Good news, Lidl will finally accept meal vouchers (but not all)

© Lidl

A nice surprise for the French who shop at Lidl, Michel Biero, vice-president of the brand, promises the long-awaited acceptance of restaurant vouchers (except those in paper format) by the brand.

What is a restaurant voucher ?

The restaurant voucher, more commonly called a restaurant ticket, is a specific means of payment intended for the food of employees. Established to allow employees who do not have a company canteen to eat lunch at a lower cost, this system has become widespread in the French professional landscape.

In concrete terms, the employer has no obligation to provide meal vouchers. If the employer chooses to do so, the employer must finance between 50% and 60% of the value, with the remainder being the employee's responsibility. These vouchers can be in the form of paper tickets, rechargeable smart cards or even mobile applications.

Meal vouchers can be used in restaurants, of course, but also in many food retailers such as bakeries, caterers or supermarkets. They allow you to buy food that is immediately consumable or used to prepare a meal. Since 2024, their use has expanded to all food products.

Lidl is getting in tune

Michel Biero's announcement on BFMTV marks a turning point for Lidl France. “This is something we didn't do before. We've never done it in 35 years”, he said, emphasizing the importance of this change of direction.

This decision responds to growing consumer demand and aims to win back customers who were turning to other brands that accept this payment method. Indeed, in a tense economic context, where household purchasing power is being put to the test, meal vouchers represent a valuable support for many French people.

A bold commercial gesture

But Lidldoes not just accept meal vouchers. The brand goes further by offering an attractive deal: for any purchase paid for with meal vouchers, holders of the Lidl loyalty card will receive a voucher equivalent to 10% of the amount spent.

“For a purchase of €50, the customer will receive a €5 voucher”, specified Michel Biero. This initiative could well make a difference in the face of competition, by increasing customer loyalty and attracting new consumers attracted by this dual economy.

A difficult economic context

© Presse-citron.net

The timing of this announcement is not insignificant. Michel Biero stressed that the start of the 2024 school year is set to be complicated once again for the French. 62~. In this context, the acceptance of meal vouchers by a brand known for its low prices could ease the burden on many family budgets.

Terms and conditions to be clarified

While Lidl's announcement is clear in principle, some details remain to be clarified. For example, the brand has not yet communicated on the exact list of products that can be purchased with meal vouchers. Each retailer is free to define their own list, so we will have to wait for the actual implementation of the system to know the precise terms at Lidl.

It also remains to be seen whether this initiative by Lidl will be sufficient to counter the general rise in food prices that weighs heavily on the budget of French households.

• Lidl France will accept meal vouchers from September 2024, a first in its 35-year history
• The brand is offering a voucher worth 10% of the amount spent on meal vouchers to holders of its loyalty card
• This decision comes in a difficult economic context and aims to win back customers looking to save money on food

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