Lidl makes 37 Ivybridge staff redundant before Isleworth store opens

Thirty-seven supermarket workers in Isleworth lost their jobs last month after Lidl made them redundant, despite earlier assurances they would keep their roles under employment protection laws. The redundancies took effect on 24 June 2026, three weeks after the Asda store at Ivybridge Retail Park closed on 5 June.

Lidl had agreed with Asda to transfer all staff under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations, known as TUPE. This law is designed to safeguard employees’ pay, conditions and benefits when a business changes ownership. However, Lidl later told staff it was ‘unable to prevent redundancies’ due to a planned six-month refit of the site.

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Consultation process ended in redundancies

The company began consulting with staff in May 2026, exploring options to redeploy them to nearby Lidl stores. In an email seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Lidl said it had ‘looked extensively’ into transfers but found ‘very limited vacancy availability’ at other locations. The email confirmed redundancies were the only remaining option.

Lidl told affected employees they would be ‘guaranteed an interview’ for roles at the new Isleworth store once recruitment begins. The company said this would provide a ‘clear pathway back’ to the site, though it did not confirm whether rehired staff would retain their previous pay or conditions. Lidl declined to provide an official statement when contacted.

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Councillor accuses Lidl of breaking promises

I’ve looked into the Middle of Lidl and what I’ve seen is the shoddy treatment of workers who have served our community for many years.

Salman Shaheen, Isleworth ward councillor

Isleworth ward councillor Salman Shaheen, who also serves as Hounslow Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and Public Realm, criticised Lidl’s handling of the redundancies. He said the company had broken earlier commitments after he, local MP Ruth Cadbury and councillor Sue Sampson wrote to Lidl urging it to rule out compulsory redundancies.

Shaheen told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that Lidl’s actions contradicted its assurances. He said the company had ‘done the exact opposite’ of what it promised, leaving staff with no guarantee of their old jobs and no protection for their existing pay and conditions. He described the offer of interviews as a ‘paltry promise’ and said Lidl’s treatment of workers was ‘shoddy’.

What happens next for staff

Lidl has not announced a date for when recruitment for the new Isleworth store will begin. The company said it remains committed to completing the transition ‘as efficiently as possible’ and expects to open the store later in 2026. Former Asda staff who were made redundant will be invited to apply for roles, but it is unclear whether they will be offered the same terms as their previous employment.

Residents and former staff can contact Lidl’s press office for further details, though the company has not provided a public timeline for the recruitment process. Councillor Shaheen said he would continue to press Lidl for clarity on how it plans to support affected workers.