To hate shops that don’t allow people not buying anything making it difficult to leave

[Ifo]

I get it- shoplifting. But there are reasons why people enter shops for something but the shop does not sell it, sold out or not in the size/colour, then leave empty handed.

I had it before where customers at tills don’t move when I ask excuse me. Then try to leave at entrance. Security guard says go out the exit. Explain that people are refusing to move. Or the door is switched on to open from the outside so have to wait for someone to enter to leave.

I hate them too but this is what happens when shops are losing so much money from the result of theft, they had to put this in place to stop/reduce theft. Would be interesting to see if the levels of theft has actually reduced compared to before. Shops don’t really want to do this as it cost them more money to put this system in place at every branch, however with a lack of policing support and lack of consequences to criminals makes shopping an unpleasant experience for all of us.

That’s just awful…..I would put a complaint in. There’s absolutely no reason for all those questions and refusing to let you out, other than someone being on a power trip! If it’s quite obvious that you don’t have anything on you they have no reason to stop you exiting whenever you want. It’s nothing short of entrapment.

For supermarkets like Lidl I imagine not that many people go in for one specific thing and if they don't have it, just leave. People are going in to do the weekly shop, not to casually browse. it's not like its a clothes shop or something where quite a lot of people probably walk out without buying anything

I disagree - the 'Middle of Lidl' offers can be popular and sell out quickly. If you're going in there specifically to buy electric toothbrush heads for £2.99 or a lawnmower for £39.99 or whatever because you saw it advertised, and they have sold out, you'd leave empty-handed.

Ours acquired barriers on the entrance a couple of years ago so the way out is via the till area - fortunately no receipt scanner. However they did then put a small exit gate (adjacent to customer servjces). Handy if you've just gone to use the Argos

It was in Lidl I got similarly stuck. I bought my shopping, scanned receipt and put shopping in car. Nipped back in to use loo, receipt only works once.
Sorry can you let me out? Barrier isn’t working. You need to scan your receipt. I did but then I popped back in to the store to use the loo. Where’s your shopping? I put it in the car. Did you forget something? No just came back in to use the toilet. Do you have a bag? No. Do you need to return something? No listen I just popped back in to use the loo can you let me out please. I don’t remember seeing you. I showed him notification on phone thst I’d spent receipt matching amount in store. Finally let me through. I’ve not been back to Lidl’s since as was such a faff.

It's bordering on false imprisonment! Shops can't insist you show a receipt to leave!

What about not being allowed to take a basket out of the shop? That drives me mad too!!

Unfortunately too many people pinch them.
I worked in Woolies. We got some mini trolleys in. Only 6 of them. They all were pinched within a month.

Shoplifting is insane because there are rarely any consequences. I’ve witnessed it several times now. The security guards are aware but are told not to chase if the person leaves the store as they have to physically restrain the person and not to put themselves in physical danger (understandably) so there is no fear. Walk into a store, load yourself up and walk purposefully through the exit and you’re done. Shops have to do something. The police pretty much leave them to it. So here we are.

The last shops actually want to do is to pay for these additional barriers and processes.

We have a huge issue with policing and jail capacity now. Just a massive lack of consequences.

I just push the shut barriers open, I have definitely broken a barrier at Sainsburys once and set an alarm off more than once but if they wont provide me a way out then oh well, that's their problem.

I will admit to being the least patient person in the world and being driven mad by repetitive actions so Costco scanning a card to get in, scanning a card to pay and then showing a receipt to get out drives me insane, I hate queueing at the best of times so queueing to get out the store to show someone a receipt does my head in.

I saw a man with about 4 Sainsburys blue plastic baskets in his boot. These are not the old scan n go boxes. These baskets have slats around them. He was unloading his shopping into these baskets then put them in the boot.

That's why so many supermarkets have security tags on their baskets.

I’ve never experienced any difficulties in leaving if I don’t buy anything. Maybe it depends on the area you live in.