank you for the reply.


----------



## ClubMan

[broken link removed]


----------



## murphaph

Purple said:


> Own brand apples, oranges, onions, turnips, grapes, potatoes, salad stuff etc? I find their fresh fruit and vegetables to be consistently better than the larger chains.
> I also find their Bord Bia approved meat to be the same as Tesco or Superquinn Bord Bia approved meat. We don’t buy much processed food so don’t really know how they compare.


The fresh fruit and veg and fresh meat and poultry are considered the two most important areas in the store. The procedure staff follow is simple....if, for any reason, you would not buy the item yourself, bin it. F&V is supposed to be checked at least once an hour to make sure nothing has spoiled (the likes of lettuce can spoil very quickly). If anyone wants to see how scared the traditional retailers are they should get their hands on Checkout magazine and see how highly their secret shoppers rate Lidl and Aldi F&V. It is seen as a key trust item by both. Lidl get fresh F&V and chilled product into their stores seven days a week. The turnover is generally high so almost every item will have been delivered that morning. I think it's well known now that the quality of Lidl/Aldi ambient products is generally quite high. They can afford to sell cheap because they buy in massive quantities (over 7000 Lidl stores now!) and they have work practices that get the most from all staff. I work for Lidl and yes they are demanding employers and yes they pay more than other retailers (except Aldi, similar renumeration) in all departments. All shop floor/warehouse employees now clock in electronically and get paid for every minute worked (including premium rates for Sundays and bank holidays and overtime is paid to them when they exceed 39 hours per week). All employee timesheets are analysed by head office every week and managers are hauled up if an employee breached the rules (even if an employee only got 10.59 instead of 11 hours rest between shifts! Store and warehouse managers also clock in and they may not exceed the working time directive (48 hours average). Lidl has had a LOT of bad press in Germany and they are now very wary of all these things so they have clamped down on irregularities. Lidl is still not an employer for the faint hearted though!


----------



## rabbit

murphaph said:


> Lidl has had a LOT of bad press in Germany


 Not just in Germany, I would say the poor quality of many of its products and its poor work practices are renowned throughout most if not all of the countries in which it trades.   No wonder most brands and most manufacturers of packaged goods will not sell to them.


----------



## murphaph

rabbit said:


> Not just in Germany, I would say the poor quality of many of its products .. are renowned throughout most if not all of the countries in which it trades.   No wonder most brands and most manufacturers of packaged goods will not sell to them.


Source for these unfounded accusation? Who makes Lidl's very CHEAPEST 4 pack lager? -> Brauerei Beck, Hamburg, owned by InBev (the largest beer maker in the world, no less!)

Fresh poultry in Ireland-> Western Brand (Mayo) and Moy Park (also owned by Western Brand but operating somwhat independently in Dungannon)

Pizzas-> Wagner (largest brand name pizza manufacturer in Germany)

Some dairy products-> Mueller of Bavaria

Bread in Ireland-> British Bakeries (makers of Hovis/mother's pride etc!) and Irwins

Cleaning Products mostly made by McBride.

etc. etc. etc. 

Lidl does some things badly, but the quality of the food is not in question IMO.


----------



## rabbit

murphaph said:


> Source for these unfounded accusation?


 
As regards most manufacturers of packaged goods , just look at the lack of choice / how many brands are never stocked by them.  Just look down their centre isles for a good example.   For example, one week lidl may flood the market with motorbike stuff.  Are any of the helmets , gloves, accessories or anything else a recognised brand name ?  The next week lidl may decide to sell marine equipment.  Same story.  Are any of the  lifejackets / ropes / wetsuits / gloves  etc etc a recognised brand name ?   Are any of the lidl  lifejackets / ropes / wetsuits / gloves etc etc ever advertised / mentioned or tested in any of the hundreds of sailing / boating / surfing or watersport magazines available anywhere in the world ? Are any of the lidl lifejackets / ropes / wetsuits / gloves ever displayed at any boat show in any country ever ?  The same analogy applies to the other stuff lidl sells. Often cheap in quality, but not always cheap in price.   A friend got some lidl electronic stuff ( as a present ) and was a bit disappointed when they used it too.    If you want shoes, ok lidl sell shoes, but do not expect them to be comparable to Clarkes or Ecco, for example.  Yes lidl sell jeans , but do not expect the same quality as a pair of wranglers , or levis.  I got a few tools in lidl once, but I found they rusted within six months.  Ok, they were still usable, but I - or anyone else I know - would not rate them the same quality as reputable brands of tools , for example.  There are tens of thousands upon tens of thousands of manufacturers and brands worldwide in the motorcycling / marine /  horseriding / tools etc etc industries - why do none ( or at least 99.99 % ) sell to lidl ?


----------



## murphaph

rabbit said:


> As regards most manufacturers of packaged goods , just look at the lack of choice / how many brands are never stocked by them.  Just look down their centre isles for a good example.   For example, one week lidl may flood the market with motorbike stuff.  Are any of the helmets , gloves, accessories or anything else a recognised brand name ?  The next week lidl may decide to sell marine equipment.  Same story.  Are any of the  lifejackets / ropes / wetsuits / gloves  etc etc a recognised brand name ?   Are any of the lidl  lifejackets / ropes / wetsuits / gloves etc etc ever advertised / mentioned or tested in any of the hundreds of sailing / boating / surfing or watersport magazines available anywhere in the world ? Are any of the lidl lifejackets / ropes / wetsuits / gloves ever displayed at any boat show in any country ever ?  The same analogy applies to the other stuff lidl sells. Often cheap in quality, but not always cheap in price.   A friend got some lidl electronic stuff ( as a present ) and was a bit disappointed when they used it too.    If you want shoes, ok lidl sell shoes, but do not expect them to be comparable to Clarkes or Ecco, for example.  Yes lidl sell jeans , but do not expect the same quality as a pair of wranglers , or levis.  I got a few tools in lidl once, but I found they rusted within six months.  Ok, they were still usable, but I - or anyone else I know - would not rate them the same quality as reputable brands of tools , for example.  There are tens of thousands upon tens of thousands of manufacturers and brands worldwide in the motorcycling / marine /  horseriding / tools etc etc industries - why do none ( or at least 99.99 % ) sell to lidl ?


I think I've debated with you before on boards.ie haven't I? 

There are thousands of manufacturers around the world who don't sell to say, Tesco. What's your point?

I once had a pair of Clarks shoes where the sole came away from the upper. I could get no satisfaction from the Clarks Shop where I bought them. I could get no satisfaction from Clarks themselves. I never bought Clarks again. If your upper comes away from your sole on a pair of Lidl shoes you take them back and they'll give you a full refund. Spot the difference?

The motorbike/marine stuff is interesting-it all MUST pass minimum testing to be legal for sale in the European Union. I suppose you'll tell me that Lidl's supplier fakes the 22.05 motorcycle helmet test now? 

Yawn.


----------



## rabbit

murphaph said:


> The motorbike/marine stuff is interesting-it all MUST pass minimum testing to be legal for sale in the European Union. I suppose you'll tell me that Lidl's supplier fakes the 22.05 motorcycle helmet test now?
> Yawn.


Yawn indeed.   That is a different point and why bring it up - and indeed sarcastically yawn - if it is so interesting ?  Why ?    As far as I know *not *all motorbike/marine stuff has to be tested - *only* the safety equipment in those fields.  eg lifejackets have to be tested for buoyancy ( not durability / comfort or style ), while sailing shoes would not have to be tested fkor anything.  The many various magazines ( car / marine / motorbike / sailing or whatever ) never ever seem to test / advertise or even mention lidl products - lidl products are simply not on the radar screen there, and you never even see pictures of people using lidl products there.    

Another point as regards testing - that other fine purveyor of quality items with a four letter l word,  lada cars , were tested by the european union too.  They had to be for sale in Europe.   Because they were tested does not imply overall quality / durability / style / value / performance or such like.

yawn !


----------



## rabbit

murphaph said:


> There are thousands of manufacturers around the world who don't sell to say, Tesco. What's your point?


 I gave the example of lidll selling stuff in the motorcycling / marine / horseriding / tools etc etc industries .   In those fields, I stated there are tens of thousands upon tens of thousands of manufacturers and brands worldwide  - why do none ( or at least 99.99 % ) sell to lidl ? 
When I do my weekly shop in tesco, as you mention them, I have the dignity of choice.  I can choose between different brands and manufacturers for 99 % of the items I buy there.   When I buy a pair of jeans, I go to a shop where I can try them on , and where I have the dignity of choice.  I did not try on the pair I bought in lidl but will never but a pair again there anyway.
Incidentally, I have absolutely no connection to lidl, tesco, clarkes shoes, levis, wrangler or any of the brands or business names mentioned.


----------



## MandaC

In my opinion, it is incorrect to say that the produce is poor in Lidl.


----------



## Guest117

rabbit said:


> When I do my weekly shop in tesco, as you mention them, I have the dignity of choice. I can choose between different brands and manufacturers for 99 % of the items I buy there.


 
What is this fascination you have with the " dignity of choice "

You have already *chosen* not to shop at LiDL others, myself included, have chosen that we will shop there for certain items at least. Why do you need a choice when food and detergent etc. shopping? Do you not, for 90% of items, find what you like and stick with it?

We all agree that LiDL have shortcomings but simply put - some of their stuff is very good and very cheap. So *chose* to take the savings on some % of your monthly shop and go to Tesco or other for *choice* on the other items.

The LidL model works - as evidenced by their success. If you don't like it, fine, but you have to admit that others obviously do. I believe the Irish public are still very discerning buyers and would not buy F&V etc there if quality was not excellent.

So what if they sell some brands that you never heard of - that is their way of profiting from existing customers - hardly a new business concept!


----------



## Towger

Lidl children’s life jackets are better quality (stitching and material etc) than I have bought from mainstream chandlers and their ropes are _*exactly*_ the same as supplied as standard by at least one major German yacht manufacture.


----------



## rabbit

Towger said:


> Lidl children’s life jackets are better quality (stitching and material etc) than I have bought from mainstream chandlers  and their ropes are _*exactly*_ the same as supplied as standard by at least one major German yacht manufacture.


Have to disagree with you there - the lidl cloth is flimsier and the foam is stiffer / less comfortable. Also the colours / styling of the lidl is not up there with the leading makes. Try on the 2 side by side and you will see the difference. Check the price too...lidl are dearer than some chandlers for that quality.

Re their ropes, which " major German yacht manufacturer  supplies their ropes...and how do you know they are lidl ?


----------



## rabbit

uiop said:


> The premium priced branded products are a main source of income as advertising sponsors of these magazines.
> Of course the magazines are not going to bite the hand that feeds them and suggest that the better value and quite useful Lidl/Aldi products are superior or even the equal of their advertising sponsors.
> This kind of biased behaviour is common and tolerated in the world of journalism from magazines to the 'respectable' newspapers.


lol...great conspiracy theory .....so that explains why the many various magazines throughout Europe ( car / marine / motorbike / sailing or whatever ) never ever seem to test / advertise / photograph or even mention lidl products .  Why are there never any lidl brands on any stand at any motorbike / boat / marine / tool / exhibition / show ?   Another great conspiracy ? lol


----------



## Towger

rabbit said:


> Try on the 2 side by side and you will see the difference. Check the price too...lidl are dearer than some chandlers for that quality.
> 
> Re their ropes, which " major German yacht manufacturer supplies their ropes...and how do you know they are lidl ?


 
I have. The lifejacket I bought was better than the more extensive one. It was softer (at appeared to use multiple layers of thin foam) and had labels for all the materials used. 3M, DuPont etc. As for colour/style, we are talking lifejackets not buoyancy aids. Which some other Irish supermarkets were trying to pass off ....

The ropes were compaired indetail side to side, remember I said the 'standard ropes', I am not compairing them to hi-tech racing ropes.


----------



## MandaC

This thread is going way off course, considering the original question is "Lidl- What are they like to work for?"

It is an interesting debate on the quality or not of the produce but should possibly be re-directed from the work and careers section of the board.


----------



## rmelly

rabbit said:


> lol...great conspiracy theory .....so that explains why the many various magazines throughout Europe ( car / marine / motorbike / sailing or whatever ) never ever seem to test / advertise / photograph or even mention lidl products . Why are there never any lidl brands on any stand at any motorbike / boat / marine / tool / exhibition / show ? Another great conspiracy ? lol


 
maybe it's time we called in Mulder & Scully - could be the subject of their next film.


----------



## murphaph

"Dignity of choice"-dear lord, do you consider your dignity violated when Tesco are out of stock of Heinz ketchup and you have to buy 'Chef'?. Do you hate Aldi twice as much as Lidl seeing as Aldi's assortment is only half that of Lidl's? lol.


----------



## rabbit

murphaph said:


> "Dignity of choice"-dear lord, do you consider your dignity violated when Tesco are out of stock of Heinz ketchup and you have to buy 'Chef'?


I never saw Tesco out of stock of Heinz ketchup. Not only that, they offer a variety of different sized bottles of Heinz, different styles ( eg plastic / glass / up-side down etc ). They also offer other brands such as Chef among others. There is choice. I can even pay with a visa or other credit card there if I want to, unlike in lidl. Yes, the family did try the lidl ketchup once, but everyone agreed it tasted horrible and it was put in the bin. No money back there ! It reminds me of a BBQ I was at once, some cheapskate produced a bottle of lidl stuff and they were laughed / slaged out of it by dozens of people.

Nobody can yet explain / answer my question, not even the people who work for lidl....why the many various magazines throughout Europe ( car / marine / motorbike / sailing / tools or whatever ) never ever seem to test / advertise / photograph or even mention lidl products . Why are there never any lidl brands on any stand at any motorbike / boat / marine / tool / exhibition / show ?  And in those sectors/ industries, there must be tens of thousands of manufacturers / brands worldwide - why do none ( or at least 99.99 % ) sell to lidl ? 


I have no connection to Heinz, Chef, Tesco or any of the companies or brands mentioned.


----------



## Diziet

Give it a rest, will you?

Go shop in Tesco's all you like - I and many others are happy to shop in Lidl, thanks. I don't give a monkey's about the 'dignity of choice' (what a term, honestly!) or the fact that the car magazines you read don't review Lidl stuff.


----------



## rabbit

uiop said:


> I think you have to be a narrow minded snob if the prejudices of other people govern which ketchup you use. When I saw what you wrote about ketchup my eyes lit up.


lol You did not read what I wrote. I wrote that my family did try the lidl ketchup once, but everyone agreed it tasted horrible and it was put in the bin. Light your eyes up again, it may be the stuff thats in the cheapo ketchup !




uiop said:


> Actually I have often seen LIdl and Aldi products reviewed. .


 
Where ? A group of my friends were chatting about that recently and between us all we reckoned we read many dozens of magazines on a regular basis , yet never lidl stuff tested , evaluated or reviewed. We must have read many thousands of tests over the years and never any lidl stuff tested or even mentioned ? Sometimes the magazines test stuff from firms who do not advertise with them, so it cannot be that. Between us we have also attended hundreds of exhibitions, shows ( in the motorbike / marine / tool sreas ) etc and never saw any lidl accessories / products / brands on sale or advertised there.



uiop said:


> They are always in limited supply so not everyone can usually get one ( a laptop or LCD TV for example) and represent the highest value and quality.


 
Who says they "represent the highest value and quality". I compared the spec on a dell computer once and the value and quality was far better than lidl. Then again, you would expect that, lidl do not specialise in computers, so they were more expensive. I do not work for dell by the way. I know of only one person who bought a lidl computer and they were never happy with it. Its in the bin now. That is why I would love to know the name of what magazine / publication you claim reviewed a lidl product.


----------



## Caveat

rabbit said:


> It reminds me of a BBQ I was at once, some cheapskate produced a bottle of lidl stuff and they were laughed / slaged out of it by dozens of people.


 
Charming.


----------



## rmelly

uiop said:


> They are always in limited supply so not everyone can usually get one ( a laptop or LCD TV for example) and represent the highest value and quality.


 
So they're better quality than Sony, Philips and all the other PROPER name brands etc?


----------



## theoneill

potnoodler said:


> Spotted a few vacancies in the LIDL empire in last weeks examiner, district manager, junior purchasing manager and retail managers. Anyone have any hands one experience or even reliable hearsay on what they’re like to work for.
> 
> I do understand that it’ll be extremely tough with long hours involved, that in itself is no bother. However my understanding is the standard day is10-12 hours with no overtime being paid or time off in-lieu . In fact there salary ain’t even that spectacular to begin , in around the 30k and seemingly no annual bonus or share on profits incentive.
> 
> So on saying that outside of rapid promotion or some other magical incentive how do they keep or even recruit worthwhile staff , as 30k quickly reduces to nearly minimum wage on those excessive hours, which I also understand is barely if even legal



I think it’s safe to say that this thread has derailed


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## Bronte

"It reminds me of a BBQ I was at once, some cheapskate produced a bottle of lidl stuff and they were laughed / slaged out of it by dozens of people."


Rabbit - How rude of the people to have been invited to a BBQ and to laugh at the host.  Just because you think Heinz is the best does not mean it is.  Can you not see that.  You have probably been programmed from an early age to like only Heinz taste, it's called marketing and they start it at a very early age with those baby jars.


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## rabbit

Bronte said:


> Rabbit - How rude of the people to have been invited to a BBQ and to laugh at the host.  .


 
It was not the host people laughed at.  Everyone was told to bring something to the BBQ.  The person told to bring the ketchup obviously let themselves down, as nobody but nobody wanted the lidl stuff.  One person even commented how in a blind test of 20 people once it failed miserably there too.


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## Bronte

Well it's still rude host or not, maybe that's all that person could afford and maybe they liked the flavour. Obviously enough people purchase Lidl ketchup to justify them selling it year in year out.  The proof is in the sales


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## rabbit

uiop said:


> None of this is rocket science. Inside all these products the components are standard and ordered from similar or identical supplying manufacturers. Whether in the marine or computer area.....


 
No the components are not standard and not ordered from similar or identical supplying manufacturers !  And even if they were, the design and manufacturing processes are different.    No way is a lidl television better than a leading brand such as sony.  I have looked at both, any eejit can see the difference.   As someone else asked you, do you really think lidl electronics are better quality than Sony, Philips and all the other PROPER name brands etc?


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## Lauren

This thread is hilarious....rabbit are you trolling perhaps? 

Lidl and Aldi are BRILLIANT for their fresh fruit and veg. The quality is excellent. There are other bits n peices that I'd be happy to buy there and I shop there in the knowledge that I won't find everything I need, I won't see all the brands I want and there are always surprises in the special offer sections that intrigue me.

Fruit and veg in Tesco in my experience is terrible quality and I refuse to buy it any more. Tesco is also appalling at keeping their shelves stocked properly and I can never do a full shop there at any time. There are always several items that I can't get. I shop there because it is closest to home for me and convenience matters.

Dunnes shelves are always stocked very well and their fruit and veg is of reasonable quality but not as good as Lidl!

Whats it like to work in Lidl? Similar I'd say to working for Dunnes or Tesco. Retailing is hard work, the hours are long, in particular for managers.

And as for slagging people at BBQ's for their choice of ketchup, well I'm appalled, shocked and stunned.


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## Purple

rmelly said:


> So they're better quality than Sony, Philips and all the other PROPER name brands etc?


The best consumer electronics company in the world is Korean. Philips are a branding organisation having sold out their engineering soul a few years back.
My point is that branding is just that, quality is a different thing.


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## rabbit

uiop said:


> Brand consciousness is best left to insecure teenagers. I can just picture you in your 'Nike Air Max.'and Burberry cap  Fair play to you.


I can assure you I am not an insecure teenager, and neither do I wear nike air max..or a burberry cap. Like others I know, I gave lidl the benefit of the doubt....some of their stuff was just ok, but other lidl stuff just tasted awful ( in the case of some of their food items ) or otherwise failed / broke , like the weak little zip on the lidl jeans , or the lidl mop thing. If lidl cut the specification on something simple like a jeans zip, or a mop, does it really surprise you that their electronic stuff is not as clear or the same quality as the brand name stuff ? Not only that, but a laptop I looked at in dell once was just an competitive price compared with Dell. lidl stuff is not always cheap.


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## rabbit

Purple said:


> My point is that branding is just that, quality is a different thing.


I agree with you there.   I am not a brand name person either, I always do go for reasonable quality though.  Thats why I hated it when my lidl jeans ( which I only got to work in because I knew the styling / fit would not be great ) zip broke, when my lidl mop thing broke ( it never worked great anyway ), when some lidl tools I got rusted quite quickly, when I saw the hairs kept falling out of some paintbrushes etc


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## rmelly

uiop said:


> This is a fact. As for which is better quality that would require an empirical study with set parameters.


 
I would have thought that the same tests were required to say they are even the same quality as other makes, let alone better quality?



> In fact some technologys such as Sonys own brand memory sticks are not only more expensive but also more inconvenient and incompatible with anything other than a Sony.


 
Can you substantiate this 'claim'? Maybe this is an operator problem, as I've never had issues with any of the Sony memory sticks I've bought or used in a whole range of machines.


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## rmelly

uiop said:


> emotional lines taken in this thread.


 
You mean like:



> I think you have to be a narrow minded snob


 
That one is particularly offensive...



> When I saw what you wrote about ketchup my eyes lit up.


 


As for quality, I'm not clear what your thoughts on it are:



> your definition of quality which I think is subjective.


 


> This is a fact. As for which is better quality that would require an empirical study with set parameters.


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## rmelly

My issue here is that you have hijacked a thread on working for Lidl and turned it into a thread discussing the merits of shopping in Lidl. As such I fear you have a hidden agenda and would appreciate it if you come clean on any ties you may have to Lidl or indeed Aldi. Equally, you show little interest in having a reasoned debate on quality.


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## Pique318

Righto, personal experience here:
I bought a laptop from Lidl 3.5 years ago and it cost the same as a much LESSER specced machine from Dell, HP, Acer etc. It also had a full accessory kit and laptop bag. The chip was AMD, the HDD was Samsung etc. Took a load of use/abuse (including surviving a beer spillage and a 4 ft drop onto a wooden floor) until the motherboard gave up eventually...1 month out of warranty.
I bought a 19" LCD monitor from Aldi which cost the same price as a 17" monitor in a Dell package, approx 20% less than a comparable monitor in Tesco. It died after approx 18 mths. I rang the helpline, explained the issue and had a replacement (newer spec) monitor couriered to my house within a week. Original monitor had inherent flaw I reckon and new one is better quality (with built in speakers) and excellent clarity. Fantastic value.
I also bought a tower PC for use as a home entertainment PC. Similar spec machines (again from Dell, Compaq etc, similar middle of the road standard) were significantly dearer. The components are the same and I use mine connected to a HD telly and use it as a web, downloading PC, music & movie repository and DVD player.
I work in IT so I'm not a fool when it comes to techie stuff, but Aldi and Lidl is great value for that stuff.
I also agree about the Fruit, veg, milk, bog roll, wines, pastas, rice, cleaning stuff, breads, cereals, juices etc.

I think there are a lot of people out there who could be accurately described as Label Snobs and will only buy something if it has the right label.


Rabbit, I'd love to do a blind taste test with you and ketchup from across the board.

Anyway, keep going to Tesco/Superquinn/wherever and keep the Lidl/Aldi carpark thet little bit easier to park in.


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## helan72

just wondering if any of the mods are on line as i cannot see how this thread should be allow stay open - it has descended into a slagging match!!! other threads have been shut down for less


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## MandaC

helan72 said:


> just wondering if any of the mods are on line as i cannot see how this thread should be allow stay open - it has descended into a slagging match!!! other threads have been shut down for less



If you note I already said this yesterday.  What Heinz ketchup, motherboards, memory sticks and and marine rope (!) have to do with working for Lidl is beyond me. I did see a huge bottle of Heinz tomato sauce in Lidl on Saturday for €2.99, does this help? This is a most bizzare thread to say the least and I cant for the life of me fathom it?


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## Leo

OK, as has been noted, this is clearly way off-topic. Could people, particularly Rabbit, please keep to the topic at hand, side tracking the thread in such a manner does nothing to help the OP.
Leo


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