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.

I wouldn’t have minded it either if it had happened every few weeks or every fifth time. But it was every time and involved rummaging through my carefully packed bags with a determined attitude to find a unscanned item at the bottom.

Get your hands off my bloody food woman!

I won't take part in that nonsense, even before knowing they random check you!

I hate how supermarkets now have about 2 manned tills and the rest self checkout. They're not quicker as it is, without someone unpacking it all and starting again! I'd be naffed off too OP!

Tesco seems to be the worst so I don't use the scan anymore. I hate them rifling through your neatly packed bags, ripping things upside down, banging fruit etc. the Asda one really rarely does it so is better but there are some jobsworth store staff at mine that refuse to give you a bag at the start of the shop which defeats the purpose too, so not without issues

Oh, yes to those trolleys too. It really hurts your stomach. I couldn't help worry what could happen to someone pregnant if it happened to them

I don't do the self scan thing and I try and avoid the self service checkouts , unless I only have a few things . I just find that they take longer as always freezes and have to wait for the staff member . But do accept that I am probably not great at it and I usually have a big family shop as my husband does the smaller ones .

He is here however always stopped at the door when the alarm goes off when he shops ( self scans ) in Tesco . This even happened when we were about 120 miles away at a random Tesco . I asked the security staff if there was a reason for it and they didn't know . It is really irritating him , so much so that he is now actively avoiding going to Tesco .

Sorry typed wrong word re earlier post . Husband uses self service till , doesn't self scan .

Love this, I'm going to use this next time they want to check.

Then you would look like a fool , the check is made before you pay , teh goods still belong to the shop and you are free to walk away , nobody is detaining you they are simply checking goods that they still own .

@liveforsummer

We don't particularly want to "rifle" through people's shopping. Working at self scan checkouts can be stressful at times believe me but it's not the colleagues fault ( but we get the abuse).

There is many rules we have to follow otherwise we can be disciplined which include scanning items at bottom of bags, full bags and also scanning certain items, it all gets recorded so as much as I understand it's an inconvenience to customers just know colleagues don't enjoy doing it either.

@bubbles888 well it would just be nice if you would do it more gently with a little more care, maybe you do but it's not my experience

Oh they definitely shouldn't throw/bash your shopping around I agree

That's exactly what it is, using info on previous behaviour to make judgements

What do you think it is?

Youd choose to act like an idiot? At least it would give other shoppers a laugh

Do you understand what pre payment checks are?

I regularly use the self scan. It seems to go in phases with me and Tesco. Was a phase a couple of years ago of having to scan 5-20 items. Couple of weeks ago it was my entire £200 weekly shop.

The shop assistant had just had to scan the entire shop from the person next to me too (but theirs was a small trolley load).

It was a complete pain in the arse but I don’t take it personally as it’s all random (or computer picked for reasons that aren’t personal to me). And the staff are just doing their job - you could see the shop assistant’s heart sink when she realised she’d have to scan my entire shop (and potentially deal with a stroppy customer - which I wasn’t at least!).

Does put you off self scan though as if I’d been in a hurry then you might just not have the time to wait.

I didn’t know it was done before payment when I first posted. Another poster set me straight. 😊. Pre payment what I posted would be stupid
sorry. I meant to link the post you were answering. I’ll be off 😬

@Lurkingandlearning sorry your quote was in the post but my response was to @ChizzleMeNizzzle .

People say this often on MN (to get shopping delivered). Unfortunately I've had numerous bad experiences with deliveries from Tesco and Asda - cancelled deliveries; items missing; crap substitutes; drivers not fully understanding disability/mobility problems (lack of training), and in a hurry; short dates; out-of-stock items on the website that are actually available in the shop; etc.

It's a shame. I appreciate the drivers, though - they are usually very nice people doing a tough job.

The last time I had my full trolley scanned they found two items both of which I had scanned twice
🤑

Getting shopping delivered is brilliant for heavy items like washing powder or wine. For fresh items though it too often leads to short dates. And Ocado are the worst for this.

Sometimes I am shopping inbetween my kids 1 hour sports club. There is no way I could stand there while they rescanned a shopping trolley worth of goods. I’d just have to leave it there and go and pick up my child.

An advantage of Scan & Go in Asda is that it lets you check that the actual price matches the shelf price. So many things show up as more expensive on the scanner - and they tend to be the reason that I put things back on to the shelf.

Again, this is probably about cutting back on staff on the shop floor, so the price notices on the shelves aren't being checked and updated. Annoying if that ends up triggering more time-consuming re-scans.

(You don't always notice price discrepancies at a till, because it can be a bit of a rush to pack and pay, with a big queue behind.)

Scamning your own shopping is a choice, presumably people who are short on time and don't want to run the risk of a whole trolley check choose the manned till

Or are there some branches of Tesco where that isn't an option?

I had this two or three times when I first started using self scan at Sainsbury’s. I go most weeks and haven’t had anything except for an odd spot check since, although I’m aware that I could have a full check at any point. The checks are inconvenient but I’d imagine there is a lot of theft that way so there has to be some sort of deterrent. I think a full check is still only comparable to queueing at the understaffed tills so for me it’s the lesser of two evils.

Is this just a Tesco thing?

I have been using Scan and shop in Sainsbury's for a year now and would say I probably have a random check every 1 in 5 shops (maybe a bit less frequently than this) but have never had a full rescan, they usually only check 10 items so whilst slightly annoying it's not the end of the world.

A full re-scan however would really piss me off.

I work in a different big supermarket. The random check thing comes up on the till, it isn't anything to do with you or what they think of you. It's as annoying for the shop staff as it is for the customer. Not many people opt for it, it's more trouble than it's worth in my opinion.