LIDL refusing return

You got the item and it failed to work from its first use?

Return it to the shop under your consumer rights, as the item was damaged and not fit for sale, when you got it,

Return to the shop you bought it from, as they are the shop that are responsible as the seller, no one else.

Ask you one of your 3 options they can offer:-

1) refund

2) Replacement

3)Repair (Unlikely they will do this and maybe as it failed immediately you can refuse this??)

The petrol element is more about fire hazard in-store. They should provide a repair or replacement with them arranging the swap of item you purchased.

Try them on Twitter.

That's not what their change-of-mind policy covers. Their policy is in addition to your statutory rights - the company can attach whatever conditions they want to their own policy, so long as it doesn't attempt to restrict your statutory rights. If their policy says you can only return items during a full moon, or when you're wearing a green hat, or only if the product literally explodes, they can do that. In Lidl's case, one of the explicit conditions is "If the item is fit for sale" - you yourself admit it's not fit for sale, therefore it's not covered under their policy.

Their policy is completely irrelevant in this case - go back to the retailer and say you are claiming the item was not fit for sale, therefore you are claiming under your statutory rights.

Contact Consumer Ireland LTD.

Lidl didn't, the OP told us that they added the petrol.

TBH, I can see Lidls point.

I bought a petrol lawnmower from Lidl a couple of years ago, charged the battery for push button start, filled with petrol but wouldnt work. I went in to the store to tell them the issue (was pretty sure it just needed a replacement battery pack or charger as it did start using an external power pack). They said drain the petrol, return the whole product for a swap or a refund. So I did a swap no hassles and no bother since.

Okay, if it's still full of petrol, and it can be drained reasonable easy, then fair enough, the OP should drain it first, but the OP hasn't quite said that is the case, but it's not clear.

"They wouldn't take it back in store cos it was a petrol machine."

Offer to return it drained of petrol

If you took 2 seconds to read my follow up points you would see I clarified this.

SBS how are they willing to accept the return of this faulty item?

Have they told you how to proceed?

They don't have a choice in taking it back or not, the law says they have to. If they are selling products that can have dangerous substances added then they need to have a storage facility rated on site to have these returned, it's not the consumers job to mess around when the law says that the retailer has to deal with defective items.

As you have sated yourself, your rights and the law:-

The retailer, not the manufacturer, is responsible to you and must sort out your complaint.

You are entitled to a refund, a replacement or a repair.

I will reiterate, The retailer is responsible to accept the return, and provide a reasonable resolution to this.

They can not expect you to manage all safety aspects of the return on an item that they sell, you have done as much as you can.

tell them to organise collection of the part (Including costs), or they can refund you without taking the part back, if they really do not want it back!!

Nothing in the law states that the retailer must take it back in the store.

The retailer has appointed an agent to manage such issues on their behalf and a simple call to that agent working for the retailer will sort it out.