Another abuse of cameras Der Spiegel wrote about, was the unlawful use
of cameras by the chain itself to monitor employees in storage facilities. This
practice is illegal in Germany if there are no signs to warn the
employees they are being filmed.
Immediate Aldi response
Aldi Süd’s spokesperson Kirsten Windhorn immediately responded to the
first accusation that “there are clear instructions regarding video
surveillance, and filming the payment zone is certainly not done.” She
added that “should abuses have occurred, the chain will not hesitate totake the proper sanctions and, if necessary, legal steps.”
“In extreme cases, it is possible that employees are monitored if we
suspect them in a concrete case”, is Windhorn’s defence against the
third accusation. On the second one – the filming of female customers –
there was no response.
Controlling employees is a sensitive matter in Germany: in 2008 Lidl
went through a media storm when the other discount chain, Lidl, hired
private investigators to check on its own employees.
