OTT 'basket' check for Tesco scan and shop

[alwayswantchocolate]

I had my second 'basket check' today in Tesco, I've done about 5 shops this way so far. The first time I used it, I had about 25 items checked, but that's fair enough it was my first go and she randomly scanned the items from a few of my bags. No errors found.

Today, I had my entire £122 family weekly shop checked. Literally every single item except two items in a freezer bag on the end of the trolley hook that I think she mustn't have seen. Every carefully packed item was taken out of my heaped trolley onto a customer service desk over the course of about 20 minutes. It was so humiliating and when I kept asking, once we were about half way through, if she was going to scan every item, I was ignored. I felt like a criminal. No errors were found, but it wasted my time and I was late for work as a result (I'd got up early to fit the shopping in, being a busy mum and all).

Not to mention, it didn't get re-packed by me very well as I was flustered and trying to rush.

I complained to the Head office afterwards via whatsapp chat, and got several off-hand replies when I persistently pointed out it was totally disproportionate and there was no need to do the whole trolley if no errors were being found. They said 'random checks', 'it's so we can check that you aren't being over charged', 'etc.' and didn't seem to see there being any issue whatsoever. They weren't apologetic, and the store staff were a bit frosty as well.

Honestly I don't look like a criminal and I don't believe I was acting like one, I was reasonably dressed and not scruffy looking, and it eventually emerged that I'd done absolutely nothing wrong.

I wonder if I'm being unreasonable to be so annoyed about this? I wouldn't have minded a random check of items at all. I just minded this. I would have walked out and left my shopping but I thought that would make me look guilty so I stood there and waited but as I say, I was late for work as a result. I don't think I can face that experience again, which is a shame as it should have been a time saver for me.

If I’d been in your position I’d have just left the lot with them and gone to work!!

Ah. I misunderstood. Thank you

Personally I don’t think it is reasonable to waste 10/15/20 minutes of a customers time for anything. Supermarkets introduced these things, along with self checkouts, to reduce cost. There’s no other reason for it really. So one assumes that they ran the numbers and accepted a certain level of error/theft as being worthwhile when measured against the labour saving.

If they got their assumptions wrong and are not happy with the consequences, then they need to find a better solution than inconveniencing customers. I’d abandon my trolley of shopping every time if a check was going to take more than a minute or two. Let them waste time putting everything back instead. Why should their time be more valuable than mine? And I certainly wouldn’t let them make me late for work while they spent 20 minutes faffing!

Much easier to just have it delivered!!

I have the same experience with aldi. I have been going there every friday for 6 years (in my work uniform) got to know a few staff over the time, I work over the road in another supermarket yet at least 3 times a month I get asked to open any bags Ive gone in with. Its humiliating alright. Wouldnt mind I only shop there because their cat litter is amazing otherwise they wouldnt have my wages every week. I make sure I always get receipts at other shops before I go aldi because I know im going to be asked. Really pees me off so I know how your feeling. Take care x

They do, the cashier was probably just being polite and saving the op any embarrassment by not telling her that there was something unscanned which is why she had to rescan everything. Plus side for you though op, if she was doing a full check, only the items that get rescanned by the cashier get accounted for, so the items you say she didn't spot hanging from the trolley handle, you wouldn't have paid for. Check your receipt as if they aren't on there, then the full scan has happened because you didn't scan something else.

I had a full trolley check in Tesco yesterday, also took ages and was quite annoying but I couldn't get as worked up as you about it. It's an unusual thing to happen but I can see why they'd need to now and again

I’ve had loads of checks but it’s usually 5 items. I had to have. 17 items checked over Christmas but I had spent an unusual amount of money. I’ve never heard of a whole trolley check! What a pain in the arse that must be.

Agree with those who say it's because you're new. We used to get checked every few weeks, but only 5 or so items at a time.

Now I am going to jinx myself, but I never ever get checked these days - also been using it for years.

I know the one time I do, I will have put something in my basket without scanning it thanks to baby brain !!!

I think I posted this on aldi bag thread the other day, maybe you can explain what is humiliating about showing that your bags are empty, I just can't fathom that at all.

What am I missing? Can I check your bags, open bags so cashier can see, carry on with shopping. In what world could that be humiliating?

I've only had the full trolley check once, and I've been using the Tesco wands since they were introduced. I might get a five item check occasionally.... Maybe once in seven or eight shops at most?

I love self scan though because I can pack efficiently as I go, rather than have to rush to keep up with the conveyor.

I did get paranoid about Waitrose one though. I only go there for smaller shops usually, but I got checked five times in a row. I ended up phoning the national customer service number to ask if there was some kind of black mark against me for some reason. I was assured that there wasn't, and I've not been checked since.

Any complaint to a company should be made on twitter. They suddenly get a lot better at dealing with customer complaints when it plays out in the public domain.

Scanning every item of a £122 shop is taking the piss.

Never happened to me but if it did, I think I would take whole lot back for a refund after they'd rescanned.
I don't feel I should have to prove to tesco that I'm not a delinquent.

I used to get checked every time. Then a staff member said it tends to pick people who have scanned items then removed them. No idea if there's any truth in that but I avoid doing it and never get checked now

So before youve paid you'd stand and watch them scan the whole trolley then walk out?

That doesn't t.ake any sense, how are posters not getting that the scan is before you pay

Obviously you could walk away before they start but then you would have to do your shopping somewhere else, no one would do that would they?

If the rescan was going to take 20 minutes I’d walk off and leave it every single time!

Whats humiliating is the fact that I have to prove im not a thief. I dont do it to them when they come into our shop and they do as Ive served them. They know me and i have to explain every time that they dont sell an 80 pack of whiskas cat food yet they still query it. Its embarrassing. Also its all about the brownie points....I know I work in a supermarket. For the record, our store only ever asks to check bags of people who are actively looking suspicious.

Oh it happens before you even pay? In this case I would walk out as soon as they start.
Tesco: 'We want you to do our job so we make more money, but also we don't trust you to do it honestly.'
Me: 'Sod off, I'm going somewhere else.'
Tesco: 'It's progress, you're weird and suspect for not doing your bit for our bottomline.'

Does your shop let people walk round putting stuff into their bags and trust them to pay at the end?

I've had this happen but they usually check about 10 items.

That is taking the piss. Supermarkets introduce this to cut staff. If the costs of shoplifting are too much they should just bring back the staff.
This is why I love ALDI. Short queues and quick cashiers.

You're kidding? The Aldis in both my nearest towns have massive queues. And then you have to play the game of trying to jump in when they open another checkout before the guy behind you in your original queue beats you to it (along with people from the queueat the other side).

I'd far rather just calmly scan as I walk around, pack things in an organised manner, and walk straight to an empty till, zap and pay. The very occasional five item scan is still better than the Aldi queues. As for a full shop scan taking 20 minutes, I mean .. really? It takes the same amount of time as if you'd gone to a full checkout in the first place. Only without queuing first. Nowhere near the 20 minutes a pp said.

This has happened to me too, such a pain.

Although in fairness the only time a whole trolley rescan has happened is the time I used scan and shop after a previous check of 5 items showed I'd accidentally not scanned one. So I probably flagged up on the system for them. Haven't had it since.

@saraclara as soon as my ALDI has more than 3 people in the queue they open another checkout. And cashiers are quick.

Maybe that's where you're going wrong ... trying to hard ;)... I rarely get scanned and am normal a scruffy mess doing my shop, either greedy hair hidden under a hat or tied up /no make up /probably not realising I've spilled something on my sweatshirt

...( joking) I do think its random computer selection... but maybe a bit about constancy (my big Weekley shop is fairly constant amount /items /same day/time etc and has been for years)

DiscoDragon · Today 14:50

This is part of the reason we stopped shopping in Tesco. The scanners are shit and take forever to load each item you scan and we would get "randomly" picked for these whole trolley checks quite frequently, usually when we were in a rush to get back for the school run or an appointment. On the last occasion it happened we found items missing from our shop when we got back home.

We decided to try out Sainsbury's, scanners work so much better and quicker and we've not once had a full trolley check. We do get the ones where they scan around 25 items very occasionally. We also don't have to fight our way through dozens of staff shopping for internet orders in every aisle. Despite Sainsbury's being 4/5 miles further away from Tesco so a longer journey for us we are getting the shopping done far more quickly than we ever did in Tesco!

I've had the opposite experience. In Tesco I've only been randomly checked. I'd done a huge shop in Sainsburys though one night on my way to pick my children up, and they took every goddamn thing out of the carefully packed bags and put it all through again, making me late for the kids. I was so close to telling them to shove it!