Presse

Lidl customers are clear about this product: “I’ll definitely leave that one on the shelf.”

DER WESTEN

Just over six months ago, Lidl made a major announcement, promising to permanently lower prices on 500 products. But as new research shows, “permanent” appears to have been a relative term. According to an analysis by Smhaggle, more than a quarter of the products that were originally discounted are now more expensive again – in some cases even more expensive than before the promotion.

Customers feel misled, especially since Lidl has officially claimed that prices were permanently reduced on as many as 900 items, yet has not provided a verifiable list.

Examples such as Dulano liver sausage, Strolchi gummy candies, and Chef Select potato salad illustrate how quickly prices were raised again. Experts like Marc Houppermans criticize these campaigns as being primarily marketing-driven – aimed at positioning Lidl as a supposed price leader in consumers’ minds. In reality, according to Smhaggle, prices in grocery retail hardly differ outside of temporary promotions.

Aldi vs. Lidl

FOCUS

In the price-leader showdown, discounters cut prices – but customers feel little relief

The price war between Aldi and Lidl is entering the next round. With aggressive price cuts, Aldi aims to defend its position as the price leader. But the battle with Lidl shows that consumers are feeling little real relief.

At the start of the new year, Aldi is once again lowering prices on numerous products, reinforcing its status as the price leader. Last year, Lidl attempted to claim that top spot in the German market. Big promises from both discount giants – but what impact does the price war actually have on customers?

Lidl quietly walks back discount promises — customers end up paying more

msn

GIGA

Anyone who was hoping for permanently low prices at Lidl is now being disappointed across many products.

In the summer of 2025, Lidl announced a “historic” price cut for 500 of its products and promised customers that these items would remain permanently cheaper. However, a recent analysis by the price comparison service Smhaggle, conducted on behalf of Handelsblatt, paints a different picture. According to the findings, the discount retailer has since raised prices again on around a quarter of the products that were discounted at the time.

Lidl analysis confirms: First a “historic” price cut — now many items are getting more expensive

Münchner Merkur

Hamm – The organic liver sausage suddenly costs 30 cents more again, gummy candies jump from €0.99 to €1.29 – what Lidl customers are experiencing at the checkout marks the end of a bold promise. In May 2025, the discount retailer pledged the “biggest price cut of all time,” claiming to make 500 products permanently cheaper. But an exclusive analysis of more than 100,000 receipts shows that prices have risen again for more than a quarter of those items.

As early as July, the Hamburg Consumer Advice Center sued Lidl over misleading advertising. The complaint argued that while Lidl made eye-catching promotional promises, it was entirely unclear which products were actually reduced on a permanent basis. Even when asked directly, Lidl reportedly failed to provide a list of the discounted items. Consumer advocates saw this as a violation of the Food Information Regulation (LMIV) and Germany’s Unfair Competition Act (UWG).

Price war between Lidl and Aldi: Many formerly discounted products are now even more expensive

An analysis by the price comparison company Smhaggle, conducted on behalf of Handelsblatt, sheds light on the true scale of the misleading campaign. Of the 500 products originally advertised, only around 270 discounted items could be clearly identified. Other industry experts put the number at no more than 300. For more than a quarter of the products that were discounted at the time, prices are now higher than they were at the launch of the campaign on May 25. On average, these products are 3.9 percent more expensive today.

Consumers

Frankfurter Rundschau

Lidl analysis shows: First a “historic” price cut – now many items are getting more expensive

“Immediately and permanently cheaper: 500 products,” Lidl announced in May. A new analysis now reveals that many prices were later raised again.

Hamm – Organic liver sausage suddenly costs 30 cents more again, gummy candies jump from €0.99 to €1.29 – what Lidl customers are experiencing at the checkout marks the end of a bold promise. In May 2025, the discount retailer pledged the “biggest price cut of all time,” claiming to make 500 products permanently cheaper. But an exclusive analysis of more than 100,000 receipts shows that prices have risen again for more than a quarter of those items.

How to turn your Payback points into cash

Handelsblatt

Millions of people in Germany use Payback in hopes of saving money. Once their points balance is high enough, consumers can cash in their savings. Here’s an overview.

Düsseldorf – Discounts, coupons, and special offers are typically marketing tools. In some cases, however, entire business models are built around them – as is the case with the Payback loyalty program. Customers earn points by shopping with partner companies, which they can then redeem for discounts at checkout, merchandise rewards, or vouchers.

What many consumers don’t realize is that points can also be paid out in cash. This article explains how you can turn your Payback points directly into money.

Lidl analysis confirms: First a “historic” price cut – now many items are getting more expensive

soester-anzeiger.de

Hamm – The organic liver sausage suddenly costs 30 cents more again, gummy candies jump from €0.99 to €1.29 – what Lidl customers are seeing at the checkout marks the end of a bold promise. In May 2025, the discount retailer pledged the “biggest price cut of all time,” claiming to make 500 products permanently cheaper. But an exclusive analysis of more than 100,000 receipts shows that prices have risen again for more than a quarter of those items.

As early as July, the Hamburg Consumer Advice Center had sued Lidl over misleading advertising. The complaint argued that while Lidl made eye-catching promotional promises, it was completely unclear which products were actually reduced on a permanent basis. Even when asked directly, Lidl reportedly failed to provide a list of the discounted items. Consumer advocates saw this as a violation of the Food Information Regulation (LMIV) and Germany’s Unfair Competition Act (UWG).

An analysis by the price comparison company Smhaggle, conducted on behalf of Handelsblatt, reveals the true scale of the misleading campaign. Of the 500 products originally advertised, only around 270 discounted items could be clearly identified. Other industry experts put the number at no more than 300. For more than a quarter of the products that were discounted at the time, prices are now higher than they were at the launch of the campaign on May 25. On average, these products are 3.9 percent more expensive today.

Lidl promotes the “biggest price cut of all time” – and then raises prices again

WEB.DE

More than six months ago, Lidl announced what it called the “biggest price cut of all time.” The discount retailer said it would permanently lower prices on 500 products. A new analysis now shows that those price cuts did not last.

In May 2025, Lidl made headlines with its announcement: the “biggest price cut of all time” was supposed to make 500 products permanently cheaper. It sounded appealing – but a recent analysis by Handelsblatt paints a different picture. The reductions were not permanent, and many prices have since risen again.

On behalf of Handelsblatt, the price comparison company Smhaggle analyzed more than 100,000 receipts. The sobering result: the products promoted by Lidl now cost an average of 3.9 percent more than they did at the start of the campaign. So much for “permanently low prices.”

Lidl breaks its promise to customers: No permanently reduced discount prices

Echo24

Several hundred Lidl products were supposed to become permanently cheaper. Now it appears that the discount retailer may not be keeping its promise to customers.

As part of the discount price war, Lidl went all in in the summer of 2025, cutting prices on 500 items. Products across all categories were meant to be permanently cheaper – at least that was the promise made by the retail giant based in the Heilbronn district. More than that: the move was billed as the “biggest price cut of all time,” a supposedly historic step. An exclusive study now suggests, however, that the Schwarz Group’s grocery chain may have overpromised.

Behind the large-scale price offensive was what Lidl Germany CEO Friedrich Fuchs described as a “long-term, strategic decision.” Yet the retailer from Bad Wimpfen appears to have a rather flexible definition of “long term,” as numerous items have since become more expensive again on store shelves.

Lidl raises prices again – why the price war is mainly a signal

InvestmentWeek

Six months ago, Lidl promised a turning point at the checkout. An exclusive analysis now shows that a significant share of the “historic” price cuts did not last. The battle for price leadership follows its own rules.

The price shock was supposed to be permanent – at least that’s how it sounded when Lidl announced a sweeping price cut with great fanfare at the end of May. Around 500 products were meant to become cheaper in the long term – an attack on Aldi, staged as a liberation for consumers. Today, six months later, a different picture has emerged: for more than a quarter of these products, prices are once again higher than during the promotion.

The findings are clearer than the messaging

The analysis is based on more than 100,000 receipts evaluated by the price comparison company Smhaggle. The result is unambiguous: about 24.5 percent of the products analyzed are now more expensive than they were at the start of the campaign on May 25. On average, prices have increased by 3.9 percent. Only a smaller share of products has continued to get cheaper, while some prices remained unchanged – in some cases, however, with reduced package sizes.