Aldi now searching empty bags

cymruchris

MalMonroe said:

It isn't Aldi's policy - it is a policy that's apparently just being enforced by that one Aldi store. Aldi should have a blanket policy, or no policy at all.

Having worked in a senior role within a national retailer I can categorically state that there isn't a national retailer out there that has blanket policies covering every aspect of business in every store in every location, and none more-so than security.

To be a successful retailer, you have to adapt your policies to the local environment.

Sad as it is for the need to have to protect stock from theft, the risk profile of a store based in a sleepy village  somewhere in the countryside where the average demographic age is retired, unemployment is low, and home ownership is over 75% is going to very different to a central city location where the population are much younger, home ownership lower and unemployment higher.

You'd proactively do more to protect your high value lines if your store was in the latter location, and would have no need to take such steps in the former.

Additionally, it's common for temporary local policies to be agreed with area management in order to stem a particular problem - and those changes aren't always communicated through to the customer service channels. In this case it appears that a particular store has a specific issue with shoplifting, which in turn will hit the bottom line, which in turn will affect the price YOU pay at the checkout.

Would you prefer the retailer to allow shoplifting to continue, and then your basket of goods go up in price? In effect do you mind paying for a thief's shopping?

In extreme circumstances I've known commercial decisions to be taken to close a store due to the percentage of loss experienced. Would you prefer the store loss to get to such a level that the store just closes? Where would you shop then?

Something like a quick bag check has the deterrent factor for those that DO shoplift.

If you're NOT a shoplifter - why would you feel so put out if through the stores actions your basket of goods remained the same price? (Aside from all the other factors causing issues at the moment). It's a momentary check, you've done nothing wrong, and after a couple of seconds your shop gets scanned as usual, and you're on your way. No harm caused.

We get offended so easily at everything without taking a moment to understand why these policies are in place, and how in fact without them it's our own pocket that gets hit!

If you had 4 workmen in your house every day for a month - and you noticed a tin of beans disappeared on the first day, then a packet of jaffa cakes the next, and by the third day a whole roast chicken went from your fridge, would you take action to find out what was happening, and to try and deter it? Or would you let the theft value grow day by day and turn a blind eye because obviously they were perfectly nice workmen, and so polite?

Pollycat

diystarter7 said:

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.

Hiya
What reason did these people give for refusing to be "searched"?

And you have not explained your comment about prices:

 Why would anyone refused to be "searched" based on prices? What do prices have to do with it?

Why do you continue to refer to "being searched"?
The OP is talking about his/her bags "being searched" (if the term "search" was even used by Aldi staff).
Please stick to the point of the thread.

Thanks

cymruchris

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.)

Again have experience in this field - the alarm gates themselves are designed to be a deterrent to those 'casual' shoplifters, but won't put off a seasoned professional. There are many ways and means of disabling security tags so that the gates don't detect when stolen items pass through. The tags themselves have a cost, and so not EVERY product is tagged.

Some retailers source tag now, so that the tag is built into the packaging, but many still rely on stores to self-apply the tags. It's not a blanket rule - but things like steaks and alcohol get tagged, whereas items such as baked beans are not. The tags also have physical limitations in that they don't work on every type of packaging. So in summary, the alarm gates are not the answer to shoplifting, but they are part of the overall deterrent factor. Other measures include CCTV, guards and of course as we see here - bag checks.

The only guaranteed way to prevent shoplifing by the public would be to ban the public from entering shops at all, but that's not going to work - so each retailer needs to find a balance of how they protect their stock while keeping it accessible to the customers.

(And then there's another challenge of course in terms of internal theft as a result of dishonest staff - it's not only members of the public that steal!)

Pollycat

I would rather a shop try to deter shoplifters by whatever means they deem necessary (even if that is asking to search their bags) than me and other innocent shoppers having to pay for the shops' losses by paying higher prices.

prowla

Could gift cards fit in a bag which was folded flat?

EssexHebridean

prowla said:

Could gift cards fit in a bag which was folded flat?

Yes, but they won't be activated and a value assigned until they've passed through the checkout these days, so the thief would just be stealing a  blank piece of plastic. 

I'm in the camp here of being astonished that anyone would feel affronted at being asked to show the inside of an empty shopping bag. I can only suggest that they never go to a sporting or music event, where the contents of an actual handbag may well be rifled through as goodness knows how offended they might be by that! 

Pollycat

EssexHebridean said:

prowla said:

Could gift cards fit in a bag which was folded flat?

Yes, but they won't be activated and a value assigned until they've passed through the checkout these days, so the thief would just be stealing a  blank piece of plastic. 

I'm in the camp here of being astonished that anyone would feel affronted at being asked to show the inside of an empty shopping bag. I can only suggest that they never go to a sporting or music event, where the contents of an actual handbag may well be rifled through as goodness knows how offended they might be by that! 

Or travelling through an airport.
Random checks of hand luggage.
Wand waving around the body.
I've even been asked to go into a cubicle for a more detailed personal search.
Of course, I had nothing to hide so just went along and smiled and said 'thank you' at the end.

diystarter7

prowla said:

Could gift cards fit in a bag which was folded flat?

Hi

Birthday cards , even cards etc, etc.

Some people will refuse because they may just be like that, others on their principles and quiet a few possibly may refuse because of the way they are approached.

I've never seen anyone being asked to have their empty bag searched but some bags can be quiet thick/large etc so I see their point.

Thnaks

Pollycat

I'm not sure what principles some people may have to refuse to have their bags searched (DYKWIA syndrome, maybe).

I've set alarms off many times in numerous shops.
I even set the alarm off in Next when entering the store. An assistant in Boots had forgotten to deactivate the security tag.

When that happens, I stop, turn round and wait for the security guard to find me. Meeting them with a smile.
I can't recall (and I'm sure I would if it had happened) any member of staff or security approaching me with such an attitude that put my back up and resulted in my refusal to have my bags searched.

It's OK to say you have principles but you may find yourself shopping somewhere else if you refuse to allow your bags to be searched.

diystarter7

Hiya

I agree, if someone refuses to cooperate with any shops rules/etc, the shop has a right to allow them to shop there. However, there will be people that do not want their items searched but as you now know, not everyone  "has something to hide." as we are all different

Thanks