Lidl shoppers say they'll miss monthly freebies. Can bonus points win them over?

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Lidl shoppers say they'll miss monthly freebies. Can bonus points win them over? 19 minutes ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleGrace DeanBBCIn-store signs advertise Lidl's revamped loyalty schemeFor 10 years, Lizi Hall has been doing most of her shopping at Lidl - and she's learned how to get the best value from its rewards scheme.

"We've got it down to a bit of an art," Lizi says. "The loyalty system for me really did work. "Every month, the 44-year-old from Chichester would spend at least £250 on groceries for her family - and in return she'd receive a 10% discount on her next visit.

The Details

Lizi would then do a big shop to make the most of that voucher. She also collected other perks along the way. When she spent £50 in a month she'd claim the free vegetables on offer - often opting for a 7kg bag of potatoes, priced at £4, to maximise the saving.

Lidl's new loyalty scheme less generous, shoppers sayBut this week, the discount supermarket chain overhauled its loyalty scheme, scrapping spending-based freebies - including free pastries and vegetables - in favour of a points system similar to those offered by many other supermarket chains. Under its old scheme, Lidl shoppers had to redeem rewards within a limited time frame, with the freebies usually expiring within a week. Now, points earned through shopping at Lidl can be redeemed for less time-limited products or money-off coupons in its app.

Points will now be accrued at a basic rate of one point per £1 spend, but Lidl says there will be lots of opportunities to earn bonus points. Some shoppers told the they welcomed the chance to build up more points because they didn't spend enough to unlock many deals under the original scheme. But others aren't happy.

What Experts Say

In Lidl groups on Reddit and Facebook, there are complaints the new Lidl Plus scheme isn't generous enough. Madeleine and Amelie are keen Lidl shoppers. Amelie likes their mixed fruit and veg boxesMany point out they now need to spend a lot more to get a free bakery treat, where previously they only had to spend £10 in a month.

Lizi says the updated scheme won't keep her "loyal to Lidl" and now plans to switch between there and Aldi, keen to still find savings as inflation and global conflicts increase prices. For London students Amelie Harding, 20, and Madeleine Mourgue d'Algue, 19, some of the best deals are connected to the personalised offers in the Lidl app, like getting discounts on veggie burgers - something Amelie often buys. "I really only shop at Lidl," Amelie says.

"I really like the loyalty card. "Although she feels it's a shame she'll no longer be able to get a free bakery item each month, she is looking forward to collecting points. Lidl told News its switch to a points-based system "allows our customers to choose the rewards that suit them best", adding shoppers can now "choose exactly how and when to redeem their savings".

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.