IRELAND:LIDL IRELAND says it does not carry out covert observation of its staff using security cameras or by any other means.
In a statement, the company told The Irish Timesthat all its internal security measures were "open and visible" and implemented with "full staff knowledge and involvement".
"All CCTV systems are of a non-covert nature and have been installed on advice and in co-operation with An Garda Síochána. Their purpose is to maximise safety and security for our staff and customers."
Lidl has expanded rapidly since it opened its first store in the Republic in 2000 and in the North in 1999. It operates 95 stores in the Republic and another 36 north of the Border.
Growth has been driven by a reputation for low prices, which was reinforced recently when a National Consumer Agency survey found that its own-brand goods are up to 50 per cent cheaper than equivalents in rival supermarkets.
The use of security cameras is a growing issue in many Irish stores, according to John Douglas of the shopworkers' union Mandate.
"We would have concerns about the invasion of privacy of staff. Cameras are becoming more common as the technology gets cheaper and more widely available, but they have to be used correctly."
Mr Douglas said that as long as cameras were used openly and were not positioned in sensitive locations such as changing rooms, toilets and canteens, Mandate had "no issue" with their use. In many cases, they were installed for the protection of workers against robbery.
He said Lidl and the other German discounter in Ireland, Aldi, did not recognise trade unions, but Mandate claimed an unspecified number of members in both chains.