Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Random check with scan as you shop

134 replies

Summerofcontent · 22/12/2021 21:14

I was in Tesco this morning doing my Christmas food shop and the people at the next checkout got a random check.
They had 3 trolley loads and refused the check.
They just walked out leaving their shopping at the checkout.
I was wondering whether these people will now have a mark put on their clubcard so they get checked each time or whether they'll just carry on being selected randomly.
Does anyone know?

OP posts:
SpeckledlyHen · 23/12/2021 14:22

I do wonder if it is that "random" - i have only recently started to use scan and shop in Waitrose - I moved to a new location and this is now my nearest store so I am going in maybe twice a week (or more) and using it. First 3 times I was "randomly" selected for a rescan - not the full trolley but maybe 5-10 items. It has stopped now though.

00100001 · 23/12/2021 14:50

@SpeckledlyHen

I do wonder if it is that "random" - i have only recently started to use scan and shop in Waitrose - I moved to a new location and this is now my nearest store so I am going in maybe twice a week (or more) and using it. First 3 times I was "randomly" selected for a rescan - not the full trolley but maybe 5-10 items. It has stopped now though.
There's probably a rule that either checks everyone's first 3 shops, to stop people creating throwaway accounts and stealing more easily? and thereafter it's a random selection?

Or perhaps if the shop is unusual for the customer, or contains high value items it might be more weighted etc?

00100001 · 23/12/2021 14:51

And also being checked the first three times means it helps teach the customer what to do and that checks are part of the system?

MrsTophamHat · 23/12/2021 14:59

I get checked loads, because i once didn't scan my bananas. I weighed them and stuck the sticker on, then just forgot to scan them.

MarshmallowFondant · 23/12/2021 15:16

I've also noticed that when I've been "randomly selected" it's when I've done something like scanned too many products and removed one, or changed my mind about something and put it back and removed it from the system. Or when I make a purchase which is unusual - Asda had an offer on nespresso/starbuck capsules and we bought about £50 worth, and got selected for a "random" check.

HunterHearstHelmsley · 23/12/2021 15:30

I did scan and shop today. I didn't try to steal anything. Everything was taking twice as long as usual, every man and his dog was in the shop. If I had been selected for a random scan, I think I'd have left my shopping. It would have been the final straw.

It's a bit dim to assume anyone willing to leave their shopping must be on the rob. That, or judging by your own standards.

cptartapp · 23/12/2021 15:42

For the second time in a month my Tesco scanner packed up at the end of my shop yesterday. It's a common problem apparently, but one that doesn't seem to be getting sorted. The store was heaving and the assistant looked like she might cry, she even said 'well I don't know what we're going to do!'
Had to rescan and repack every single item of a £150 Xmas shop with other shoppers looking on accusingly.
I'd dragged teen DS2 with me to help. He was mortified.

Viviennemary · 23/12/2021 15:44

This self scanning is a thieves charter. IMHO.

JuergenSchwarzwald · 23/12/2021 15:45

@Pellewsmate

Tesco occasionally scans every item in you trolley, 1 trolley takes ages and the staff never pack things back into the trolley the way you had them. I have walked away once because I had an appointment not because I hadn't scanned half my shop. I would definitely walk away from someone scanning every item in 3 trolleys, life is too short.
Me too.

This is the reason I would never use scan as you shop. Either you trust people or you don't. If you don't, don't offer it.

DGRossetti · 23/12/2021 15:46

We had the devils own job with Sainsburys. 10 "random" stops in a row. We used to park up by the exit so we could be taken through to the till for the full rescan (after the 4th time they used to open a till for us).

After the first few times I took a photo of the scanner and the total it showed - which matched the manual checkout every time.

Touch wood the last two times we've sailed through.

tectonicplates · 23/12/2021 16:08

I've never used scan and shop, and after reading this thread I probably never will. Sounds far too stressful.

ALongHardWinter · 23/12/2021 16:33

I use scan and go in Asda regularly and they only scan 4 items if they do a spot check. I can't understand the logic behind the spot checks though. I've been picked 3 times in a row for one,then nothing for ages,then several times in a row again.

00100001 · 23/12/2021 17:24

@Viviennemary

This self scanning is a thieves charter. IMHO.
They must rely on the majority being honest. I shouldn't have thought there were more thefts tbh. Plus these kind of losses would be accounted for and obviously is worth the savings in employment costs etc
Crazykatie · 23/12/2021 17:48

You are being watched as you shop, mostly on video, but they might send a manger to check, so a good number are targeted checks. I never scan I’d be bound to miss something, anyone walking away from 3 trolleys has to be suspect because they have got to spend the time again to get the stuff elsewhere.

Meredusoleil · 23/12/2021 18:31

I use Scan and Shop every week at Asda and I was told the Manager decides when to set up the 'random' spot checks and there are times when s/he says to check every customer and then other times when no-one is checked 🤷

Chanel05 · 23/12/2021 18:36

I remember last year when I was doing my shopping and every person got selected to have a check during the scan and go.

It really is a fairly quick task and it sounds like they'd helped themselves to many cheeky extras. You just wouldn't leave three trollies worth of goods. It would have taken an age to do that shop.

SilentBob · 23/12/2021 18:39

I was picked for a random spot check 10 item scan once and the lady zapped my 1001 carpet cleaner doozer twice, which I pointed out. I only had one, she scanned it twice.

So then we had to do the whole trolley full.

And then I was spot checked every time I scan and shopped. It was like my mugshot was in the window.

I ONLY HAD ONE, ONE THOUSAND AND ONE, DAGNAMMIT!

Anyway, long story short, they now believe I am not a 1001 dealer and I was not spot checked yesterday. I'm free to steal 1001 again.

Shallwegoforawalk · 23/12/2021 19:08

Yes scanning something and then removing it and putting it back definitely seems to trigger a check. It's so annoying when you're honest and not a tea leaf!

VladmirsPoutine · 23/12/2021 19:32

It stresses me out far too much so I don't bother with it.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 23/12/2021 20:43

Or perhaps if the shop is unusual for the customer, or contains high value items it might be more weighted etc?

Asda had an offer on nespresso/starbuck capsules and we bought about £50 worth, and got selected for a "random" check.

But that makes no sense?! How do they know you've got expensive items until you've scanned them - and if you were intending to nick them, you surely wouldn't be scanning them in the first place!

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 23/12/2021 20:51

One other issue with it is that it puts everything into one transaction - not usually an issue, but I often buy things on behalf of work that need to be claimed back, so I need two transactions.

Normally, I would just do my own big shop that way and then keep the one or two work items back, to go and use a self-scan checkout afterwards for them; but, as a PP said, if they realise you have unscanned items, it can look very fishy and they have no proof that you were telling the truth about dealing with them separately.

Also, if you're buying more than one 3-for-2 or BOGOHP deal, you can often save more by putting them into two transactions - suppose you want three items costing £10 each and three items costing £3 each, if it all goes through together, you'll only save £6 and not the £13 you could have saved.

AngelsEyeball · 23/12/2021 20:59

Asda twice when I’ve had big trolley full. They’ve randomly(!) chosen items including cheap yogurts and a pint of milk as well as more expensive stuff like washing powder. Is what it is. I don’t bother packing as I shop now, just leave it piled in the trolley

NigellaAwesome · 23/12/2021 21:16

Well the thing about the original 3 trolley people, is that they will have left their trollies, and their scanner. Any decent store, if they had had suspicions, would have done a full rescan to see if they were founded or not. So even walking away from the scan, they are likely to have their scan ability removed.

HolesInMySocks · 23/12/2021 21:20

I watched one couple once not scanning. Told a staff member and they said unless it selects them for random then they can't check their trolley.
Even security guard agreed. They just walked out! I'd say over 100 worth of goods.

Chickorma · 23/12/2021 21:34

@CheshireChat

I'm really surprised you're stopped from using the self scan as I've forgotten about it several times and just went to a normal till and had no issues.

Mind you, I've also taken the bloody thing home by accident so had to call the store and explain I've been a dickhead!

@cheshirechat

Just snorted at that!