Would you have unpacked your shopping and repacked?

[SweeetFemaleAttitude]

Just did a huge weekly shop at Tesco and as I was leaving I was asked for my receipt, that was fine. Then after a pause the shop assistant and security explained they were doing random trolley checks, and asked to check the receipt against the shipping.

I wasn’t impressed, but calmly stood back and said ‘please ensure everything goes back in the correct bags, I’ve sorted it for a reason’.

They then said they expected ME to unpack items as they ticked it off the receipt.

I just laughed a bit inside at the idea. I’d just done a big shop and pissed around with a self service machine wasting a lot of time compared to a human scanner. Red lights for no reason, waiting for tag removal, waiting for another random fault, waiting to weigh my own bags and check them before I started. The idea of then standing there and unpacking for their pleasure was not something I was prepared to do! I’m talking a big trolley load of stuff, and a big job to stand there bending over it lifting. Not like a Costco check for the big items, loads and loads of tiny bits and cans.

I just calmly said ‘no’. I was told it was a policy to do random checks and I wasn’t suspected of theft. I said they may have a policy, but I didn’t work for Tesco and therefore they were unable to direct me to complete any tasks. I’d fulfilled my contract, paying for goods. If they had reason for concern then I’d wait for them to check it themselves, or go through cctv but I expected it to not delay me unreasonably or my shopping to be left unpacked or manhandled.

Ended up with ‘permission’ from a grumpy manager to leave, who had been watching from a distance and came over. I was honestly calm and kept my tone polite, I was quite annoyed by the self check out already and was making an effort to remain calm knowing I was a bit irate. Never been to this store before, not planning to go again! My usual store always has a open checkout to use with a person.

aibu- you’d have stood there and unpacked, it’s policy

yanbu- nope, you don’t work there and it’s not your job to facilitate their security checks.

Happened to me once with a huge £200 weekly shop. I refused as dd was screaming (ASD) and ds was only 4 months old due a feed and staring to grumble . They said I had no choice I said I do I’m walking out and I don’t expect anyone to try to stop me - find someone else for your ‘random’ check and they left it

I don't think you are wrong but I'd have gone along with it. I can't stand shoplifters. That pathetic scumbags who fuck it up for everyone else so I'm happy to make random bag searches the normal.

I'd be happy for increased security all around. Even Face ID.

I struggle with the subject of self scanning - tills or other methods.

I must admit I like it.

But it’s wrong that getting shop workers to do security’s job for them is wrong. Although I would have and have done what you did.

Bag searches- OK, they can search my bag.
Making ME unpack and repack my bag - absolutely not. If they want to search my bag, they do it.

I think that harassing customers after they have paid for their goods and are seeking to exit the premises is cheaper than hiring the right numbers of staff to deter shoplifters by other methods. As such, acquiescing to disruptive and intrusive behaviour by multi-million pound companies that is a result of what is effectively cost-cutting measures combined with a political and economic ideology that many of these companies donate hundreds of thousands to support is quite weak in my opinion.

Plus hiring the right number of staff to keep the checkouts open.
I avoid the self service - I have been paid in the past to work in a checkout - why should I do it for free now because the supermarkets don't want to employ staff.
If they want to search my bags they can do it and repack I will not lift a finger to help not even pushing my trolley so it is not obstructing the checkout

You do wonder what's happened to common sense, let alone kindness or good customer relationships/PR...🌹

They are too big to care about customers or pr

I totally appreciate that they have to do random checks, and I like using a self-scanner so occasional checks is part of that. But they've never asked me to unpack and repack the shopping myself! My nearest big supermarket is a Sainsbury's so I don't know if different retailers have different policies or whether it's down to the individual stores, but when I've been checked, it's always been a case of them just picking out a specific number of items and putting them straight back. So yeah, I can see why you might bristle at being told to unpack and re-pack everything yourself, especially if you'd rather have used a normal checkout in the first place.

Booths are taking self service away(disclaimer, I don't shop there!!)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-67373472?at_format=link&at_medium=social&at_campaign_type=owned&at_link_type=web_link&at_campaign=Social_Flow&at_link_origin=BBC_North_West&at_link_id=F27C2E56-7F47-11EE-99D7-330D55826ABF&at_ptr_name=facebook_page&at_bbc_team=editorial&fbclid=IwAR3LVvNTSObTG9BRGT_nGrDDJfCJtoiqkmhIVudtykYvPQqTdpliBwfhWis

I saw that. Yet another reason to love wonderful Booths. I wish they’d come south.

Many years ago I was an Internal Audit manager for a large organisation. I always avoid self service tills wherever possible, and always on a large shop.

If there is an innocent error on a manned till, that is the store's fault.

If there is an innocent error on a self service till, that is down to me.

I have no wish to be put in that position.