Unjustly Stopped: Understanding My Rights as a Tesco Shopper if this happens again

GrubbyGirl_2

Flugelhorn said:

don't get this - we always use a zapper in tesco and the stuff goes straight into my own bag - lots of people do this.

Me too but it doesn't sound like he was using one

Flugelhorn

GrubbyGirl_2 said:

Flugelhorn said:

don't get this - we always use a zapper in tesco and the stuff goes straight into my own bag - lots of people do this.

Me too but it doesn't sound like he was using one

probably did look rather suspicious then

RefluentBeans

What resolution are you after? 

pinkshoes

There are various tactics people use to steal stuff. One of them is using their own bags instead of baskets and trolleys.

So using knowledge of suspected shop lifting tactics they stopped you.

No harm done.

user1977

GrubbyGirl_2 said:

Flugelhorn said:

don't get this - we always use a zapper in tesco and the stuff goes straight into my own bag - lots of people do this.

Me too but it doesn't sound like he was using one

Even if apparently using one, they can't tell until you get to the tills whether you actually scanned everything (and didn't then delete them...) and are paying for it. It feels even more suspicious in Waitrose, where you can use your own phone for the scanning.

No real consumer rights question here anyway - the shop doesn't need to do business with you and vice versa. As above, their staff only have standard citizen's arrest powers, no special ability to make you dive through bins etc.

GingerTim

Ah, this is all bringing back memories of chasing shoplifters from a department store through the street in a former life. Most gave up when caught, and the only one who ever kicked off was a very smartly-dressed middle-class woman who'd been stealing expensive handbags over a prolonged period of time. 'Do I look like a shoplifter?' she shouted; 'Yes, madam, we've got loads of footage of you shoplifting, let's go back and take a look at it', my colleague replied.

It's a crappy job.

Emmia

When I worked in retail there was a day when security were intently following a slightly scruffily dressed man, who turned out to be an incredibly wealthy ex rocker (apparently) and spent several thousand... Ignoring a glamorous woman who was busy pilfering like mad. 

I pointed out she was being light fingered, and one of the security guards told me that was rubbish..  so I challenged her... She looked a bit caught out and ran, dropping a load of makeup and posh tights (randomly) as she went.

Undervalued

Whilst it is not nice to be falsely accused of something you did not do, that doesn't mean it is wise to deliberately act in a way that gives the impression you may be up to no good! I have to say that is how your OP comes over.

Yes, you have certain rights but so do the shop. One of those is to ban anybody they don't want shopping there. They don't even need a reason and unless you can prove that their real reason amounts to unlawful discrimination (e.g. race, gender and a very few other protected criteria), there is nothing whatever you can do about it.

If you have a genuine complaint about a member of staff's behaviour then you can make it, but it most cases you have no control over what action, if any, they take.

It you have a valid legal claim (and nothing in you post suggests you do) then the claim is against the shop, not the individual member of staff.

Grumpy_chap

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

Whilst you are free to comply with a random check you would also be free to walk away, there would be no powers to detain as picking people at random lacks either an offence being committed or reasonable grounds to suspect one 

Why would anyone just going about their normal, honest shop not simply be polite, allow the quick bag check and carry on?  That is probably the quickest resolution, benefits us all by reducing the passed on cost of theft, and not doing that in a pleasant way probably creates the reasonable grounds to suspect an offence.

Flugelhorn said:

don't get this - we always use a zapper in tesco and the stuff goes straight into my own bag - lots of people do this.

We also mostly use the self-scan and that does mean stuff going directly into own bags while shopping.  The self-scan does include an equivalent of the store detective, though, built into the check out process.  There is an algorithm that requires 5 items to be checked by a Store Assistant every so often plus, on a couple of occasions, the self-scan has required a full re-scan by the Store Assistant.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Grumpy_chap said:

Why would anyone just going about their normal, honest shop not simply be polite, allow the quick bag check and carry on?  That is probably the quickest resolution, benefits us all by reducing the passed on cost of theft, and not doing that in a pleasant way probably creates the reasonable grounds to suspect an offence.

Indeed, I just think it's important to note it's optional, if everyone is honest the store representative will tell you it's a random check and if you politely declined that should be the end of the discussion. The whole being honest and doing the decent thing should go both ways.