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.

Legally, unless the staff have reasonable grounds to believe you have stolen an item, and the staff are prepared to use their any person powers of arrest, once you have paid for your shopping they can't search anything and you should politely refuse and leave the store.

If the staff choose to arrest you (any person power/24A/"citizens arrest") which what security guards actually do when they "detain" you, then you are free to ignore them and walk out with your shopping.

If they "insist" on preventing you from leaving the store, and cannot demonstrate the reasonable belief you have stolen an item, then THEY can potentially commit several criminal offences themselves.

If you have paid for your shopping, and you haven't actually stolen anything, simply ignore the staff and leave.

The Black Belt Barrister gives a good explanation of these issues on his YouTube channel, including the whole Sainsbury's receipt scanning fiasco.

I think attitude has a lot to do with it. If staff were apologetic and said "I'm really sorry but the system has asked for a check. I need to scan 11 items.", then carefully scanned the items without disturbing your packing, no problem.

If they need to do a full trolley scan, then they should provide a bag and say "Would you like me to repack as I go?" They can take each item out, scan it, and repack it into the bag, working their way through the trolley.

When no regard is given to the inconvenience of a rescan, it allows resentment.

I used to have it delivered all the time when the kids were small. I find it fat better now to go and so it myself as I can choose my own fruit and veg (less packaging) and also make decisions about what to buy if what I want isn't available. Also, it's far more convenient timewise as I can go whenever I like and don't have to wait in during a set time slot.

Not sure how walking round a store scanning and then paying with a smartphone is "archaic". I mean, go back 100 years and the grocer on his bike used to deliver orders 😂

They would have absolutely NO legal grounds to ask you that.

NRTFT but just came on to say that I much prefer Scan and Shop and always use it where available. I go to Asda, Sainsburys or Tesco in that order.

There are certain times of the year, think bank holiday approaching, where the management set the random checks on everyone. I have never had the whole trolley checked however. It is always 10% of your items/total spend.

I was told recently, that if you scan and remove lots of items (eg price checking like I sometimes do), that can trigger a check too!

agreeing to occasional re-scans is part of the T&C which you read thoroughly and agree to when you sign up.

If you don't agree then don't use the service.

They're not the Border Force as you point out, it is retail and people who visit shops are customers as such vote with your feet OP, although tricky to do when the supermarkets have a monopoly on grocery shopping!

@shoppingshamed clearly I’m an idiot, assumed it was similar to the trolly checks some shops installed for the self checkouts (which happen after you’ve paid).

Yes, I tried deliveries for a few years, found it far too restrictive and won't be going back any time soon. I much prefer shopping in person so I can choose my own produce, check use by dates, pick my own substitutes, I often bump into someone I know for a quick chat, some human interaction at the checkouts etc.

That's contract law, it's civil, not criminal, (they would have to take lagal action against you for breach of contract if they felt strongly enough) and the "theft" and "arrest" aspect is still separate from that.

The police aren't going to attend a Tesco store and arrest you for breaching a civil contract.

Know your rights people!

This happened to me in tesco, just before xmas, with a massive shop!!! Everything was pulled out if my carefully packed bags and all laid out next to the scanner. It took bloody ages and felt like everyone was watching me. Nothing was found unscanned and i hurriedly put my shopping away like you op.
It just felt obtrusive and unnecessary. If they dont trust us dont have the bloody self scanning in the first place!!!

But until you are scanned, you're not allowed to pay. So if you won't fulfill the contract (rescan) you don't get your shop.

it's irrelevant. The point is that they have every right to ask you for a rescan as per the T&C you agreed to. Of course you can leave your shopping behind at that point but you can't refuse the rescan and keep the shopping. Unless you take it through a manned checkout I suppose.

If you don't want to have rescans don't use the self scan service. It's really that simple. Nothing to do with police at all - you're just being ridiculous. Of course the police won't turn up if you refuse a rescan but equally, the store isn't going to let you have the shopping.

There is no "theft" or "arrest", it's just a rescan.

Why are people so embarrassed about rescans? It's just one of those things. I've been doing self scan for about 20 years so I'm used to them. I know I'm not trying to steal anything so it doesn't bother me at all (and I am one of life's Guilty People who walks round stored prominently holding things I intend to buy so no one thinks I'm trying to steal it 😂).

If you don't like the system don't use the system.

No idea! As long as its randomly system generated or every 10th person etc I'm ok with it. If it starts to come down to profiling then I'm a bit more uncomfortable

We got checked every time when we first started shopping at tesco but since then barely ever. We only had a massive issue once when the assistant insisted we hadn't scanned one item because I had scanned the reduced sticker and they were scanning the main one. I'd done it and just popped to the loo so it took longer to resolve than it would if I was there but staff were polite. We don't shop there regularly now as we've moved to sainsbury's for a main shop so will probably get checked next time we go. I can't say it bothers me, I still prefer it as it helps me budget the shop, check prices and is always quicker even with a check as no queue. If you feel this strongly about it just go to a till? I know when I got checked once as asda where I only ever do a very small scan and shop the person checking took ages and appeared to have never used a scanner before but again, still quicker than queuing.

I'm sorry but staff do have a choice if you look trust worthy scan the top 10 items job done in 30 seconds max. If all staff did that management would be fighting a losing battle. I've been both sides the manager trying to get staff to do something pointless tasks they don't want and the staff refusing to do it, the staff won both times.

Maybe if they put a £100 deposit on the account if you're found to have an unscanned items you lose the £100 + cost of your shop and are blocked from using it again people would be more careful. The money lost to middle class shop lifters is tiny compared to organised criminals who can be spotted. The middle class shop lifters doing it got a kick are also likely putting significant profit into the company.

Also they always gave us free bags so there is no need to hold them ransom to stop a certain type of person stealing them just accept it as a business loss like you used to.

if you look trust worthy

So you think shoplifters have a "look"?

I agree. And no one is looking at you, as my DM used to say; they are too busy looking at themselves.

I think some individuals see it differently though. I mentioned upthread that I got a 12 item rescan when I was shopping with DH in the week and he moaned about it most of the way home, declaring he couldn't be bothered with it and would rather just go through the till. Fair enough he can do him. For context, he has ADHD and hates shopping generally.

Meanwhile, I'm prepared to put up with a dozen items being checked every few weeks to avoid the hell that is queuing for a checkout and having my shopping thrown at me in the wrong order.

Yeah see that's what I'd worry about. Profiling.

I agree with OP.

I got checked three times in a row in Waitrose, each time I was asked repeatedly if I had alcohol in my shopping, which they could clearly see when it was checked that I did not.

I stopped using the service, sadly as I had used it for a long time.

I did notice though that when I shopped there was on particular security guard that would consistently follow me round.

He left the company, and I never had an issue since.

But I would not use the service again.

I don't get it either and there's nothing wrong with profiling people who've previously missed scanning things

I stopped doing the self scan thing for this reason donkeys years ago. It can only have got a million times worse since. I react really badly I’ve found at the inference I’m a shoplifter, so I’d rather scan each item individually through a checkout and have zero interaction with an employee.

That's not what profiling is 😑