Lidl shoppers complain about dirty shopping carts and baskets
A discussion on social platform Threads about the cleanliness of shopping carts and baskets at Lidl stores has drawn many complaints, with the company saying it centrally washes them four times a year.
A shopper raised a question on the social network Threads asking Lidl Latvija how often the chain cleans its shopping carts and baskets, saying a recent visit left them wanting to leave the store immediately. The post sparked a lengthy discussion in the comments.
Mixed shopper experiences
Several commenters were highly critical, describing the carts and baskets as dirty and unpleasant, with some saying they were reluctant to place items intended for purchase inside them. A few shoppers said they now avoid baskets altogether and use carts instead, while another commenter pointed to the practice of placing one basket inside another as particularly unhygienic, arguing it can spread germs from the dirty store floor. One shopper said she now uses her own bag to carry items instead of a basket.
However, not all feedback was negative — one shopper noted that carts at a Lidl store on Lāčplēša Street in central Riga were clean. Another commenter urged people to consider the perspective of employees, pointing out that stores often run with only two to five staff members per shift who must stock large volumes of deliveries, bake bread, manage the stockroom and update promotional displays, leaving little time to clean carts after every customer.
Company's response
Lidl Latvija communications manager Zane Neļķe explained that all carts and baskets are centrally washed at the company's logistics center four times a year, and are also cleaned repeatedly by staff in individual stores. She acknowledged it is not possible to clean them after every customer, and reminded shoppers that carts and baskets are meant to make shopping more convenient, urging them not to forget personal belongings or leaflets inside. She added that the company conducts regular audits of its stores, one of the criteria being the cleanliness of carts and baskets.
