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.

Not sure how given a trolley has more space?

But nevertheless there's something about your behaviour which means you aroused some suspicion on a couple of occasions. I'd say if it bothers you then be sure to get a receipt or maybe ask a friend to shop with you and ask them if you are doing anything unusual.

There was only one shop I got excited in, as an adult-
It was a specialist shop like something out of the 19th century selling antique toys.

We arrived in a snowstorm and as the butler’s bell 🔔 jangled and I was surrounded by magnificent items, in the stormy light - so atmospheric.

I was saying how I couldn’t Believe it, and how it was like a dream.
The shopkeeper made us a hot coffee to recover😂

I was able to buy a beautiful old toy from here, and it was really a lovely experience.

The shop only let people in if they were expecting someone, so shoplifting not such a risk there.

Sadly the shop closed due to retirement.

There was a thread a couple of weeks back about people who had seen others shoplifting. You sound like a shoplifter. The way you describe shopping is bizarre. Your behaviour is really suspicious. You're far too aware of yourself when shopping and this will draw attention to security staff.

It really isn't op, its because you can only hold 2 items in your hands and most people are buying more than that 🤣🤣🤣

The thing is OP you are clearly aware that your behaviour in this shop is odd, so why don't you try and moderate it a bit?
It sounds like are behaving really strangely so its inevitable really that you are going to attract attention from the security staff.

Its not only that you might be a shoplifter, another issue might be that your behaviour makes other shoppers feel uncomfortable abd its affecting their shopping experience, thus the staff have concluded they would prefer you not to shop there.

If I worked in a shop, I too would be hella suspicious of someone with a big shopping trolley in a shop like boots.

Why shouldn't she use a shopping trolley? The boots I use is large, I'll probably be going to other shops as well including the supermarket next door so have my trolley with me.

Tbh your op reads as someone who is practicing their spiel for if they're caught shoplifting
You're protesting far too much.

I mean all that thought that's gone in justifying why you might look like you're shoplifting but aren't.
I've never worried if a security guard does start watching me, because I don't shoplift therefore if they wish to check my bags it's fine, easy job done

Even if you've learnt that having a basket can make people buy more, it doesn't discount its other uses ie to carry things in a less shopliftery way.

Also you buy more than you need anyway so the basket 'trick' is irrelevant. But its benefit is valuable to you in making you look less dodgy.

Store loyalty cards also lead to people buying more, items near the tills are another trick to encourage impulse buying.

These are all pretty transparent and easy to counter if you're so inclined. But in fact you're the opposite and like to get excited and buy lots so why choose the basket to take a stand against? It does sound like you're being deliberately obtuse about the things that make you look dodgy to a security guard.

You can try the laminate but honestly as a PP pointed out, that would be precisely the kind of tactic someone might use if they were up to stuff and wanted to get away with it. Which isn't fair on the legit users who need understanding, but really it's gonna be better if you follow the other steps people have laid out to look more above board.

Really? If someone smiling which is the only thing the op has said she does which is odd makes people uncomfortable then that is their problem. The OP isn't being loud or rude or aggressive, she is showing a bit of excitement. You really think that that would make people feel so uncomfortable and spoil their 'shopping experience' so much that she should be banned?

Imagine trying to make someone think that their behaviour which seems to amount to nothing other than smiling and a racing inner monologue is so odd the staff want her banned for making other shoppers feel uncomfortable.

Maybe don't focus on this so much. And how the security guards perceive you.
Maybe focus on the hording and your need to buy so much stuff.
Are you getting help at all?

Use a basket

If you are paranoid about this, why often forget your receipt?

The current nonsense of almost universally ending the automatic giving of receipts is crap. Always get a receipt.

You are drawing attention to yourself by your behaviour when shopping.

Change your behaviour as other pp's have suggested - use a basket, quell your so I can be a bit eager with products/enthusiasm for lip glosses and always, always, get the receipt for your purchases.

You sound exremely paranoid.

receipts can’t be recycled because of the ink that’s used so getting rid of them
is a good thing

But in the OP’s case - ask for one

And OP get help for your hoarding. You sound very unwell

I obviously didn't get high up enough for them to divulge everything, but it is quite hard to trick someone who is aware of the trick...

just take a receipt!
dont be edged out

This is a whole lot of fuss over nothing.

So what if you're a hoarder with ADHD? If someone is coming into a shop with a large trolley, and madly grabbing at things on the shelves, then yeah, I'd probably keep an eye on them as well. Especially if you're often coming into the shop with your large trolley and frantic grabbing. They're probably wondering what on earth you are using all this stuff for.

Just get a regular shopping basket from the front of the shop, and make more of an effort to get and keep hold of your receipt. No biggie.

The way you describe yourself and your behaviour when buying stuff does make me think you probably do look like you have something to hide ,even though you are innocent.
If this is how you naturally present i don't know how you can change things but as shops lose such vast amounts due to shop lifting you can understand why the security may behave the way they do , obviously they have no right to make people feel intimidated.

It's really hard to hold multiple cosmetic products in your hand whilst also pushing a trolley. Use the basket. If you're worried it will make you buy more then write a list in advance and stick to it. At the moment your behaviour- probably combined with your awareness of the security guards - is making you look dodgy and attracting their attention.

You’ve never come across a person using those shopping trolleys which little old ladies used to always use? If anything, they’re more popular than they used to be because younger people use them to. It’s actually not at all odd the be using those personal shopping trolleys.

Why didn't you just walk away?

If you think there's a danger that a basket might tempt you to buy more than you need, they you're forewarned and protected. Just make a list, take a basket, and keep to the list. Problem solved.