Lidl to roll out micro-donation system at tills

Lidl has become the first national supermarket to introduce Pennies, a digital micro-donation system, on its tills.

The move follows a successful regional trial and will allow customers to donate up to 30p per transaction at the card reader. 

At the end of January, Lidl will start to roll the tech out, with all its stores having it in place by mid-February right up until the middle of March. The move will offer customers the chance to make these micro-donations and turn spare change into meaningful contributions. 

This initiative will be available in stores for the six-week duration of a fundraising campaign and complements the existing in-store cash donation tins, further encouraging customers to support the cause.

Micro-donations are becoming an increasingly important form of charitable giving, according to research from Pennies. Nearly half (42%) of UK consumers are familiar with the concept, with estimates suggesting these donations could inject £1bn into the UK charity sector annually if every UK cardholder contributed just 35p a week.

This move is part of Lidl’s fundraising efforts for the NSPCC, having recently extended its partnership with the charity by five years. The discounter aims to raise £5m by 2030 to support the NSPCC’s vital Childline service – a free, confidential lifeline for vulnerable children and young people under 19 in the UK. 

The announcement follows Lidl having already raised £10m for the NSPCC since the partnership began in 2017. 

Ryan McDonnell, CEO at Lidl GB, said: “We are delighted to be extending our partnership with the NSPCC and to give voice to the amazing work they do to ensure that children across the country have the support they need. 

“Thanks to the incredible generosity of our colleagues and customers, we’ve managed to raise an astonishing £10m for the NSPCC to date, but we want that figure to keep growing. So, by bringing Pennies into our stores, we’re offering our customers a simple way to contribute to causes that matter, turning small donations into a significant collective impact.”

Chris Sherwood, CEO of the NSPCC, added: “We are thrilled that Lidl will be supporting the NSPCC for another five years with an extraordinary goal of raising £5m in the same period. We look forward to continuing to work together on new projects and ways of fundraising, including the Pennies initiative, which sees customers being able to make micro-donations at the till.

“Thanks to Lidl, we’ve been able to promote Childline through Lidl’s national marketing campaigns, raise vital funds through creative colleague fundraising, and celebrate Pride at local events. Funds from the Lidl partnership have supported our essential services, such as Childline, which provides impartial support to all children in the UK. We cannot wait to see what the next five years bring.”