Wero expands in Germany as Lidl adds service and launches subscriptions

Lidl has incorporated the European payment service Wero into its German online shop, enabling direct bank‑to‑merchant transfers via QR code or banking‑app confirmation. The rollout began on 24 July, with plans to extend the method to Lidl's sites in Belgium and France and eventually to in‑store checkout.

Wero, backed by the European Payments Initiative, is also introducing subscription‑payment functionality. The VR Bank RheinAhrEifel eG, part of the Volksbank cooperative group, is the first German bank to support these recurring payments, which could be used for streaming services, gym memberships and other memberships.

Both developments aim to broaden Wero’s acceptance beyond person‑to‑person transfers, positioning it as an alternative to PayPal, card payments and other digital wallets in the German market.