Lidl shoppers who have been left furious over the supermarket’s revamped loyalty scheme are being told there are far better ways to save money elsewhere.
The budget chain recently replaced its popular instant rewards setup with a slower points-based system – sparking backlash from customers who say freebies and discounts now take far longer to unlock.
Now, former Morrisons worker and money-saving expert Al Baker has revealed the best supermarket loyalty apps, cashback tricks and hidden perks shoppers should be using instead, as reported by What’s The Jam.
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The savvy shopper, 51, from Aldershot, Hampshire, says many people wrongly assume Aldi is the obvious replacement – despite the chain not offering any loyalty scheme at all.
Instead, he says shoppers could now get better value by switching to supermarkets like Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons, especially when combining loyalty rewards with cashback apps.
Al explained that most major supermarkets now match Aldi and Lidl prices on staple products anyway.
That means shoppers can often pay almost identical prices on basics while also earning points, vouchers and cashback on top.
He said: “A lot of people instantly push back and say those supermarkets are more expensive than Lidl or Aldi.
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“But what many shoppers miss is that most major supermarkets now run Aldi and Lidl price-matching schemes across staple items.”
One of the biggest alternatives highlighted by Al, who runs the money-saving blog https://www.thepennypincher.co.uk/, is Tesco Clubcard Plus.
The subscription costs £7.99 a month and gives shoppers 10% off two in-store shops every month — with savings capped at £20 per shop.
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That means households spending heavily each month could potentially save up to £40 monthly.
Al said: “This is a great alternative for Lidl shoppers who used to spend £250 a month to get 10% off their next Lidl shop.
“These customers can still get 10% off without having to spend £250 first.”
He also pointed out that the 10% discount is applied after Clubcard prices have already reduced products — meaning shoppers are effectively “stacking” discounts.
The money-saving expert says cashback apps are another overlooked trick.
Unlike Lidl and Aldi, larger supermarkets work with cashback gift card apps such as JamDoughnut.
These can offer around 4% to 5% cashback on supermarket spending.
“If somebody saved £40 through Clubcard Plus, then paid the remaining balance with a cashback gift card earning around 4% to 5%, they could save another £10 to £15 on top each month, said Al.
He also highlighted Tesco’s wider Clubcard rewards system, which allows points to be used with restaurants, cinemas, hotels and flights.
Meanwhile, Nectar points at Sainsbury’s can also be stacked alongside app offers and partner deals.
The shopping expert says the biggest change happening now is that savvy consumers are no longer staying loyal to one supermarket.
Instead, they are combining loyalty pricing, cashback apps, subscriptions and price-matching to cut their bills wherever possible.
His insights pair up with new data from PayPal on young shoppers in particular.
The research, released last month, found that while 70% of young people describe themselves as loyal customers, more than half (55%) admit they would still switch brands if a better or cheaper offer came along.
Two-thirds of Gen Zers (66%) said they are more likely to stay loyal to brands that actively reward them, while 51% said incentives and perks now matter more than loyalty itself.
Al added: “The savvy shoppers are stacking loyalty pricing, subscriptions, cashback apps and price matching together to drive down the total cost of their grocery shop.”
Despite the backlash, Al admitted Lidl still has some standout bargains – particularly its cheap frozen protein meals and famous middle aisle offers.
But he believes many shoppers are now rethinking whether the supermarket is still worth going out of their way for.
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