Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

FFS Tesco

289 replies

HaveringWavering · 07/07/2022 02:43

I did a massive shop the other week, spent over £250 quid, spent ages browsing the clothes and homewares, stocking up tins and freezer stuff.

I’ve just received a sodding parking ticket in the post because apparently the car park has a 2 hour limit and I was in there 2 hours and 10 minutes!

I know they have them to stop people using supermarket car parks as all-day parking but 2 hours? It’s pretty easy to spend 2 hours shopping, and I’d have bought a hell of a lot less if I’d realised I had to be out quicker.

I know that Tesco subcontract parking to an independent company so no point complaining I guess. And no I didn’t pay attention to the signs, or think about what time it was when I was in the shop. Never occurred to me that the parking rules would apply to genuine shoppers.

OP posts:
HerRoyalHappiness · 07/07/2022 02:47

Never occurred to me that the parking rules would apply to genuine shoppers.
So you knew the rules? Yet still went over your allotted time? How can they tell who's genuine and who's just a twat using the parking space? They have to have the same rules for everyone. They can't say, "oh you spent loads of money so we won't fine you" rules are rules and if you break them there are consequences. As an adult you should understand that and move on.

OverlySensitive · 07/07/2022 02:47

That is so ridiculous. Could you possibly appeal the fine by showing the time stamp on your receipt? Surely they have cameras that can prove the time you entered the car park?

PrachtStück · 07/07/2022 02:51

The rules are the same regardless of if you’re spending £250 on a big shop, or £3 at the ice cream van three blocks over. Rules are rules. I’m not saying I agree with this particular rule, but they had all the right in the world to fine you.

And personally, no, I wouldn’t say it’s ‘pretty easy’ to spend 2 hours in one single shop unless you’re trying on lots of clothes. But then, I don’t go shopping without a list, so maybe I’m not the best person to comment on that.

Original poster
HaveringWavering · 07/07/2022 02:55

PrachtStück · 07/07/2022 02:51

The rules are the same regardless of if you’re spending £250 on a big shop, or £3 at the ice cream van three blocks over. Rules are rules. I’m not saying I agree with this particular rule, but they had all the right in the world to fine you.

And personally, no, I wouldn’t say it’s ‘pretty easy’ to spend 2 hours in one single shop unless you’re trying on lots of clothes. But then, I don’t go shopping without a list, so maybe I’m not the best person to comment on that.

I did have a list. It was a very long one.

OP posts:
Original poster
HaveringWavering · 07/07/2022 02:58

HerRoyalHappiness · 07/07/2022 02:47

Never occurred to me that the parking rules would apply to genuine shoppers.
So you knew the rules? Yet still went over your allotted time? How can they tell who's genuine and who's just a twat using the parking space? They have to have the same rules for everyone. They can't say, "oh you spent loads of money so we won't fine you" rules are rules and if you break them there are consequences. As an adult you should understand that and move on.

My point is that they have chosen too short a time limit. I didn’t read “2 hours” on the sign and think “oh that won’t apply to me”. Rather, I didn’t bother to read the detail on the signs because I naturally assumed they were there to deter piss takers, so would not kick in until after a reasonable shopping time.

OP posts:
RamblingFar · 07/07/2022 02:58

Have you tried taking the ticket and receipt into Tesco and asking them to cancel it? I know you say they don't own the car park, but I've heard of at least two supermarkets on Facebook managing to cancel tickets anyway.

HerRoyalHappiness · 07/07/2022 02:59

2 hours is a reasonable shppping time.

Original poster
HaveringWavering · 07/07/2022 02:59

RamblingFar · 07/07/2022 02:58

Have you tried taking the ticket and receipt into Tesco and asking them to cancel it? I know you say they don't own the car park, but I've heard of at least two supermarkets on Facebook managing to cancel tickets anyway.

No idea where my receipt is. It was on 25th June, only got the letter today.

OP posts:
Original poster
HaveringWavering · 07/07/2022 03:02

HerRoyalHappiness · 07/07/2022 02:59

2 hours is a reasonable shppping time.

It’s a fuck off massive Tesco Extra. What ‘a the point of having all that stuff to browse if you expect people not to hang about? I probably spent half an hour alone in the kids’ clothing section and another 20 minutes looking at makeup.

OP posts:
HerRoyalHappiness · 07/07/2022 03:05

So because you decided to take your time they should bend the rules? I like a good mooch round the shop as much as the next person, but I still wouldn't spend 2 hours in one. This isn't tesco or the parking company at fault. This is on you for being too slow to abide by the rules. You know for next time, set a timer so you don't spend too long looking at makeup and kids clothes.

Original poster
HaveringWavering · 07/07/2022 03:09

HerRoyalHappiness · 07/07/2022 03:05

So because you decided to take your time they should bend the rules? I like a good mooch round the shop as much as the next person, but I still wouldn't spend 2 hours in one. This isn't tesco or the parking company at fault. This is on you for being too slow to abide by the rules. You know for next time, set a timer so you don't spend too long looking at makeup and kids clothes.

I never said they should bend the rules. I’m complaining that they are stupid rules! Just venting, that’s all.

OP posts:
HerRoyalHappiness · 07/07/2022 03:12

I agree that the rules are stupid but you can't complain because the rules are the same for everyone regardless of how much they spend. You also posted in AIBU so it seemed like you wanted honest answers as to whether or not you were unreasonable about your predicament. Which you are being.

Scottishskifun · 07/07/2022 03:14

Did you pay by card and do you have Internet banking?
Would pop into the store and speak to customer services they might be able to do something.

GeorgiaGirl52 · 07/07/2022 03:16

I can easily take two hours shopping in a store like Tesco. A big food shop plus looking at a few "extras" like clothes or housewares. Usually come out having spent $400 plus in the store. If I get hit with a parking ticket, you can believe I won't go back to that store.

BarbaraofSeville · 07/07/2022 03:26

Appeal to the store manager and mention that you did a very big shop there.

That's the best hope of getting the ticket cancelled. Going to the private parking company will get you nowhere except losing hours of your life on admin for years to come dealing with their threats to take you to court and ruin your credit history if you don't pay.

Sunflowers2047 · 07/07/2022 03:30

The rules apply to everyone.
It's a bummer you've got a ticket but you knew the rules, chose to ignore them and got the penalty for it. You could try and contest it but you'll know next time the rules still apply to you the same as everyone else.

PrachtStück · 07/07/2022 03:32

HaveringWavering · 07/07/2022 03:02

It’s a fuck off massive Tesco Extra. What ‘a the point of having all that stuff to browse if you expect people not to hang about? I probably spent half an hour alone in the kids’ clothing section and another 20 minutes looking at makeup.

Show quote history

Then you didn’t have a list - or a purposely defined amount of time you were going to spend in there? Or had you already planned for ‘20 minutes looking at make up’? That’s not shopping with a purpose, that’s almost a day off. Blimey, I’d love a free 2 hour shopping slot sometime…

The rule is stupid. Parking should be free for shoppers in my opinion. But the signs are there for people to read.

ProfessorFusspot · 07/07/2022 03:33

Logically it should be two separate issues - (1) parking spaces in Tesco's lot are for Tesco shoppers only and (2) if enforcing that doesn't result in enough throughput, THEN impose a time limit. Limiting the time because you can't control who uses the lot (if that's what they're doing) is inefficient. The rest of the world handles this by putting an electronic (or human'd, if local labour's cheap enough) barrier at the exit which is controlled by a validated parking slip/shop receipt.

Lindy2 · 07/07/2022 03:37

Go into the store. If you paid by card you can prove you were shopping and the fine can be cancelled.

2 hours seems short to me. If you're food shopping and then doing something like using the cafe or looking at clothes you can easily go over.

Go direct to Tesco not the 3rd party car parking company.

BEAM123 · 07/07/2022 03:38

Have you got evidence that you were there at that time....clubcard transaction, bank card statement - banking apps usually show the time of the transaction.
I would appeal it.

I got stung once because I left my car at the Tesco car wash for 3.5 hours and the max parking was 3 hours, they had just installed cameras that week.

I asked Tesco and they said they would get it sorted, but I still got a chaser letter a few weeks later. I went online to the parking company's app and appealed it, attached screenshot of banking app. The link to so this was on the parking notice letter. They emailed back that they had contacted Tesco who had agreed to waive it.
Definitely worth a shot.

TulipCat · 07/07/2022 03:39

Two hours is quite short for such a large store. We have a big Sainsburys /M&S near me and the limit is four hours. Definitely worth appealing as you are only just over that and were a genuine shopper buying a lot.

Ponderingwindow · 07/07/2022 03:40

That is ridiculous. Why don’t they just validate the parking tickets when you check out? Or if they are really worried, validate on entry and exit to the store? Or do what other shops do and allow a small amount of time with any purchase and larger blocks with larger purchases so people don’t abuse the system by buying a tin of mints to get cheap parking.

DillonPanthersFNL · 07/07/2022 03:48

Go back with your banking info and tell them. Maybe they'll cancel it

NumberTheory · 07/07/2022 04:21

So because you decided to take your time they should bend the rules

Yes. They bloody should.

it is ridiculous to disincentivize customers who are spending significant amounts of money from coming to your store to do that shopping. It’s a Tesco Extra, not an express.

OP it may be worth your time to pull up your bank statement or club card or any other source of proof of you spending that much there that day and going in to see the manager. If no joy there then tweeting or writing to the CEOs office to say that you obviously won’t use them for big shops any more if they can’t provide parking for long enough for you to spend hundreds.

whatdoidonowffs · 07/07/2022 04:23

Try challenging it I did once and got it overturned as in their own rules they gave 15 minutes grace
if you look into their terms and conditions you might find something similar