To hate shops that don’t allow people not buying anything making it difficult to leave

I’ve never experienced any difficulties in leaving if I don’t buy anything. Maybe it depends on the area you live in.

That's why so many supermarkets have security tags on their baskets.

I just push the shut barriers open, I have definitely broken a barrier at Sainsburys once and set an alarm off more than once but if they wont provide me a way out then oh well, that's their problem.

I will admit to being the least patient person in the world and being driven mad by repetitive actions so Costco scanning a card to get in, scanning a card to pay and then showing a receipt to get out drives me insane, I hate queueing at the best of times so queueing to get out the store to show someone a receipt does my head in.

Shoplifting is insane because there are rarely any consequences. I’ve witnessed it several times now. The security guards are aware but are told not to chase if the person leaves the store as they have to physically restrain the person and not to put themselves in physical danger (understandably) so there is no fear. Walk into a store, load yourself up and walk purposefully through the exit and you’re done. Shops have to do something. The police pretty much leave them to it. So here we are.

The last shops actually want to do is to pay for these additional barriers and processes.

We have a huge issue with policing and jail capacity now. Just a massive lack of consequences.

Unfortunately too many people pinch them.
I worked in Woolies. We got some mini trolleys in. Only 6 of them. They all were pinched within a month.

What about not being allowed to take a basket out of the shop? That drives me mad too!!

It's bordering on false imprisonment! Shops can't insist you show a receipt to leave!

It was in Lidl I got similarly stuck. I bought my shopping, scanned receipt and put shopping in car. Nipped back in to use loo, receipt only works once.
Sorry can you let me out? Barrier isn’t working. You need to scan your receipt. I did but then I popped back in to the store to use the loo. Where’s your shopping? I put it in the car. Did you forget something? No just came back in to use the toilet. Do you have a bag? No. Do you need to return something? No listen I just popped back in to use the loo can you let me out please. I don’t remember seeing you. I showed him notification on phone thst I’d spent receipt matching amount in store. Finally let me through. I’ve not been back to Lidl’s since as was such a faff.

Ours acquired barriers on the entrance a couple of years ago so the way out is via the till area - fortunately no receipt scanner. However they did then put a small exit gate (adjacent to customer servjces). Handy if you've just gone to use the Argos

For supermarkets like Lidl I imagine not that many people go in for one specific thing and if they don't have it, just leave. People are going in to do the weekly shop, not to casually browse. it's not like its a clothes shop or something where quite a lot of people probably walk out without buying anything

I disagree - the 'Middle of Lidl' offers can be popular and sell out quickly. If you're going in there specifically to buy electric toothbrush heads for £2.99 or a lawnmower for £39.99 or whatever because you saw it advertised, and they have sold out, you'd leave empty-handed.

That’s just awful…..I would put a complaint in. There’s absolutely no reason for all those questions and refusing to let you out, other than someone being on a power trip! If it’s quite obvious that you don’t have anything on you they have no reason to stop you exiting whenever you want. It’s nothing short of entrapment.

I hate them too but this is what happens when shops are losing so much money from the result of theft, they had to put this in place to stop/reduce theft. Would be interesting to see if the levels of theft has actually reduced compared to before. Shops don’t really want to do this as it cost them more money to put this system in place at every branch, however with a lack of policing support and lack of consequences to criminals makes shopping an unpleasant experience for all of us.

I was in one of these yesterday, the till points were so narrow you had to wait for the customers to be served. It's ridiculous.

I mean a dedicated exit for people who aren’t buying anything. So only one exit to be controlled, and anyone trying to leave any other way stands out.

scanning your receipt to leave is also standard here, not sure why it’s a big deal in the UK? It’s usually only on the self serve till area.

Blame the shoplifters. They often get apologists on here. ‘They must be desperate’ etc.
I hope we don’t get to the situation they have in some places in the US. We went to California on holiday and a couple of shops (trainers and clothes) made us leave any bags with security before we could enter.

I had this exact issue once, so I went out the entrance only for a loud automated voice to bellow, “please use the exit!” Put me off ever going in there again!

I had this today I home bargains! Got to the tills with one item, long queues of people with trollies (Impossible to squeeze past) and I was already short on time so I rushed back through the entire maze shop only to get to the 'in' door that wouldn't open, had to wait for someone to come in!

I’m realising that either I’m less polite than I thought or there’s something about my face that makes people decide not to mess with me, because whenever I’ve needed to get out without buying anything I just leave and if the door/gate needs opening by a staff member I look at them as I’m approaching the door/gate and they open it. So it’s either something about me or it’s just not an issue in the shops round here.

Like what they are now doing in Lidl’s here 🤦‍♀️

@ZestyDog that does sound very weird behaviour from them.
I've never had any problems so hopefully that was a one off and you won't have any issues another time 🙂

It went like this:
Can you let me out please?
You need a receipt to open the gate
I don't have one
Just go back and get it from the till
I haven't been to a till
Why?
I'm just leaving I've not got anything
Why not?
My husband is still in here with the trolley
Can you wait for him?
No
Why?
I need to go back to my car
Ummm, do you have a bag with you?
waves arms, in a clearly I do not have a bag motion, can you just open the gate?
You've not got a bag?
No, I've not got a bag, I just want to leave.
You need a receipt to open the gate
I need to get out
Ummm, If you could wait for your husband...
I've got (painful condition) I need to go and sit down
We normally expect customers to scan their receipt to leave the store. No one usually leaves without buying anything
New character appears, random woman "jeez, just scan your card and let her out"
Guy walks at glacial speed to the barrier and scans his card so I can leave.

@ZestyDog that does sound bad for you 🙁 but what on earth were they asking you?
Seems very odd from their side.

They've put barriers in my local Lidl. You have to scan your receipt to exit.
Now, I have an incredibly painful physical disability. I don't go round the supermarket very often, DH goes round with a list, but sometimes I like to have a look around. (Especially now the Christmas stuff is coming out) I lean on/push the trolley which helps, but after a couple of aisles I'm done and need to sit down.
So this week, I'd left DH half way round, went to leave, and couldn't get out. Had to find a staff member, then explain why I needed to leave. Staff member asked loads of questions, which caused me to be stood around way longer than necessary, causing me an increase in pain, which 3 days later I'm still suffering with.
So no more lidl for me.

I agree. Poundshop/ Home Bargins/B&M are the worst for it.