Former Lidl employees have exposed some of the clever tactics the German supermarket uses to persuade customers in and behind-the-scenes checkout secrets

Lidl has gone from being a bit of an industry joke to laughing in the face of the competition.

Just pronouncing the name was a challenge for baffled customers a few years ago – with some seeing the German supermarket as ‘cheap and nasty’.

The ugly duckling was derided by the industry and largely ignored by shoppers in the early 90s, but has now spread its wings and transformed into an almighty powerhouse.

Tens of thousands of customers set foot in Lidl every day and it’s still expanding, with plans to have 1,000 stores in the UK by 2023.

So how did the German supermarket make such a spectacular transformation to conquer the UK?

Former employees and industry experts have revealed hidden secrets in Channel 5 documentary Inside Lidl: The BIG Budget Supermarket.

Some of the clever and devious tactics Lidl uses to get customers through the doors and buying more than they wanted have been exposed. Here we take a look at some of the behind-the-scenes secrets.