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Lidl mocks Sainbury's '50p challenge' poster

The discount supermarket challenged its "lovely customers" to "save 50ps"

Kashmira Gander
Thursday 02 October 2014 16:16 BST
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A poster released by Lidl parodying a sign accidentally put up in a Sainsbury's store in East London
A poster released by Lidl parodying a sign accidentally put up in a Sainsbury's store in East London

Riding on the back of a Sainsbury’s PR gaffe, where a motivational staff poster was mistakenly put up in a shop window, discount chain Lidl has made its own version of the sign which encourages customers to save money.

Sainsbury’s sign was intended to be displayed in the staff room to remind workers to up-sell, but was instead put up in a store.

“Let's encourage every customer to spend an additional 50p during each shopping trip between now and the year-end,” read the sign in a Sainsbury's branch in Stratford, London.

Spotted and posted on Twitter by TV freelancer Chris Dodd, the image has since been retweeted almost 5,000 times.

Using a scene similar to Sainbury's advert, which featured a 50 resting against a purse, Lidl’s poster quips: "Let’s encourage every one of our lovely customers to save as many 50ps as possible".

The sardonic advert was placed in two national newspapers today, as well as spotted in the shop’s windows.

The poster comes as Sainsbury’s faces competition from discount supermarkets including Lidl and Aldi.

Speaking to the Telegraph after his image went viral, Mr Dodd said: “I think the real mistake Sainsbury's has made is to present this to staff as a challenge.

“As a customer, I don't want to feel like I'm being forced or tricked into spending extra by staff who have been challenged to make me do so.

“Had the poster encouraged better customer service, or more effective promotions, I doubt there would have been this kind of reaction.”

A Sainsbury’s spokesman told MailOnline earlier this week: ‘We often use posters to make store targets fun and achievable for our colleagues.

“They are intended for colleague areas in the store, but this one was mistakenly put on public display.”

It added that no one will face disciplinary action over the error, but it would be "reminding teams on the guidelines for displaying internal posters".

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