A Which? consumer survey may have rated Lidl supermarkets ahead of the big four of Tesco, Asda Sainsbury’s and Morrisons, but in my (limited) experience they are not the ideal place to shop.
They might have some of the best bargains for fizzy drinks and bottles of bathroom cleaners (I try not to get them confused) and the fresh fruit and veg is competitively priced – I’m a big fan of Lidl green apples.
But their systems for managing stock are chaotic – if you go looking for something specific, the shelves might be bare – and customer service at the check-out is virtually non-existent.
So the news that the German retailer is planning to muscle in on the cruise market does not exactly fill me with confidence.
Seatrade Insider reports that the company, which operates a chain of 9,000 stores throughout Europe, is branching out into travel and is close to launching a brochure offering Lidl-branded hotel accommodation and cruises from next year.
Acting as a travel agent, it has been selling package holidays and cruises since 2006, mostly to the German market, where it has more than 3,000 stores.
But how would the move be received in the UK – where the majority of cruise passengers probably tell their cruise ship dinner-table companions that they always shop at Waitrose.
About the Author: John Honeywell
John Honeywell is a travel writer specialising in cruise ships and cruise travel. Winner of CLIA UK's Contribution to Cruise award 2017.
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