Lidl adds EV charging payments to its rewards app

Lidl is set to become the first supermarket to let customers pay for their EV charging via its rewards app.

The discount supermarket chain has more than 370 charge points at its stores around the UK. The devices are currently operated by Pod Point but, from July, Lidl is bringing their payment in-house, allowing it to add the payment option to its Lidl Plus app. Richard Taylor, the chain’s chief development officer, commented: “Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do at Lidl. I’m incredibly proud of the investment that we’ve made into our EV charging infrastructure over the years, going above and beyond the sector to give greater access to rapid charging. “Since we opened our first store 30 years ago, Lidl has contributed to a shift in the way that people shop for their groceries, and this is the latest example of how we’re doing just that, so that we can further enhance our customers’ shopping experience.”    Lidl has invested more than £15 million in EV charging infrastructure at its stores since 2017 and of its 370+ devices, around 300 are rapid devices, allowing shoppers to add a significant amount of energy whilst in the store. According to the latest figures, it is the third biggest supermarket for charging provision, behind Tesco and Morrisons. The switch from Pod Point to the Lidl app has already begun, with the process expected to be complete at all chargers by the end of the year. Customers will be notified via the Pod Point app when the switch over will start and will be able to access full instructions via the charging terminals.