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Original poster

Have you ever been followed around in a supermarket by security for no reason

76 replies

0nloop · 10/05/2023 00:36

I have and as a poc it's usually other security poc who are doing the following. I find it disheartening, I have never nicked anything from a shop in my life and don't need to, I have the funds to afford to buy food and toiletries and trust me being followed was happening way before the cost of living crisis began. I don't act any different to the average joe or Jane shopping in day for example Tesco/Sainsbury's - I don't usually have an issue in say M&S and anyways they sell better quality stuff.

Has this happened to anyone else? Btw I'm usually shopping with my baby in pram and my other daughters - so I'm usually distracted in the shop but it's becoming a common theme.

I have had mental health issues in the past and just had a baby so my hormones are all over the place but stuff like this can tend to play on my mind.

OP posts:
ALongHardWinter · 10/05/2023 13:23

HirplesWithHaggis and Fadedstripes

Thanks!

tedgran · 10/05/2023 13:33

Saw a white man, quite scruffy being shouted at outside Lidl by security guards. He was saying it happened every week, he was in front of me in the queue and paid cash. I told the guards that and they backed off. I'm sorry that you're having these bad experiences. I know a black doctor who is forever being stopped by the police, what is it with these people

Paul2023 · 01/08/2023 10:34

I’m not knocking security guards in supermarkets, I imagine it’s a crappy job with little satisfaction.
But I’ve no idea why they would follow people around unless they are known shoplifters or up to something.
Most of these supermarkets make millions in profit and allow an amount for theft.
They probably only employ security guards for insurance purposes.
Why would the security guards follow people around looking for trouble, if I was working in a supermarket I would want as little confrontation as possible. I would do as little as possible! I wouldn’t go looking for trouble on a minimum wage job.

Maybe to some of the ladies on here the security guards fancy you ?…

ToBeOrNotToBee · 01/08/2023 10:49

Yes, a few times.
I'm white, tattoos and often shop in town in whatever I drag out of the wardrobe as I can't be bothered sometimes. I also have quite a good job and when I do make the effort, look bloody amazing.
Last time was when I came back from the dentist having had a front tooth pulled and waiting for the denture to be made, so really looking worse for wear, with my hair all dishevelled from the dentist chair, and I think maybe even some bloodstained spit on my t-shirt
The guard practically stalked me around the shop and had a fit when I picked up a jar of £70 face cream, saw him looking and decided to play a game by disappearing quickly around a corner with him hot on my heels.
I went back a week later, looking more presentable, new front teeth included, and the same guard didn't bat an eye.

FictionalCharacter · 01/08/2023 11:26

Paul2023 · 01/08/2023 10:34

I’m not knocking security guards in supermarkets, I imagine it’s a crappy job with little satisfaction.
But I’ve no idea why they would follow people around unless they are known shoplifters or up to something.
Most of these supermarkets make millions in profit and allow an amount for theft.
They probably only employ security guards for insurance purposes.
Why would the security guards follow people around looking for trouble, if I was working in a supermarket I would want as little confrontation as possible. I would do as little as possible! I wouldn’t go looking for trouble on a minimum wage job.

Maybe to some of the ladies on here the security guards fancy you ?…

Quite simply, some of them are on a power trip and like the feeling of people being wary of them or worried by them. Hence they do it to women, young people and men they perceive as lesser (poorly dressed etc). They don’t do it to well dressed, well groomed, confident looking middle aged men.

CrashyTime · 07/10/2023 20:30

tedgran · 10/05/2023 13:33

Saw a white man, quite scruffy being shouted at outside Lidl by security guards. He was saying it happened every week, he was in front of me in the queue and paid cash. I told the guards that and they backed off. I'm sorry that you're having these bad experiences. I know a black doctor who is forever being stopped by the police, what is it with these people

Saw a guy walking into a store with an empty trolley recently, the guard must have glanced at him sideways or something and he just let rip with loads of abuse "who are you looking at you fucking fanny" etc. The guard just walked away and they let him continue his shop.

dottieautie · 07/10/2023 20:39

I have been. It was about 16 years ago now when I was in a popular supermarket with my brand new baby. The guy at the door that I knew, told his colleague I was a known shoplifter and this poor young lad dutifully followed me around the whole store. The front door guy did this because I was a witness to his assaulting a teenage girl (he was in his 30s) in a nightclub a year previously and the case was due in court. I got to the very end aisle after confirming I was indeed being followed and confronted the poor wee guy asking for the manager. Manager arrived, heard my story (without detail for legal reasons) and apologised wholeheartedly. Young lad confirmed the front door guy had told him I was a known shoplifter and that he was to follow from a distance then they’d stop and search me on my way out. I had doubts about wanting to talk to the manager but that degree of intimidation wasn’t on. Police didn’t give a shit he’d done this even although the manager agreed to give a statement if required. He got away with the assault too.

WeightoftheWorld · 07/10/2023 20:41

0nloop · 10/05/2023 00:36

I have and as a poc it's usually other security poc who are doing the following. I find it disheartening, I have never nicked anything from a shop in my life and don't need to, I have the funds to afford to buy food and toiletries and trust me being followed was happening way before the cost of living crisis began. I don't act any different to the average joe or Jane shopping in day for example Tesco/Sainsbury's - I don't usually have an issue in say M&S and anyways they sell better quality stuff.

Has this happened to anyone else? Btw I'm usually shopping with my baby in pram and my other daughters - so I'm usually distracted in the shop but it's becoming a common theme.

I have had mental health issues in the past and just had a baby so my hormones are all over the place but stuff like this can tend to play on my mind.

Yes I have a few times, sometimes alone and sometimes with a baby or young toddler in the pram. I think the latter is because I put stuff in the pram basket to be fair before I check it out. Some security guards obviously are concerned I'm planning to walk out with it. I'm mixed ethnicity but most white people read me as white so I don't think it's racially motivated for me personally (fully appreciate it can be for other people though).

CrashyTime · 07/10/2023 20:42

FictionalCharacter · 01/08/2023 11:26

Quite simply, some of them are on a power trip and like the feeling of people being wary of them or worried by them. Hence they do it to women, young people and men they perceive as lesser (poorly dressed etc). They don’t do it to well dressed, well groomed, confident looking middle aged men.

Show quote history

Good things to do are stare back at them until they react or walk away, if they say anything confrontational say you need the manager out on the floor in a loud voice so everyone can hear, or shout over to them "You need to do another training course mate, the real shoplifters are in aisle 2" and if they ask you to remove hats or hoods so cameras can get a better look politely decline as you are there to buy a few items not to get fashion advice. A guy once asked me to remove my hood in his shop to "protect the neighbours", when I asked how this protected the neighbours he couldnt answer, so I put my 20 quid or so of purchases down and went elsewhere, obviously he had had trouble or shoplifting in the past (although he was in a nice area) and I felt a bit sorry for him, but demanding people show their face to his cameras is a step too far, basically all the power airport check in staff have - staff in shops don`t have.

On the other hand you could just realise that they are people doing a sometimes difficult job, wish them well in your head then ignore them for the rest of your shop, LOL.

Saschka · 07/10/2023 20:45

DH gets followed around our local Co-op. It’s weird, he’s a 45 year old man and really doesn’t look dodgy at all. We have a bail hostel around the corner and there are plenty more dodgy people in that branch of co-op. Plus the actual shoplifters aren’t subtle, they just run in, grab the alcohol and run out.

No issues in any other shops, including the Nisa directly opposite the Co-op.

MatthewsMumFromTikTok · 07/10/2023 20:55

I couldn't care less if they do

They may be doing so from a cctv cam in. An office somewhere, zooming in etc. who knows?

They have s as job to do

runningonberocca · 07/10/2023 21:02

I was followed by a security guard around M &S last weekend. Thought I was being paranoid so I took a circuitous route around to check and he followed me every step. So I asked him if there was any particular reason he was following me around the store? He denied it and backed off.

I’ve never shoplifted in my life and work in a professional job . I don’t think I look particularly dodgy!!

CrashyTime · 07/10/2023 21:07

MatthewsMumFromTikTok · 07/10/2023 20:55

I couldn't care less if they do

They may be doing so from a cctv cam in. An office somewhere, zooming in etc. who knows?

They have s as job to do

Yes, in big stores they are watching you on screens at the front door area where there are seats for the guards to sit, the professional "lifters" are still taking the piss out of them though because they know where the camera blind spots on the aisles are etc. In my local Sainsburys they have an announcers voice that says "Will a member of staff go to the drinks aisle please" if you hang around too long with your hood up looking at the vodka bottles, LOL, truly ridiculous, one time there WAS a member of staff in the drinks aisle, crouching down obviously out of camera view putting bottles on a low shelf, I felt like mouthing to the camera "Staff are already here you fucking clowns!"

CrashyTime · 07/10/2023 21:09

runningonberocca · 07/10/2023 21:02

I was followed by a security guard around M &S last weekend. Thought I was being paranoid so I took a circuitous route around to check and he followed me every step. So I asked him if there was any particular reason he was following me around the store? He denied it and backed off.

I’ve never shoplifted in my life and work in a professional job . I don’t think I look particularly dodgy!!

The funniest one`s are the plain clothes "store detectives" that some places still use, most of them are so obvious it is painful.

StrictlyAFemaleFemale · 07/10/2023 21:14

It'll be the pram.

CrashyTime · 07/10/2023 21:18

Yep, prams and wheelchairs are favourite "covers" for shoplifting.

KeepTheTempo · 07/10/2023 21:20

MatthewsMumFromTikTok · 07/10/2023 20:55

I couldn't care less if they do

They may be doing so from a cctv cam in. An office somewhere, zooming in etc. who knows?

They have s as job to do

This is the kind of thing you say when you're white and don't get pulled out for every 'random' bag check, or followed every time you go to Superdrug - whether you're wearing a suit or joggers and often with your kids looking on.

Even when you're used to it, it's intrusive, unsettling (we are evolved to feel uncomfortable when we know we're being followed), and humiliating to be watched while you're buying tampons and thrush medication.

So many women on here would be up in arms if a man told a woman to 'just ignore' sexist behaviour but don't seem to even appreciate how racist behaviour can often be very similar, and how racism can heighten the effect of sexism.

MatthewsMumFromTikTok · 07/10/2023 21:27

I'm not white

MatthewsMumFromTikTok · 07/10/2023 21:28

But I used to work in retail so I know what it's like

anyolddinosaur · 07/10/2023 21:39

Yes. Scruffily dressed and not buying much. Once I realised I stared at him and then left the store without buying anything at all. I'm white, btw, and at one time was pulled for a bag check in Sainsburys 3 times in 3 weeks. I did grumble to the woman doing the check the third time, havent been checked since but they put up the price of the alcohol I used to buy so I 've stopped buying it. .

GrandTheftWalrus · 07/10/2023 21:46

Yes me and DH were followed about our local supermarket one day. Funny thing was I'd just finished work and had my sia license still on.

Ellmau · 07/10/2023 22:00

The front door guy did this because I was a witness to his assaulting a teenage girl (he was in his 30s) in a nightclub a year previously and the case was due in court. I got to the very end aisle after confirming I was indeed being followed and confronted the poor wee guy asking for the manager. Manager arrived, heard my story (without detail for legal reasons) and apologised wholeheartedly. Young lad confirmed the front door guy had told him I was a known shoplifter and that he was to follow from a distance then they’d stop and search me on my way out. I had doubts about wanting to talk to the manager but that degree of intimidation wasn’t on. Police didn’t give a shit he’d done this even although the manager agreed to give a statement if required. He got away with the assault too.

That was clear intimidation of a witness. I'm surprised the police didn't take it further.

Pleaseme · 07/10/2023 22:01

I have when young and also when shopping with a buggy as apparently shoplifting with a baby is a thing?

SunnieShine · 07/10/2023 22:05

I'm away with the fairies most times so I doubt I'd notice if I was.