Jade Wright

Aldi is launching August Specialbuys across food, gardening, fitness and student-related categories, with products arriving in waves while stocks last. Highlights include the returning Taste of Asia range, a £39.99 manual garden sweeper, and low-cost student furnishings and appliances such as a £69.99 robot vacuum and £24.99 hot-air multistyler.

Martin Lewis explains that refund rights depend on whether an item is faulty, whether it was bought online or in a store, and how it was paid for. Faulty goods can generally be refunded within 30 days under the Consumer Rights Act, while online shoppers usually have 14 days to notify a retailer and another 14 days to return an item. In-store purchases that are not faulty have no automatic statutory return right. Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act may make credit card providers jointly liable for purchases between £100 and £30,000 when retailers fail to deliver, become insolvent, or breach consumer rights.

Lidl is expanding its Lidl & Go self‑scanning feature to 37 additional UK stores following a successful pilot. The service, integrated into the Lidl Plus app, allows customers to scan items with their smartphones and track spending in real time. The supermarket reports strong customer feedback, particularly from parents and shoppers seeking greater control and flexibility. Stores across Scotland and southern England will gain access during July, with the expansion marking a step toward potential nationwide rollout.