FURY AS LIDL’S 7,500-LITRE SWIM POOLS ALL SOLD OUT
FRUSTRATED shoppers hit out at Lidl yesterday after the discount supermarket’s controversial swimming pools quickly sold out across the country – leaving some customers disappointed.
The garden pools, which cost just €119.99 each, require more than 7,500 litres of water to fill them, prompting criticism of the supermarket for selling them during a declared drought.
Some customers even queued outside their local Lidl before they opened at 8am yesterday – with some callers complaining to RTÉ’s Liveline that there weren’t enough even for those who queued.
Geraldine Prior from Ballyconnell, in Co. Cavan said she went to Lisnaskea, Co. Fermanagh, yesterday at 7.30am for a pool. She said people who turned up before the supermarket opened were given tickets.
She said: ‘I arrived there shortly after 7.30am and there was a queue. So we queued and a lady came out saying all the swimming pools were sold.’
She said some people who had been there earlier than her were given tickets and were able to get the only stock the store had.
Other customers complained on Twitter at the lack of pools.
Laura Ryan wrote: ‘Absolutely disgusted. Queued outside @ lidl_ireland Edenderry since 6.45 this morning for 8am opening. Was 1st in the queue. Doors opened and not one pool in the store?’ Another customer wrote: ‘What a joke. Just queued in Castlebar Store at 7.45am for a pool. Only 4 delivered !!!! ’
Lidl later apologised to their customers on Twitter saying: ‘Bestway Steel Pro Swimming Pool with Filter Pump sold out! Unfortunately due to unprecedented demand the above item has sold out much quicker than we could have anticipated.’
The controversy over Lidl selling swimming pools during a drought was first highlighted by the Irish Daily Mail last Monday. Lidl defended itself by saying that the pools come with a filter which means they don’t have to be emptied until summer ends.
Green Party TD Eamon Ryan has said: ‘I think they should withdraw them from sale.’
It has since emerged that Lidl are going to sell power washers on Monday nationwide – despite the hose ban.