Boots security accusation.

[Startyabastard]

I live in a major city and I very regularly go to Boots inside a shopping centre. Sometimes I have a big shopping trolley that I push (relevant because when I 'complained' that security followed me to a neighbour they said that it was a method that shoplifters use and security are aware that they do this) but there are also many times when I don't use it.
Anyway: I am a hoarder and I have adhd, so I can be a bit eager with products, but I always display them clearly in my hands and go to pay at the checkout. I prefer the manned checkout rather than the self check out for the exact fear of being accused of shop lifting, but sometimes the staff direct me to the self check out and I pay there.
Sometimes I forget my receipt, but I am always happy to go back and get it/prove which self check out/manned check out I have been on. One of the staff asked me which self check out I had used when the security alarm went off when I was exiting the store and he showed me how he could prove the last purchase on the particular till.
I don't always wait for the receipt or if I do, it I accidentally take the No.7 voucher 10% off print out instead. Sometimes I also have the receipt.
The lip glosses randomly have those stuck on security tags and they often beep when I walk out. After payment, I openly ask staff to remove them.

Last time I went to the Boots that i most regularly go to and the one where the security commonly beeps when I exit with my most bought product lip gloss (not sure if relevant), I was in the middle of the shop going to buy exactly that and security was watching me very, very closely and hinting to the other security guard to come closer to me.
I didn't want to be dictated to by them (or appear 'guilty' by quickly exiting the shop), but the more serious security guard 'edged' me out.
They did not 'accuse' me or even talk to me, but they both towered over me and got so close as that I felt I had to leave the shop. One of them (can't remember about the other) was security with a high vis vest and walkie talkie. I wasn't taken to the back of the shop or asked not to come back again, neither did other staff do anything to help.
Most of my purchases would be able to be seen on my Boots advantage card, but there was a time when I didn't have one because they stopped working due to not being registered online.
However, they do also have CCTV, which I am guessing they haven't consulted.
When I have been stopped by a security guard before, because the product still had the tag on and it made the alarms go off, he asked me for my receipt. I didn't have it on me, but he said it was fine to leave the shop. I went 'above this' because I have paranoia about this exact thing happen and I told him I could go and get someone to prove it. He said it didn't matter, but if I insisted, I could show him my online banking purchase and I did. I said I was paranoid about being thought of a shoplifter and he said that if I was one, I wouldn't have taken the time to show him.
After this, on another day, this I incident happened.

I have consulted two staff members from two other Boots stores, one being a manager and they didn't think it was appropriate that security behaved in this manner. One of the staff suggested to me that I call/email the customer care line.
I will probably complete this, but I don't know if they will be thorough/able to find the records of me paying etc.
I could go back to the shop where the incident happened and talk to the manager as the other manager of the other Boots advised, but I suspect that I might be edged out again and hence unable to find the manager.
Thanks for reading.

Stop buying things you don't need, get a receipt. I always request one... shoplifting is on the rise and security are employed to do a job. It's annoying if you get challenged but nothing to get upset about. You probably looked dodgy with your big trolley and loads of products in your hands / no basket.

I'm laughing at 'towering over me'.

What are they supposed to do if they're tall, kneel down? 🤣🤣

Either way OP, this thread is all very 'ME, ME, ME. I want/I don't want' etc.

Either learn to change your shopping style to help yourself, or you'll have to put up with it.

I'm struggling to undestand what exactly has happened here

ADHD / hoarder /ND =

“I am not responsible for my actions and therefore immune from prosecution “

It is not an excuse.

It sounds as if you are the cause of your own problems OP. Use a basket. Ask the check out person to remove tags, take your receipt and put it in your purse after you have paid.

Shopping baskets make me buy less. I hate carrying them and as soon as they get any weight to them they’re physically painful to lug around.

I’m surprised that they make people buy more.

I can understand a trolley having that effect but not a basket.

If I worked in a shop, I too would be hella suspicious of someone with a big shopping trolley in a shop like boots. It is odd behaviour. Why not just take some carrier bags or a backpack if you're planning on making several purchases? I've never come across anyone doing that, so it would get my suspicious up unfortunately.

Clearly there's something about you that makes you seem suspicious and shifty OP, if it's happened more than once. Maybe time to ditch the big shopping trolley and behave a little less excitedly around products.

But their attention is already on you! By not saying anything and just shuffling out of the shop, you're behaving far more suspiciously than if you'd just said "is everything ok?" or "excuse me, I'm just going to the lip glosses," which is what most non-shoplifters would do.

Sadly I think your slightly unusual set of behaviours has already caught their eye so it may be better to buy your toiletries elsewhere, at least for a while, if you want to avoid hassle. And use a basket!

@Startyabastard

“In-store shopping
Boots has trained Dementia Friends in most of their stores, and their store teams are trained in the Sunflower lanyard scheme. This scheme allows people with hidden disabilities to discreetly indicate that they may need extra support.”

Perhaps you could show a lanyard or have a discreet word before you shop in the store next time.

They didn't. They 'edged' me out of threshop, towering over me.

This - and a lot of the rest of OP posts - sounds more like paranoia than something to complain about. No one can edge you out of a shop by towering over you. Either you left of your own accord or they walked you out. If they made you feel watched/uncomfortable and you had nothing to hide, you could have engaged with them in any number of ways, but the bottom line is that you do have some odd shopping behaviours and it's their job to look out for such things and keep an eye to prevent thefts. You aren't a thief, but you go there a lot with a big shopping trolley, often buy items that are popular with shoplifters (and demonstrably more than most people need, due to the hoarding/excitement), and hold them in your hands rather than a basket. They'd not be doing their job if they hadn't clocked you and taken an interest. If you want to keep going there, you might as well take the bull by the horns and rather than complain just explain you love shopping there and don't want there to be any misunderstandings because of xyz that could be misconstrued by them. But ideally I'd be getting help for the hoarding because it sounds like a big waste of money for a load of stress (and lip gloss) you don't need.

There are a number of tactics shoplifters might use to either make it easier to hide something or to appear like they’re not going to shoplift:

• Using a trolley or large bag which they can hide things in
• Not taking a basket, carrying things in their hands so they can easily slip something up a sleeve or in a pocket.
• Being overly friendly and smiley to staff so that they don’t come across as suspicious
• Not scanning everything through at a self checkout and then not taking the receipt so it can’t be easily checked.

You have openly said that you do all of these things; carry a trolley, don’t use a basket and just have things in hands, comment to staff and don’t take a receipt. It’s not surprising the security are suspicious of you, if you don’t want to seem suspicious use a basket and stop commenting on products to staff and take a receipt!

Some products are also more likely to be shoplifted and make up is absolutely one of them, I have noticed security and other staff tend to hang around the make up aisles in my local boots and will hover around a lot. It’s not likely to be anything personally but at the end of the day making sure stock isn’t stolen is going to be more important to the security and other staff than ensuring you don’t feel slightly embarrassed by having them watch you carefully.

I don't want a basket because I know it's a psychological trick to make you buy more.

It really isn't. @Startyabastard you are seriously overthinking this.

I'm not surprised security were watching you - from your posts
you were clearly watching them!

I don't blame them for keeping any eye on you, the way you were behaving was bound to raise their suspicions. Anyone would think you wanted them to accuse you.

Getting stopped when the bleeper goes off is just part and parcel of shopping these days and I imagine most people have been stopped at some time or other.

Next time, make sure you remember to get a receipt and have it to hand. It's no big deal, bleepers go off all the time. Just show them a receipt, go on your merry way and stop the drama.

The lanyard is a very good idea.

It seems Boots prefer to treat all their customers as thieves and in doing so lose their business.

It’s really simple. What reaction do they expect? I have no idea why they aren’t publicly and regularly held to account on this.
If you treat your customers like shoplifters then you cannot expect their custom… especially when shop lifters are allowed to just run out of the store.

So am I.

There was no conversation, the OP was not detained or arrested, but she thought she'd start an incomprehensible thread about this non-event.

Are you this dramatic always @Startyabastard?

And for the record, I buy two lip glosses a year, on average.

Why are you in Boots getting so many lip glosses every week? That's just weird.

It’s a bizarre post.
Baskets aren’t there to make one buy more.

Cosmetics are small, high value items and probably stolen a lot.

As to “OP not having much as a child”
Many many thousand of children go without, but don’t steal or get accused of stealing as adults.

I think there are a lot of young people on here that think OP is pushing a supermarket trolley round boots. I am certain she is using a trolley like the old tartan ones nans used to use.

OP the security guards weren’t towering over you as intimidation they just happened to be taller than you. They probably were trying to guide you out of the store if you were acting suspiciously and watching them (most people don’t think about security guards when they are shopping) and you made yourself look more suspicious by leaving - the best option would have been to carry on, saying excuse me I need to get to the lip gloss.

Do you have a friend who can go shopping with you and show you how people usually behave when shopping?

If you KNOW it is a psychological trick to get people to buy more, then the trick doesn't work, surely? So you can use a basket with a sense of superiority, and a haughty smile because those dastardly wiles won't work on you, hah, etc.

Sweets, it sounds like you have some anxiety from your post and that you’re over analysing what has happened. I think the deeper issue is that you need to focus on your anxiety and to slow down in your daily life xoxo

Now every shoplifter will get ☝️ one!
🌻
They are open for anyone to get.

@Startyabastard

Definitely read up about the sunflower lanyard scheme.

I’m sorry about some of the responses you’ve had here.

I don’t think people should be making judgements about your behaviours, motives or whether you use a trolley or choose not to use a basket.

Shopping should be an inclusive experience for you in Boots - or any store.

Boots have info on their website about inclusivity, and I’m sure most other major stores would have the same.

I really think the sunflower lanyard could work well for you.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hidden_Disabilities_Sunflower

I take a shopping trolley everywhere too and I always hope I don’t look dodgy but honestly my back can’t cope with the carrying I need to do. I haven’t ever been accused thank goodness.

op it sounds like they think you are stealing but they haven’t actually accused you. I think if I were you I would go to a different boots. You are allowed to enjoy the shopping experience but just take a basket and make sure you take your receipt. Get staff to deactivate the tags at the time of purchase. I don’t think there’s another way round this

You haven't previously been accused of shoplifting, taken to a manager office, escorted out of the shop. You have been asked for proof of purchase. Which you sometimes have and other times haven't but the security have been satisfied that you have paid.
So you are a legitimate customer who is fully entitled to browse and shop in the store.
Security are suspicious of you because you have a shopping trolley and are excited about browsing and checking out all the products. It is their job to watch you, and potentially make sure you know they are watching you so that if you were a shoplifter this would deter you.
They are employed by the store. The store wants you to buy things. If you feel that security are threatening you (towering over you and herding you out of the shop) then you are fully entitled to say loudly "excuse me, I need to get past you to the lip glosses I want to look at". If you are a regular and you frequently comment on the products to staff then I would expect some of the staff recognise you. You can ask a staff member for help or advice on the products - you can ask the security guard to point out a staff member as you would like some help choosing.
Allowing yourself to be pushed out of the shop does make it seem as though you are accepting and confirming their suspicions of you.
Do you perhaps like the drama of "forgetting" to collect your receipt and then being able to prove you haven't done anything wrong?

If you’re looking decidedly dodgy what else do you expect them to do 🤷🏼‍♀️
They’re doing their job to protect the store and staff from shop lifters so stop behaving like you’re one ffs!
I take a wheeled shopper with me and I have never been stopped or even followed by store security.

I agree with all of the above @Startyabastard

1. Wear a sunflower lanyard
2. Take a basket (you know it might be a way to get you to buy more, so you're aware of that, so don't put more in it than you intend)
3. Stop talking randomly to staff
4. Always take a receipt. If you're directed to self-service by a staff member, use your sunflower lanyard to ask a staff member to help you (and to remind you to take the receipt).
5. Consider shopping without the trolley.

I imagine you are being targetted by security which makes you try to act like a regular shopper but your mannerisms aren't quite right so you look more suspicious.

You can't do much about your mannerisms so you're going to need to change the other things you have more control over.