Lidl is piloting a click-and-collect service, offering loyalty program members a chance to reserve coveted “middle aisle” products before they hit the shelves.
The initial trial will focus on the popular Parkside Robot Lawnmower, allowing Lidl Plus app users to reserve the item between 7 and 13 April.
Customers can choose their preferred store for collection between 16 and 19 April, ahead of the mower’s general release in stores on 24 April.
Lidl GB chief customer officer Jassine Ouali said: “We’re always exploring bold new ways to enhance our customers’ shopping experience and are pleased to be in a position where we can bring this latest trial to life.
“We know how popular our Middle of Lidl deals are, and this trial will give our Lidl Plus customers the chance to secure a must-have item before it hits the shelves.
“We can’t wait to see how our customers respond.”
Lidl Plus launched in 2020 and now has more than 100 million users globally, according to the supermarket.
Alongside the lawnmower, shoppers will also be able to secure the Parkside Robot Lawnmower Garage, a weather-proof docking station to house the lawnmower while it is not in use.
Lidl, like fellow discounter Aldi, has found its middle aisle deals on products that can range from air fryers to ski clothing and hot tubs to camping and gym equipment to be hugely popular with British shoppers.
Both discounters advertise the often-seasonal “special buy” product lines as on sale for a limited time only at low prices, with Aldi using the slogan “When it’s gone, it’s gone.”
Lidl’s middle aisle is particularly attractive to men. Ryan McDonnell, the supermarket’s UK chief, described it as having a “big male following”.
There is plenty of evidence online of the unusual items that people pick up in the store. As one Reddit user put it: “Lidl is dangerous – you go in for a few basics and come back out with a chainsaw and a ratchet set.” Another described their grandfather returning home with a neon yellow jacket.
