What “free” actually means
None of the four supermarket charging services I checked lists a free tariff today. Tesco says its chargepoints stopped being free on 1 November 2022. Lidl, Aldi and Sainsbury’s Smart Charge each publish a price per kWh.
| Supermarket | Is the electricity free? | Parking, who can use it, time | App, account or card | Source (read 1 Nov 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tesco | No. Pod Point’s page says Tesco chargepoints “are no longer free to use” from 1 November 2022. | Not stated on that page. Read the signs at your store. | Not stated on that page. Check the price in the Pod Point app or on the unit. | Pod Point news page (last dated 15 Dec 2025) |
| Lidl | No free tariff listed. Lidl publishes a price per kWh for fast and rapid chargers, lower in the Lidl Plus app than through the third-party site or contactless. | Chargers are for Lidl customers “during their shop”. The car park’s parking terms apply. Some stores close the car park outside opening hours. No maximum session length is given. | The app is the cheapest route. Contactless is on DC chargers only. Website and contactless payments take a temporary card hold. | Lidl EV charging page |
| Aldi | No free tariff listed. Drax Electric Vehicles, which now runs Aldi’s network, publishes a price per kWh for fast and rapid charging. | Not stated in the announcement. Read the signs at your store. | No subscription. Pay in the Charge Assist app or by contactless on newly installed chargers. | Drax announcement, 10 June 2026 |
| Sainsbury’s | No free tariff listed. Smart Charge publishes a maximum price per kWh, with a lower cap on its slower sites. | Not stated on the page. Read the signs at your store. | No subscription and no app needed. Nectar prices need a Nectar account. Card payment at ultra-rapid sites takes a temporary card hold. | Smart Charge |
Conditions checked 1 November 2026. Supermarket schemes change often, so use this as a starting point and read the price on the charger itself.
Older guides and forum posts still describe free supermarket charging at some stores. I have not found any of those claims on an operator or retailer page, so none are listed here. Where free bays do survive, they are store-specific, so confirm the tariff on the unit before you plug in.
Five things people mean by free
A charger can pass one of these tests and fail another:
- Free electricity: the session itself costs nothing.
- Parking: the car park can charge or fine you even when the electricity is free.
- Customer-only: some sites expect you to be shopping or staying.
- Time limits: the car park sets a maximum stay, not the charger.
- App or account: some price tiers need an app, a loyalty account or a card hold.
By type of place
| Type of place | Free electricity | Who can use it | Payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | None of the four above list one. | Lidl says customers. A charger in a customers-only car park still counts as a public charge point under the Public Charge Point Regulations 2023 (regulation 3). | App, loyalty account or contactless, depending on the brand. |
| Retail parks, hotels and councils | Set by the site owner and operator. I have not verified a free tariff for this type, so I list none. | Check the car park signs and the operator’s own page. | New public chargers of 8 kilowatts or more, and existing rapid chargers, must offer contactless payment (regulation 5). |
| Workplaces | Set by the employer. | A charger intended solely for employees, contractors and visitors who are not shopping is not a public charge point under regulation 3, so the public rules do not apply to it. | Ask your employer. See the workplace charging guide. |
Regulation sources: regulation 3 and regulation 5, legislation.gov.uk, read 1 November 2026.
Check Supermarket Charging Before You Travel
Do not assume that a supermarket charger is free. Check the supermarket's own website or app for your chosen store, then confirm the operator and tariff for the specific charger.
Tesco and Lidl
Look up your store's charging information before setting off. Check the payment instructions on the unit and the price shown in the operator's app before starting a session. If you cannot confirm a free tariff, budget for paid charging. For where the chargers are listed, see Tesco EV charging points and Lidl EV charging points.
Aldi and Other Supermarkets
Check the store's own charging information rather than relying on an offer at another branch. Look for customer-only conditions, any purchase requirement and separate parking charges. Confirm the connector and charger speed on the unit.
Other Places to Check
- Council facilities: check your council's website for the specific car park or charger. Read the charging tariff and parking terms separately.
- Hotels and leisure venues: ask the venue whether charging is included in your booking and whether you need to reserve access. Confirm any fees before travelling.
- Workplaces: ask your employer about access, payment and booking rules. Use our workplace charging guide to prepare questions about a proposed installation.
Before Starting a Session
- Confirm the tariff for the exact charger, including any connection, session or idle fees.
- Read the parking signs for the maximum stay and any vehicle registration requirement.
- Check opening times and whether you can access the bay when you intend to arrive and leave.
- Check your car's connector and charging instructions against the unit.
- Choose a backup charger and check its payment options before you leave.
Parking Rules and Charging Sessions
Check the rules for both the parking space and the charging session. Do not treat a free charging tariff as permission to ignore the parking signs. Set a reminder for the stated stay limit and keep your charging receipt.
Keep a Record
Photograph the parking signs and charger instructions. Save the session's start and end times, payment confirmation and any error messages. If the unit fails, use the support details on it and keep a record of your conversation.
If You Receive a Parking Notice
Read the notice for the issuer, amount, response deadline and appeal instructions. Check it against your photographs and session records. Follow the stated appeal process and keep copies of your correspondence. Ask the issuer to explain anything you do not understand.
Is a Free Session Worth the Detour?
Compare the detour, parking costs, access conditions and time available with charging along your planned route. Check your car's displayed charge level during the session rather than relying on a promised number of miles. Leave enough charge to reach your backup stop.
Use our charging costs comparison to explore paid alternatives, then confirm the price for your chosen charger before starting.