Overview
- In late July 2026 Aldi announced it will not offer discounts that require a supermarket app and is running a campaign to guarantee the same till price for all customers.
- Consumer group vzbv has sued Lidl, Penny and Netto arguing app-based coupons amount to trading discounts for personal data; regional courts have dismissed cases against Penny and Netto but the Lidl case is on appeal to the Bundesgerichtshof.
- Lidl and Kaufland have publicly defended their apps, saying customers can still shop cheaply without a smartphone and that user data are processed under the GDPR and not sold to third parties.
- Independent analyses and a vzbv survey show most people use supermarket apps but monetary gains are modest—Smhaggle/dpa estimate average savings near 2%—while two-thirds of users report making extra purchases because of app offers.
- The dispute raises questions about fairness for shoppers without smartphones, the privacy cost of personalised coupons, and whether courts or regulators will require clearer disclosure or limits on app‑exclusive deals.