Lidl is setting aside a 10th of interviews at its new UK shops for people who have been out of work for at least six months, as part of a new hiring initiative.
The retailer said the scheme was designed to help level the playing field and tackle barriers to employment.
It will ringfence a portion of interview slots for entry-level roles at every new shop over the next 12 months, alongside at least 480 slots across its 13 warehouses.
Candidates will be fast-tracked to the interview stage without needing to submit a CV.
Lidl is working with local employability partners including the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and its Restart scheme to identify candidates and help them prepare for interviews.
People who think they might be eligible but have not been contacted by DWP and its partnering organisations can reach Lidl’s recruitment team through its careers page, the company said.
Stephanie Rogers, chief people officer for Lidl Great Britain, said: “Unemployment is affecting communities right across the country, adding to the pressures many households are already under.
“For people who are facing barriers into employment, getting that first opportunity can be the hardest step.
“That’s why we’re fast‑tracking interviews across the nation to help people get a foot in the door.”
The initiative comes at a time when official figures have shown shrinking opportunities in the UK jobs market.
Vacancies fell to a five-year low in the three months to May, particularly affecting retail and hospitality sectors.
Recent figures have also estimated that more than a million 16-24-year-olds were neither in work nor learning in the first quarter of 2026, the highest in nearly 13 years and raising worries about the scale of youth unemployment.
Lidl announced in April that it expects to open 50 new stores over the next 12 months, which would create close to 2,000 new jobs.
New stores include those at Abbots Langley near Watford, Hertfordshire, Warrington in Cheshire, and Thornbury in Gloucestershire, opening this summer.
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