Aldi bag check

[LotsOfLovexx]

Has anyone else had this recently?

I was opening up my bags ready to pack and the cashier asked to see inside the bags first. Embarrassed me as never happened before and was very busy.

Made me feel like I'd done something wrong. Considering switching supermarkets if this is a new thing.

Yes happened to me in my local Aldi last week. I must admit it did bother me as a) I've shopped there weekly for the last 6 years and b) there were others who went before me with bags who were not asked.
When I asked why, she said it was now standard. I asked in that case why she didn't ask the 3 previous customers and she shrugged. I said that wasn't good enough and felt she was profiling me and if it's standard then everyone gets checked elsewise it's not standard. I wouldn't mind but it was busy and people were looking over like I was definitely a thief.
I tweeted them to be given the standard practice to all customers line but clearly it's not. I'm in two minds myself whether to shop there again if I'm being ear marked as a thief.

Maybe they have to do a number of random spot checks per shift and picked you because you looked like a nice reasonable person who wouldn't take unnecessary offence and hold up the queue?

It really is no big deal, both DH and I have been checked at one time or another everywhere from Lidl to Waitrose.

Oh I see. You, naice lady should never have been questioned but the scum buying alcohol and using a PRAM to take it to the car definitely should have been stopped.

Yawn.

This is a really interesting point though and it does make sense that they might want to check that people haven't put things into the packing bags on the way round so I wouldn't be offended by a spot check. However, at the Sainsburys self scan you might get a rescan, all fine, nothing to hide BUT unless you have put all the scanned shopping in a previously empty bag how do they know that the things in the bottom weren't already in there and legitimately bought from the previous shop? Also, I might well scan a birthday card and want to put it straight in my handbag so it doesn't get crushed in the bigger bag but when they do the rescan of 10 items they haven't ever looked in my handbag yet I might have quite legitimately put something in there after scanning it (more likely chocolate buttons to eat in the car on the way home tbf). So the message is put everything in the empty bags and keep receipts from previous shop so can't possibly be accused of anything.

It’s standard in most supermarkets in France.
Doesnt bother me.

@RichardHeed it looked like squash
to me not alcohol lol.

Seems fair enough. Got to keep prices down.

It's fine - no big thing. But if it is to, you then shop elsewhere.

I guess lots of stores are experiencing increasing levels of theft, so are implementing bag checks, more frequent re-scans and so on.

It wasn't personal, Aldi have an operational requirement that their staff check bags, that's all.

I'm in two minds myself whether to shop there again if I'm being ear marked as a thief.

But that's your interpretation - and sure, go shop somewhere else!

I prefer companies checking to avoid theft in order to keep prices down for everyone else.

Yes, I'm sure you're right. I just mentioned that I hadn't come across it, that's all.

A few years ago I popped in to Aldi for one specific item which I found they didn't have, so I left straight away without buying anything. At the time I had a carrier bag with shopping from other shops with me, and on leaving was asked if they could check my bag. That seemed a perfectly reasonable request to me, and I was happy to let them look.

Of course it's normal these days, there are security tags on butter ffs. People will put items in bags and purposely not put them on the belt to be scanned. Shops are losing a lot through theft and the fact no one is buying as much anymore or buying the big brands.

Your ALDI must have needed to up it's loss prevention hence why you were asked.

Have switched to Lidl because of this - I find Aldi's policy very offensive.

That happened to me last week . Admittedly, I haven't been in Aldi for some time and the lady on the till said its now company policy.
It only took a couple of seconds .

It only takes a couple of seconds and is understandable with the increase in shoplifting, but I still find it offensive. I wish Aldi would have a security guard patrolling the aisles instead, even cameras monitoring for shoplifters are acceptable.

It happened to me for the first time last week and try as I might I can't fathom any way in which I could be offended by a shop trying to crack down on theft

What is the offensive element?

We were asked once, yes. We always have a humongous food shop so it’s unlikely we’re paying for what is usually £150 worth of food and then also secretly stashing goodies in our reusable bags but there you go.

It’s not a slur on you, it’s on the twats that steal.

Maybe if you don't work in retail you don't know how rife shop lifting is. Yesterday we stopped someone with £162.30 worth of clothing in the morning and another one with over £70 later in the day, and that was just what we found. It's and every day occurrence. Tagging helps but the thieves don't seem to care.

Our local Aldi checks under bag since lockdown . I simply lift my bags as I go through now saves time .

Theft is a huge problem for all stores.. you weren’t profiled. You are desperately over thinking this ..

They have no legal right to look in your personal bags either before or after you've paid.

Having said that, they could refuse to serve you. But then if you had robbed stuff in your bags you'd still have it.

Where's the line for people that say 'If you have nothing to hide...?'
Presumably going through your coat pockets or frisking you would be ok too?

It’s a new policy from Aldi HQ, I was chatting to the checkout girl in mine about it.
She started off by saying ‘have you heard about our new policy?’ rather than asking with no warning, as she and her colleagues had already had some experiences with offended customers.

She mentioned that just our store alone apparently caught 1k of goods in the three weeks they’d been doing it. If the shoplifting is that bad, I can understand it and have no problem showing my bag.

They ask every customer (or they’re supposed to).

Asda used to call it BOB & LISA, (bottom of bag & look inside always) when I worked there briefly in another life 😁

I have no problem showing inside my bags. It's quick process and a sensible policy.

Aldi's new policy must be losing the some custom - I cannot be the only one to find it offensive - I don't see a security guard in the aisles or security cameras which would be more acceptable. I also do a weekly shop of over £100.00 so am not likely to stash anything in my shopping bag and pay for everything else 😖