Am I a Tesco's customer or an enemy

vitamin_joe

Pink_fluff wrote: »

I think the OP is a wind up merchant. Tesco staff manhandled you? What nonsense.

No, this can happen. A friend of mine went to ASDA one time around 10 minutes before it closed- he lives 3 minutes walk away. One member of the security staff wouldn't let him- he then explained that he just wanted one item, and would be in and out within a minute (the tills were at least 5 minutes away from closing). The guard became abusive, and eventually pushed him. My mate was incensed; soon the manager was called for, and my mate got an apology from him. I expect the security guard got a b*llocking later.

It's possible my mate may have inflamed the situation- after all, I only got his side. I use the story purely to illustrate that store staff can sometimes overstep the boundaries.

Personally, I've used the same store many times, and have always found the staff helpful, the cashiers friendly- in short, the service is excellent. I have a lot of sympathy with store workers- I get the sense that they have to put up with all manner of aggro from some less-than-respectful members of society. It's not even a class thing- it runs right across the board- A friend of mine used to work the cheese counter at Sainsburys in a well-off area of Manchester, and he'd have tales of getting all manner of nonsense from well-off, respectable, middle-class shoppers.

finally, at the O/P- could you not just cook without oil for an evening? make a soup, or a bake, or even just cook the same food more gently with margerine? There's loads of sexy recipes in the 'old style moneysaving' forum :cool:

Amistoso_2

Sorry but I find it very hard to beleive that 2 security/staff members would for no apparent reason try to frogmarch someone out of the store!!
maybe elements of what the OP has said are true, like you said vitamin_joe you only got one side of the story and I'm sure the staff member in question would put a bit of a different slant on things!!

vitamin_joe

Amistoso wrote: »

like you said vitamin_joe you only got one side of the story and I'm sure the staff member in question would put a bit of a different slant on things!!

this may be true; however, I don't think a supermarket security guard has a right to physically push a customer. I don't know, but I'm guessing that that might count as assault- or at the very least, potentially damaging to the store from a litigious point of view; hence the apology from the store manager.

Used to work in a charity shop, and we were taught that even if we caught someone shoplifting quite blatantly, we were not legally allowed to apprehend them or prevent them from leaving the store. We were not allowed to touch them. I don't think that supermarket store guards have any legal powers over and above this.

It's be interesting to hear from someone who knows the law on this issue.

DCFC79

duchy wrote: »

Couple of Christmas Eves ago I popped into my local Tescos for lightbulbs 15 minutes before they were due to close. I was gobsmacked at how many people were walking into the store with trolleys (some had two) amd obviously just starting their Christmas food shop. Unreal !

thats because they are either lazy, have realised its xmas eve and they need various bits, people who leave things to the last minute just peed me off when i worked in retail

Amistoso_2

I'd have thought if people "leave things to the last minute" it's usualy because they have forgotten something, not for the sole purpose of peeing anyone off. It's people with an attitiude like this ^ who should definately not be working in retail, just looking for things to moan about!!!

flyingscotno1

I used to work in a supermarket many moons ago and the last chance charlies were a familier scene. Christmas Eve was always, err fun- we resorted to turning off the lights to try and get folk out. The managers locked the doors and the security guard told folk to go and enjoy Christmas when they turned up. Despite this folk were determined to get in, and even told us how we'd ruined their Christmas as they didn't have X Y or Z for tomorrow at 6pm on Christmas Eve! Oh to have to hold your tongue with these muppets :mad: :rolleyes:. Worst thing was the same was going to happen just 5 days later all over again!

I chucked it quick smart, got another retail job outside of supermarkets which was great and stayed there for over 5 years!

DCFC79

Amistoso wrote: »

I'd have thought if people "leave things to the last minute" it's usualy because they have forgotten something, not for the sole purpose of peeing anyone off. It's people with an attitiude like this ^ who should definately not be working in retail, just looking for things to moan about!!!

so they happen to forget a whole trolleys worth of shopping, ive seen it with y own eyes,

Amistoso_2

DCFC79 wrote: »

so they happen to forget a whole trolleys worth of shopping, ive seen it with y own eyes,

Then perhaps if it is getting close to closing time the shop staff shouldn't let people take trolleys into the store? and someone on the door should say you will have to be quick as we will be closing in X amount of minutes.
If the shop keep letting people in then they have to give them the courtesy of the time to buy what they went in for surely?

DCFC79

Amistoso wrote: »

Then perhaps if it is getting close to closing time the shop staff shouldn't let people take trolleys into the store? and someone on the door should say you will have to be quick as we will be closing in X amount of minutes.
If the shop keep letting people in then they have to give them the courtesy of the time to buy what they went in for surely?

hey i didnt make the rules, whether they had got what they wanted they were told to go to the checkouts and pay

melancholly

Amistoso wrote: »

Then perhaps if it is getting close to closing time the shop staff shouldn't let people take trolleys into the store? and someone on the door should say you will have to be quick as we will be closing in X amount of minutes.
If the shop keep letting people in then they have to give them the courtesy of the time to buy what they went in for surely?

i have to say that every supermarket (tesco, asda, sainsburys...) i've been to on a Sunday after 3.30pm (or even the other week at 10.30 for an 11pm close) has someone on the door reminding you that they close soon. there are then repeated announcements over the tannoy telling you to get to a till. i haven't tried entering with a trolley with 5 mins to go, but that's because there would be no point!