Overview

• Lidl’s Supermarkt-VAR system is active at two London self-checkout lanes, using overhead cameras and live video feeds to flag suspected unscanned items before payment can proceed.
• The retailer plans to equip about 200 German outlets by February 2026 with a Scan & Go smartphone app, cash-accepting self-checkout terminals and serviced kiosks for returns and age-restricted purchases.
• Privacy groups and shoppers have criticized the AI surveillance as overly intrusive and are calling for a return to human-staffed checkouts to protect personal data.
• Some customers have countered trolley-unlocking requirements with inventive hacks, including 3D-printed novelty tokens and shared Euro coins to free shopping carts without official chips.
• German consumer advocates are enforcing Pfand regulations by pressuring supermarkets to accept deposit-return bottles bearing intact logos even if containers are dirty or crushed.