Not allowing heavily pregnant woman to use a loo

@wombat15 not that it's your business but I often also have to find toilets quickly while out and about but I know not to ask staff in shops because I know the simple logistics of there being a member of staff available to escort me is unlikely.
To me that just seems so obvious. Sales staff can't leave the sales floor of a shop when the shop is open. Does that need to be explained to the regular public? It seems just so obvious.
Maybe it isn't 🤔

@wombat15 no I don't know if that was the reason in the OPs case but I do know that many many retailers are running on incredibly small amounts of staff.

I understand that there may be reasons they'd rather not, but it's a shame we're living in a time when people can't use common sense, in addition to demonstrating a basic level of compassion. If someone's standing in your shop or other business and seems desperately in need of a loo, I'd rather bend the rules than have them lose control of their bladder (and then possibly have to clean up after them).

You don't know that and even if it was the case why not just say that to OP? I just find it quite bizarre how people are so willing to defend the staff when they don't actually know they had a good reason and also to have a go at OP.

@wombat15 forget about the insurance thing. Let that go 😂
The majority of the time it will be because there simply isn't enough staff to escort someone to the backshop and leave the shop floor understaffed.

If there is so much demand from all of these diverse groups then all the more reason to invest in customer loos!

I know it is not fact because no company would have insurance that only covered the public in public areas. Why take the risk? Also, as many posters have pointed out some shops will let the public use toilets in some circumstances including the coop. That wouldn't happen if no insurance.

They often do let young children and people with some medical conditions use them. I used my discretion.

If they let pregnant women use the staff toilet, then why not young children? And pensioners? And people with health conditions? So it has to be 'no' to everybody. And that's without the security concerns and the need for you to be accompanied.

What difference does it make that they see you several mornings a week? You don’t work there!

But how do you know it's not a fact? You haven't provided any evidence either.

A lot of our shops here have the same rules however a manager can usually decides to overrule. I’ve been allowed when pregnant, just after having baby and also for nappy explosions. My older children have been allowed also once managers approve.

Usually the staff member says they can’t allow due to insurance but they’ll seek approval from manager and it’s allowed.

So sorry this happened to you 😭

A lot of our shops here have the same rules however a manager can usually decides to overrule. I’ve been allowed when pregnant, just after having baby and also for nappy explosions. My older children have been allowed also once managers approve.

Usually the staff member says they can’t allow due to insurance but they’ll seek approval from manager and it’s allowed.

So sorry this happened to you 😭

I live in a town with about 15000people...I have a choice of 2 supermarkets which deliver and aldi and lidl which don't. Both supermarkets have toilets. Lidl staff allow access to a staff area...not in goods inward.
The next town has about 5,000 inhabitants and is quite spread out. It has a small supermarket, a cafe which does allow access to toilets. Pubs not open in the morning. Schools can be quite a distance from housing. No public transport. I can imagine op lives somewhere like this. Except the small supermarket staff seem likely to be understanding.

I'm going to hazard a guess that you don't live somewhere where your staff are likely to end up in a dangerous situation because of that choice? Because when you have to make that decision for someone else (as a business as big as the co-op does) you have a duty of care to protect your staff.

Lots of posters have stated it as fact.

Get a home delivery from another supermarket. If you're shopping daily at the coop you can deffo afford that. You'd probably be able to even afford a 2nd car if you shopped somewhere else 🤣

@wombat15 I can't be bothered to read back 21 pages but I think the first mention of insurance was "it's probably because of insurance". I don't think people were stating it as fact - just giving a maybe.

The only cunty comment as you so charmingly put it is from you. God forbid anyone on here can have an opinion that you don’t agree with. I’ve had four kids and have a weak bladder myself but I wouldn’t expect a staff member to risk their job for me. That’s not acceptable. That’s why at the end of my pregnancies I wore maternity pads in case of leaks. I’m getting fed up of seeing comments having a go at posters just because they don’t automatically agree with the op, even if they are pregnant.

Everybody wouldn't yell "safeguarding!" I have fond memories of sitting on my teacher's knee to read in primary school, or Santa's knee in a shopping centre, and I'm rather sorry we live in a world where that's frowned upon now

Nobody has provided any evidence that it would not be covered by insurance and it would make no sense. Why would a shop risk not being covered?

As plenty of people have pointed out shops do let the public use the toilets if they have a medical need or other specified reasons. That includes the Co-op.

How do you know it's incorrect? Are you co-ops underwriter?

Because every other post incorrectly gives it as a reason.

A jobsworth is someone who says that it is more than their job's worth in order to be uncooperative, or obstructive or unhelp. It characterises one who upholds petty rules even at the expense of effectiveness or efficiency. The Oxford dictionary defines is as "A person in authority (esp. a minor official) who insists on adhering to rules and regulations or bureaucratic procedures even at the expense of common sense.

Says someone unlikely to be living payday to payday.