Lidl New returns Policy? Is this legal?

TheSpectator

(My) Reading between the lines is that op seems to be a serial returner of items seeing as they seemed very familiar with the previous policy. Could it be that they (Lidl) are just fed up, particularly if same store and they are making him jump through hoops. Not that this changes things with regards any Consumer Rights but maybe this isn't a change of policy per se, but maybe a selective one?

Alderbank

TheSpectator said:

(My) Reading between the lines is that op seems to be a serial returner of items seeing as they seemed very familiar with the previous policy. Could it be that they (Lidl) are just fed up, particularly if same store and they are making him jump through hoops. Not that this changes things with regards any Consumer Rights but maybe this isn't a change of policy per se, but maybe a selective one?

Could be. We have only heard one side of the issue. The local manager might well have invited the OP to visit another store for a change. Lidl stores are not hard to find.

What's not in doubt is Lidl's published returns policy, which as far as I can recall (I can't be bothered to check on Wayback) is unchanged:

Faulty Non-Food specials items

- Within 12 months of purchase:

If you are not satisfied with the quality of a non-food specials item purchased at one of our stores, you may return the item within one year of purchase with your receipt or proof of purchase to one of our stores, for a replacement (where available) or a full refund.

https://www.lidl.co.uk/c/refund-policy/s10022914

Perhaps the OP is conflating within 12 months with within one year to get within one month?

eskbanker

Alderbank said:

What's not in doubt is Lidl's published returns policy, which as far as I can recall (I can't be bothered to check on Wayback) is unchanged:

Faulty Non-Food specials items

- Within 12 months of purchase:

If you are not satisfied with the quality of a non-food specials item purchased at one of our stores, you may return the item within one year of purchase with your receipt or proof of purchase to one of our stores, for a replacement (where available) or a full refund.

https://www.lidl.co.uk/c/refund-policy/s10022914

Perhaps worth noting that the 12+ month wording immediately after that is:

- After 12 months of purchase:

If more than 12 months after purchase you find a fault with the quality of a non-food specials item purchased at one of our stores, please contact our Customer Services department for assistance and an experienced operator will talk you through your options.

i.e. they're still not saying 'if it's beyond a year then go to the manufacturer', so presumably they've instructed their store staff that they can refund or replace within a year but beyond that it needs to be dealt with by head office?  None of this affects statutory rights though, of course....

surfwidow

Hi I have been a good customer in my local store and am on very good terms with the staff. I am not a 'serial returner of goods'. The issue is simple Lidl no longer accept non food items as a return after 30 days in their stores. Thats it! If you want to return any non food items in 2025 (regardless of what anyone is saying here the manage just told me their new policy!) you have to contact their customer services this is every store. The Manager apologised but said it is their new policy and this appears to be the case. I was not sure about the legalities of this. What am I supposed to do with the faulty items just put with it them? A few posters here seem to paint me as a troublemaker? I can assure you I am on very good terms with the staff and always friendly. It is not their fault. I am just shocked that Lidl suddenly have imposed this. I spent £8000 in Lidl in 2024. I was building a house so bought a lot of tools and bits and pieces (from welders to rattle cans of spray paint from Middle of Lidl along with my usual shop. Happily they are all fine. In the last 2 years I have only retuned about 6 items? And one of them was just an error purchase which they put straight back on the shelf for sale.

RefluentBeans

1. Your contract is with Lidl. But the company as a whole not an individual store. 

2. A lot of stores have return policies that are different to your legal rights (hence the phrase ‘this does not affect your statutory rights’). The store may wish to process through their own returns policy rather than consumer rights. You should make sure that they know you’re wanting to make a consumer rights claim. 

3. The warranty is an additional right to your returns rights. These can be ranging from very lenient to very restrictive. And the claims process is at the discretion of the retailer. The warranty may also be provided by the manufacturer - in such cases you may be directed to claim off their warranty. 

4. From what I can tell you haven’t made it very clear you want to claim through your rights and not the warranty or their own returns policy. Because of this, they haven’t tried to limit your rights. If you go back to them and say you want to claim under your statutory rights, then they may:
a) refund you - but this amount may be reduced based on usage over a estimated lifetime of the product. 

b) offer repair or replacement - this is their legal right to choose if they refund/repair/replace for you. 

c) tell you to prove its faulty and not user error. This is also legal. 

I hope that clarifies (and repeats a lot of what other users have said). 

eskbanker

surfwidow said:

The issue is simple Lidl no longer accept non food items as a return after 30 days in their stores. Thats it! If you want to return any non food items in 2025 (regardless of what anyone is saying here the manage just told me their new policy!) you have to contact their customer services this is every store. The Manager apologised but said it is their new policy and this appears to be the case. I was not sure about the legalities of this. What am I supposed to do with the faulty items just put with it them?

If the store staff are telling you something that contradicts the company's published policy then highlight that to them and escalate to the central customer services team if necessary, while you're also reporting the faulty goods to them as requested.

LindsayT

OP read this.

Personally I would print this off and take it to the store with the item.

https://www.lidl.co.uk/c/refund-policy/s10022914

Sounds like they are confusing it with change of mind policy (which is within 30 days).

Okell

@surfwidow -  well here's your answer

LindsayT said:

OP read this.

Personally I would print this off and take it to the store with the item.

https://www.lidl.co.uk/c/refund-policy/s10022914

Sounds like they are confusing it with change of mind policy (which is within 30 days).

As you are on good terms with the store manager and staff you should be able to point out to them that they are wrong about their store's policy.  (I assume that the quoted link is correct. [Edit:  See following post]).

Up to 12 months [Edit: see following post] after purchase you can return "faulty" goods instore for a replacement or a full refund.

Did you make it 100% clear to them that you were returning faulty goods and not "changing your mind"?

You might also want to take it up with Lidl customer services and ask them how they propose to correct their wrong advice in telling you to take it up with the manufacturer - and to send the items back to the manufacturer - as opposed to telling you to take it back to the store for a replacement or a full refund.

(Are you sure you made it clear the item was faulty and it wasn't a change of mind?  Seems odd to me that the instore staff and manager and Lidl's CS should all get their own published policy wrong... )

Okell

Further to my previous post, if I search for Lidl's returns policy myself, there seems to be a three year returns window rather than 12 months(?)

What is Lidl's refund policy?

LindsayT

Okell said:

Further to my previous post, if I search for Lidl's returns policy myself, there seems to be a three year returns window rather than 12 months(?)

What is Lidl's refund policy?

lidl.co.uk scroll down to bottom and click on returns policy, that is the link I posted.

 

Your link was obviously older and changed because there is a mistake in it.

The line below 36 months says 1 year.