A Totton pensioner has slammed budget supermarket Lidl for ‘discriminating against old people’ after being told he could not have access to discounts without a mobile app.

Born-and-bred Sotonian, Michael King, 85, has been shopping at Lidl stores in Southampton for more than 25 years.

The 85-year-old, who lives in Totton, said that after more than two decades shopping at the budget retailer, he was horrified when he was told he needed a smart phone to access the discounts.

He said: “I hadn’t taken much notice of the app as I don’t have a smart phone.

“I have tried to have one before a few years back, but I inadvertently got charged a load of money for something I didn’t pay for which put me off.

“I went into the store and saw a wine was on offer for a pound off – we aren’t big drinkers, but I thought I would get a few bottles to put away.

“When I looked at the receipt, I realised I had been charged full price."

The pensioner took his complaint to Lidl and was told that there was no alternative expect having the Lidl Plus app on a smartphone.

“I could not believe it – all the other big shops like Morrisons and Sainsburys have a physical card for people my age.

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“I enjoy shopping at Lidl – you can get exactly what you need at a decent price.

“Their products are good bits of kit, real value for money, but this seems very unfair.

“I feel that older people are being discriminated against here.”

In response to Michael's complaint, a spokesperson for Lidl said: “As a discounter, everything we do is designed to give households access to good food at low prices.

“We remain mindful of those who don’t have access to a smartphone or tablet, and still have in-store promotions through our Pick of The Week offers.

“Customer feedback is also incredibly important to us, as it is taken into consideration as we continue to develop the scheme.

“Therefore, we always encourage customers to share any feedback with our Customer Care team.”