To expect to be able to park at supermarkets for FREE?

[empie]

Our local Sainsburys in Kenilworth has just introduced a policy whereby you have to pay £1 to park, and you get it refunded if you spend over £10 (yes, £10) in store.

Okay, so admittedly I was one of the people that used to abuse the free parking facility by nipping into town at the same time but I ALWAYS used to walk through Sainsburys and pick up a few bits, so I did pay my way if you like.

Likewise, when we hit Grumpy Hour at around 5.30, I often pop up there and walk around for a bit, and get a few things even if it's only a pint of milk and a loaf of bread.

Like a lot of SAHM's I'm a little and often shopper rather than a big once a month shopper, but where do supermarkets get off making you PAY to go and spend money in their shop, and then telling you how much money you need to spend? Needless to say, Sainsbury's won't be getting any more of my money as I have switched over to the dark side (internet shops), but surely I am not being unreasonable!!!!

Hmm yeah you might be right there Rusty, they are building the Waitrose on the site of an existing Pay and Display and putting a multistorey next to it! But having said that, at least they'd start as they meant to go on whereas Sainsburys is two-faced!

Hi,

A Sainsburys supermarket near me charges the grand sum of £3.00 to park there for 2 hours; again the money is refunded in store if you spend over £5.00. Another quirk introduced here is that a customer needs to give the checkout person the correct portion (marked refund voucher) of the ticket; handing over the wrong portion will not get your money back!!.

At a city centre Tesco i visit, they have a barrier and you can park for two hours free if you spend £5

Hi. Just joined mumsnet yesterday. I live in Gran Canaria and there´s no such things as mother & baby parking spaces so it´s a case of first come first served. Fortunately ds is 4 now so it doesn´t matter too much where we park and the majority of the supermarkets near where we live have free car parks. I don´t think you´re being unreasonable at all.

Could I get views regarding Sainsburys advertising stores having parking on their website, but the only car park is a municipal one which charges and there is no facility for having the parking charge refunded in store. I have complained to Sainsburys but they don't feel it is misrepresentation. Surely every shop could say they have parking (whether on-street, meter or payable car park) so how can it be shown as being an advantage on their website?

ZOMBIE THREAD

Blimey. Most places near me charge and you have to buy to get your parking fee back. It's normal here.