Aldi now searching empty bags

in_my_wellies

I was at the till in Lidl a couple of weeks ago. Suddenly the manager and another worker ran past me out of the store. He dropped his phone and I handed it to the till girl. As I left the store they were returning to the store with a basket FULL of steaks, all with security tags. I told him where his phone was. He said the the thieves come every week and most weeks they catch them (I wont say here how they operate) but the police don't come so they just retrieve the goods and off they go. As blatant as that in the middle of the afternoon. I can only imagine what goes missing by more subtle means. 

Quite happy to show all my bags

powerful_Rogue

MalMonroe said:

But don't they have those alarms that are triggered if items that haven't been through the checkout are being taken out of the store, like any normal supermarket? Or had the shoplifters they had in the previous week been using silver foil inside the bags? (Learned about that from one of those police documentaries, I don't do it myself, honestly.)

You must have shopped in some pretty ropey supermarkets if every single item had a security tag on it, as it's certainly not normal.

[Deleted User]

These 'empty' bags are often not !

Where i shop, weekly, i regularly see elderly (80s - yes, i know them) customers walking through the aisles with trolleys that have carrier bags in them, these carrier bags are being used to hold every single item the shopper picks up ...

By this i mean they don't place the item into the trolley itself - they place it in the carrier bag that's sitting in the trolley.

At the checkout, the customer unloads the carrier bag items onto the checkout belt.

I've seen occasions where not every item in the bag gets placed on the conveyor belt to be scanned, the cashier doesn't notice and those items don't get paid for  - they've slipped under the radar and the scanned items are placed ontop of the freebies !

I've not said anything, i know i should have.

sheramber

CRISPIANNE3 said:

Just checked online and there are a lot of unhappy shoppers. If you go online and search for the Swindon advertiser it has made front page news the store we went to.  Good to know it is not just me. 


quote

When it was his turn, he refused to put the Lidl bags under his armpit down and was told that he would not be served if he did not comply.

The shopper added: “I’m not putting my personal property on there for you to manhandle. You can ask and I can say no, you can’t demand. Even the police can’t forcefully search people’s belongings, so why does a supermarket suddenly think it can?

“The manager said there had been more thefts due to the cost of living crisis and they couldn’t afford a security guard so they made this new policy.

unquote

And good posters I am not after compensation. So there!

And the shop can say they woon't serve you so you go  without your shopping.

Random searches of shopping are done at self service tills.  never known anybody refuse.

diystarter7

Pollycat said:

binao said:

CRISPIANNE3 said:

We went to a retail park on Saturday to do our usual weekly shop at Aldi.   I arrived at the checkout with three bags for life and were placed on top of the shopping. They were completely flat as they had nothing in that at that point. The checkout operator said he wanted to search the bags because they has a shop lifter last week who tried to get away with £300 worth of shopping before running off.  So because of that incident I assume all shoppers are now treated as shop lifters. 

I have phoned Aldi and they advice this is not their policy and are going to. investigate and promised to call me back. I will update when I here back. 

You where lucky. I have seen peeps attacked by security just for resisting.

Why would you resist a perfectly acceptable request?
Unless you have something to hide, of course.

Hiya

I would never refuse to be searched if done politely/reasonably/ etc. However, your comments are unfair as there are people who do refuse to be searched based on prices and/or their previous poor experiences and therefore is wrong to label everyone that refuses as search as a potential criminal, ie "unless you have something to hide."

Thanks

diystarter7

sheramber said:

CRISPIANNE3 said:

Just checked online and there are a lot of unhappy shoppers. If you go online and search for the Swindon advertiser it has made front page news the store we went to.  Good to know it is not just me. 


quote

When it was his turn, he refused to put the Lidl bags under his armpit down and was told that he would not be served if he did not comply.

The shopper added: “I’m not putting my personal property on there for you to manhandle. You can ask and I can say no, you can’t demand. Even the police can’t forcefully search people’s belongings, so why does a supermarket suddenly think it can?

“The manager said there had been more thefts due to the cost of living crisis and they couldn’t afford a security guard so they made this new policy.

unquote

And good posters I am not after compensation. So there!

And the shop can say they woon't serve you so you go  without your shopping.

Random searches of shopping are done at self service tills.  never known anybody refuse.

Hiya

We rarel go to the supermarkets these days and only really started using self service tills,
Never seen anyone searched even when the buzzers go off at the door, etc. There are at least one or two security people around.

I cannot see anyone refusing but it can happen for various reasons

Thnaks

Pollycat

diystarter7 said:

Pollycat said:

binao said:

CRISPIANNE3 said:

We went to a retail park on Saturday to do our usual weekly shop at Aldi.   I arrived at the checkout with three bags for life and were placed on top of the shopping. They were completely flat as they had nothing in that at that point. The checkout operator said he wanted to search the bags because they has a shop lifter last week who tried to get away with £300 worth of shopping before running off.  So because of that incident I assume all shoppers are now treated as shop lifters. 

I have phoned Aldi and they advice this is not their policy and are going to. investigate and promised to call me back. I will update when I here back. 

You where lucky. I have seen peeps attacked by security just for resisting.

Why would you resist a perfectly acceptable request?
Unless you have something to hide, of course.

Hiya

I would never refuse to be searched if done politely/reasonably/ etc. However, your comments are unfair as there are people who do refuse to be searched based on prices and/or their previous poor experiences and therefore is wrong to label everyone that refuses as search as a potential criminal, ie "unless you have something to hide."

Thanks

Hiya

I think you mean that my comments are unfair - in your opinion.
If you read back through the thread you will find that a number of other posters have made the same point that I did.

CurlySue2017 said:

Browntoa said:

I regularly get asked this in Aldi

I'm not a shoplifter so I'm not bothered in the slightest being asked to help them stop thefts from the store and keep prices down 

Similar here - I personally have only been asked once but in our local Aldi, they do carry out random bag checks because I have seen them doing it.  As you say, unless you have anything to hide I don't see what the issue is with this, they have to protect their business as best they can

I'm confused by your comment "your comments are unfair as there are people who do refuse to be searched based on prices and/or their previous poor experiences".
Why would anyone refused to be "searched" based on prices? What do prices have to do with it?

And you have totally missed the point.
We are not discussing being "searched" but a request to check that a bag is empty.
Maybe the OP can confirm exactly what the assistant said to them.
When people are having a vent, quite often they are overly dramatic.

diystarter7

Pollycat said:

diystarter7 said:

Pollycat said:

binao said:

CRISPIANNE3 said:

We went to a retail park on Saturday to do our usual weekly shop at Aldi.   I arrived at the checkout with three bags for life and were placed on top of the shopping. They were completely flat as they had nothing in that at that point. The checkout operator said he wanted to search the bags because they has a shop lifter last week who tried to get away with £300 worth of shopping before running off.  So because of that incident I assume all shoppers are now treated as shop lifters. 

I have phoned Aldi and they advice this is not their policy and are going to. investigate and promised to call me back. I will update when I here back. 

You where lucky. I have seen peeps attacked by security just for resisting.

Why would you resist a perfectly acceptable request?
Unless you have something to hide, of course.

Hiya

I would never refuse to be searched if done politely/reasonably/ etc. However, your comments are unfair as there are people who do refuse to be searched based on prices and/or their previous poor experiences and therefore is wrong to label everyone that refuses as search as a potential criminal, ie "unless you have something to hide."

Thanks

Hiya

I think you mean that my comments are unfair - in your opinion.
If you read back through the thread you will find that a number of other posters have made the same point that I did.

CurlySue2017 said:

Browntoa said:

I regularly get asked this in Aldi

I'm not a shoplifter so I'm not bothered in the slightest being asked to help them stop thefts from the store and keep prices down 

Similar here - I personally have only been asked once but in our local Aldi, they do carry out random bag checks because I have seen them doing it.  As you say, unless you have anything to hide I don't see what the issue is with this, they have to protect their business as best they can

I'm confused by your comment "your comments are unfair as there are people who do refuse to be searched based on prices and/or their previous poor experiences".
Why would anyone refused to be "searched" based on prices? What do prices have to do with it?

And you have totally missed the point.
We are not discussing being "searched" but a request to check that a bag is empty.
Maybe the OP can confirm exactly what the assistant said to them.
When people are having a vent, quite often they are overly dramatic.

Good morning

It's a long thread and I missed the "others" post that may have said what you said.  Sorry, but what I said in reference to your post is not an "opinion" but a fact as not all of those that refused to be searched are as per your post, "Unless you have something to hide, of course."

I have given my reasons and examples already why some people may refuse to be searched as per my previous posts. I've also stated that personally, I would not have a problem being searched if done properly/politely but get it that some will refuse a search
and I have met a few people like that and seen examples in the media.

Take care.

Pollycat

diystarter7 said:

Pollycat said:

diystarter7 said:

Pollycat said:

binao said:

CRISPIANNE3 said:

We went to a retail park on Saturday to do our usual weekly shop at Aldi.   I arrived at the checkout with three bags for life and were placed on top of the shopping. They were completely flat as they had nothing in that at that point. The checkout operator said he wanted to search the bags because they has a shop lifter last week who tried to get away with £300 worth of shopping before running off.  So because of that incident I assume all shoppers are now treated as shop lifters. 

I have phoned Aldi and they advice this is not their policy and are going to. investigate and promised to call me back. I will update when I here back. 

You where lucky. I have seen peeps attacked by security just for resisting.

Why would you resist a perfectly acceptable request?
Unless you have something to hide, of course.

Hiya

I would never refuse to be searched if done politely/reasonably/ etc. However, your comments are unfair as there are people who do refuse to be searched based on prices and/or their previous poor experiences and therefore is wrong to label everyone that refuses as search as a potential criminal, ie "unless you have something to hide."

Thanks

Hiya

I think you mean that my comments are unfair - in your opinion.
If you read back through the thread you will find that a number of other posters have made the same point that I did.

CurlySue2017 said:

Browntoa said:

I regularly get asked this in Aldi

I'm not a shoplifter so I'm not bothered in the slightest being asked to help them stop thefts from the store and keep prices down 

Similar here - I personally have only been asked once but in our local Aldi, they do carry out random bag checks because I have seen them doing it.  As you say, unless you have anything to hide I don't see what the issue is with this, they have to protect their business as best they can

I'm confused by your comment "your comments are unfair as there are people who do refuse to be searched based on prices and/or their previous poor experiences".
Why would anyone refused to be "searched" based on prices? What do prices have to do with it?

And you have totally missed the point.
We are not discussing being "searched" but a request to check that a bag is empty.
Maybe the OP can confirm exactly what the assistant said to them.
When people are having a vent, quite often they are overly dramatic.

Good morning

It's a long thread and I missed the "others" post that may have said what you said.  Sorry, but what I said in reference to your post is not an "opinion" but a fact as not all of those that refused to be searched are as per your post, "Unless you have something to hide, of course."

I have given my reasons and examples already why some people may refuse to be searched as per my previous posts. I've also stated that personally, I would not have a problem being searched if done properly/politely but get it that some will refuse a search
and I have met a few people like that and seen examples in the media.

Take care.

No need to apologise.
It is not fact, it is your opinion which is opposite to mine.
My opinion is that anyone who refuses to be "searched" has something to hide.
You hold a different opinion.

And - once again:

And you have totally missed the point.
We are not discussing being "searched" but a request to check that a bag is empty.

diystarter7

Pollycat said:

diystarter7 said:

Pollycat said:

diystarter7 said:

Pollycat said:

binao said:

CRISPIANNE3 said:

We went to a retail park on Saturday to do our usual weekly shop at Aldi.   I arrived at the checkout with three bags for life and were placed on top of the shopping. They were completely flat as they had nothing in that at that point. The checkout operator said he wanted to search the bags because they has a shop lifter last week who tried to get away with £300 worth of shopping before running off.  So because of that incident I assume all shoppers are now treated as shop lifters. 

I have phoned Aldi and they advice this is not their policy and are going to. investigate and promised to call me back. I will update when I here back. 

You where lucky. I have seen peeps attacked by security just for resisting.

Why would you resist a perfectly acceptable request?
Unless you have something to hide, of course.

Hiya

I would never refuse to be searched if done politely/reasonably/ etc. However, your comments are unfair as there are people who do refuse to be searched based on prices and/or their previous poor experiences and therefore is wrong to label everyone that refuses as search as a potential criminal, ie "unless you have something to hide."

Thanks

Hiya

I think you mean that my comments are unfair - in your opinion.
If you read back through the thread you will find that a number of other posters have made the same point that I did.

CurlySue2017 said:

Browntoa said:

I regularly get asked this in Aldi

I'm not a shoplifter so I'm not bothered in the slightest being asked to help them stop thefts from the store and keep prices down 

Similar here - I personally have only been asked once but in our local Aldi, they do carry out random bag checks because I have seen them doing it.  As you say, unless you have anything to hide I don't see what the issue is with this, they have to protect their business as best they can

I'm confused by your comment "your comments are unfair as there are people who do refuse to be searched based on prices and/or their previous poor experiences".
Why would anyone refused to be "searched" based on prices? What do prices have to do with it?

And you have totally missed the point.
We are not discussing being "searched" but a request to check that a bag is empty.
Maybe the OP can confirm exactly what the assistant said to them.
When people are having a vent, quite often they are overly dramatic.

Good morning

It's a long thread and I missed the "others" post that may have said what you said.  Sorry, but what I said in reference to your post is not an "opinion" but a fact as not all of those that refused to be searched are as per your post, "Unless you have something to hide, of course."

I have given my reasons and examples already why some people may refuse to be searched as per my previous posts. I've also stated that personally, I would not have a problem being searched if done properly/politely but get it that some will refuse a search
and I have met a few people like that and seen examples in the media.

Take care.

No need to apologise.
It is not fact, it is your opinion which is opposite to mine.
My opinion is that anyone who refuses to be "searched" has something to hide.
You hold a different opinion.

And - once again:

And you have totally missed the point.
We are not discussing being "searched" but a request to check that a bag is empty.

Hi

Thanks but I was being polite as I am in real life and though it was not intentional, I did miss another post that may have said something like you did and felt I needed to say sorry for missing that.


As stated before, I've seen, and personally met people that refuse to be searched as per my posts. Your post is assuming, wrongly of course that everyone that refuses a search has "something to hide."  This in my judgement could never be applied to everyone as per your post.

Take care.