To be annoyed that my local large Sainsburys has banned more than 5 kids at a time

[glynnie1]

Absolutely furious this morning. Went to the big Sainsbury's at Stamford Hill and there is an officious little man with a clipboard stopping school girls going in, no more than 5 in an enormous store. Why do we treat our children like this in this country. Will be writing to Sainsbury's.

[SantanaLopez]

Meh, why do children feel the need to behave like animals in packs in supermarkets in this country?

[DreamingofSummer]

Presumably this was because, like my local branch of Sainsbury's, they were losing a fortune to gangs of thieving little darlings.

You are being very unreasonable

[KatherineSwynford]

I see what you are saying but my DC and I were recently surrounded by some teens in a large store. I felt intimidated and as moved away they let off a stink bomb. My DC are 4 and 2 - how could they think that was appropriate??

They did have a pack mentality about them. Maybe your store was responding to similar incidents?

[Floggingmolly]

Why were you "absolutely furious"? How does it affect you? All the smaller shops round here have a 2 school children only policy; with perfectly good reason. some behave like complete savages
Do come back and fill us in on Sainsbury's reply, won't you?

[tiredoutgran]

YABU, nothing worse than fight my way through packs of schoolkids shoplifting whilst I am trying to shop! I know not all children do this but enough obviously do to make them take this sort of action.

[Dontletthemgetyoudown]

its not just your store, the local one to ds2's school has the same rule, although theirs is harsher, and no school age children in uniform between 8a.m and 4.30 pm.

They wouldn't even allow ds2 to go to the toilet which is in the foyer, while he was waiting for me to collect him after school.

apparently its agreed with the head teacher of the senior school.

[SantasLittleMonkeyButler]

I wish they would do this in my local Morrisons!

It is because they 'skid' down aisles, potentially knocking into displays or other shoppers, push each other into the shelves - potentially spoiling goods, generally act the fool which can be annoying at best & intimidating at worst (think of an elderly lady suddenly being surrounded by a group of teenagers) and some (a minority I accept) shoplift. The security guards only have 1 pair of eyes each.

After all this, they leave with one tube of Pringles between 3.

I would take this to mean the store would really prefer them not to "shop" there.

[Needahaircutsobad]

YABU

Presumably they've decided on this in response to complaints or behaviours.

Groups of kids can be intimidating, loud, anti-social and just really fucking annoying.

[JunoMacGuff]

Writing to them why?

Groups of schoolchildren steal. They harass people. So, shops limit the numbers.

[NaturalBaby]

Unless you have more than 5 kids yourself then I don't see why it's a problem. They've obviously had issues, stepped up and dealt with it.

[SantasLittleMonkeyButler]

Yes, Katherine, I forgot about the stink bombs . We had that in Morrisons too. Just what you need in a food shop!

[Pinkandwhite]

I actually see your point assuming that your children were going to be with you the whole time they were in the shop?

[SantasLittleMonkeyButler]

And I will just add - I have two teenage DSs, so this is not the viewpoint of someone who is anti-teen!

[TheXxed]

When I worked in a supermarket not to long ago, loss prevention told me the biggest source of theft was the employees.

More likely they just don't want teenagers hanging around.

[flipchart]

Seems reasonable tome.
In fact ire ember a newsagent near my high school having this rule in the early 80's

[Pigletin]

why do children feel the need to behave like animals in packs in supermarkets in this country?

^
This

[SantasLittleMonkeyButler]

Pinkandwhite, the OP does not appear to be talking about her DCs. More, unaccompanied school girls.

[MothratheMighty]

Interesting, I wonder if there is a regional bias to this, depending on the behaviour of local children?
My local supermarkets don't have a ruling on children, nor do the smaller shops.

[Edenviolet]

I can sort of understand why they do this as children can misbehave in supermarkets as there's plenty of opportunity for mischief.

DM used to make us go with her every week and we hated it, we would make it more interesting by putting random things in other people's trolleys, moving their trolley when they were not looking, throwing bits of ice from the freezers into neighbouring aisles and db once found a frozen sausage which he stuck in his trousers placed to cause maximum shock amongst other shoppers. We thought we were hilarious but looking back we were horribly behaved.
Our poor DM would be in a state by the time we got home.

[thinking101]

YADBVU - dont shop there then.

Why do you think teens are not allowed to be left un supervised in a classroom, do you think they suddenly become uber responsible when they are allowed at at lunchtimes and after school.

The shop has a right to protect their revenue/staff. I wish my Costa would ban the highly rude young madams that go there and cause a lot of disturbance - it's about learnig how to behave, if you don't there are consequences.

I mean really do you think they should just be allowed to go in the shop no matter what? Horizontal thinking at it best

[Floggingmolly]

Shame on you, Hedgehog . Those rules relate to unaccompanied children, though. Op is free to bring how ever many children she likes on a shopping spree unfortunately

[Gruntfuttock]

Hedgehog80 I'm deeply shocked by your description of what you and your siblings got up to when you were young.

It's a real revelation. I had no idea hedgehogs could be so naughty.

I will be looking like this for the remainder of the afternoon ---->

Regarding the OP, I don't blame stores for having this rule at all.

[Blamenargles]

I work In a supermarket we catch a school child shoplifting most days.
They run about chasing each other, the block isles off and don't let other shoppers through.
They have no respect for anyone.
We have now banned them coming in at lunch time.
We get so many complaints from customers about them so I think 5 at a time is great

[Edenviolet]

I feel really bad now! The ice throwing could have hit a baby. I would be livid if I went shopping and one of my dcs got hit by something thrown from another aisle by a bored teenager

[anklebitersmum]

What are they going to do for breakfast now the officious little man has prevented from buying their usual Red Bull and Custard Creams?