A shopper has been awarded £25,000 in compensation after claiming he was racially profiled at a Lidl store in Blackburn, Lancashire. The incident occurred on December 20 of the previous year when the customer attempted to purchase three bags of shallots, which were part of a promotional offer allowing three bags per customer at 5p each.
According to the man, a store employee accused him of entering the store twice that morning, an accusation he claimed was made publicly. The customer, who was wearing religious clothing, stated that he felt singled out due to his race. Following the confrontation, he experienced distress and a panic attack, which he reported was documented in his medical records. He also noted difficulty breathing and an inability to drive for a period.
A week later, Lidl Customer Care sent an email apology, which the customer found to be insincere and insufficient given the severity of the incident. He described the subsequent insurer-based process as prolonged, causing further distress and exacerbating his mental health condition.
The customer initiated a civil claim against Lidl under the Equality Act. On May 29, the County Court issued a default judgment against the supermarket chain, ordering it to pay £25,000 plus interest and costs, totaling £26,382. The man stated he has not returned to the store since the incident.
A Lidl GB spokesperson commented that the company has a zero-tolerance policy towards discrimination and takes such allegations seriously. However, they explained that the default judgment was due to an administrative error by a third party, which prevented them from submitting their defense within the required timeframe. The company also stated that there were no findings of discrimination on the part of Lidl or its employees.