Police threaten to search shopping trolleys to check you’re only buying essentials *amended by MNHQ*

[HeIenaDove]

metro.co.uk/2020/04/09/police-threaten-search-shopping-trolleys-check-buying-essentials-12532339/

Video of statement

twitter.com/RTaylorUK/status/1248204770977996800?s=20

If they're that bothered then they should stop shops selling these "unnecessary items." I don't know whether that means you can't buy a lampshade whilst you're in Tesco or whether they're saying you can't buy flowers or chocolates. How do they determine what's "necessary"? Someone might need to buy a frying pan or a hairdryer from the home section of a supermarket because theirs broke and they do need it! Food wise, who is it up to what food is "necessary?" What's the harm in someone putting a bar of chocolate in their trolly as they go round the supermarket? I don't buy milk but that's something that's essential to most people. I eat plain biscuits for breakfast - someone else might say they're unnecessary.

By far the most direct route to my local Co-op and Post Office is straight through the park and to the chemist too now I think of it.

Like the police have time to police peoples shopping habits, surely if something’s available in a supermarket then you have every right to buy it? I went to lidl last week, I chose to go there due to the middle isle of tat in hope there would be something to entertain dd, I was shopping for bread, milk and fruit at the time.

That's a poorly judged comment from that police officer. There is no basis in law for Police to judge the nature of your supermarket visit based on the contents of your shopping, nor to prevent you purchasing items offered for sale by a supermarket.

I don't see how this helps the public or trust in the police.
Round of applause, Adderley. We need everyone on the same side. The atmosphere is tense enough in supermarkets right now.

I'd have thought the police have enough on their hands without going after soft targets like this.

I don't think they are talking about any type of food or drink more like hot tubs and paint iyswim? Many consumers are travelling to stores to buy luxury items and not food.

🤣 loving the posters disputing the Park is a short cut to no-where. Just goes to show people will believe anything without checking it out first 🤣 🤣

What is wrong with paint? It’s the perfect time to get on those long awaited for diy things. Plus it passes the time painting a room and a bit extra exercise needed to burn off the extra food we will be eating.

It’s been retracted

twitter.com/RTaylorUK/status/1248290230140047360

We’re doing loads of painting at the moment. I already had the paint before lockdown but can’t see a massive issue with going out to buy it. If everyone is sat at home with nothing to do due to lack of materials I think it would have an impact on mental health.

From the Twitter feed ... Lee Harvey Oswald: "I may have been clumsy with that Carcano rifle"

🤣🤣🤣👏

“ If everyone is sat at home with nothing to do due to lack of materials I think it would have an impact on mental health.”

Everything I can walk to is closed. I think many Londoners are in this position.

Well, good the police retracted their statement but what a poor article. Photo of Garda (Ireland), statement from police (England).

For what its worth, a relative was stopped driving from her town to the next one, flipping Aldi offers were too tempting and gone in her town (Ireland) (she was doing her shopping anyway) Won't do that again

Nonsense. They can't search bags without a warrant unless susption of committing a crime and a hunch is not enough.

Yet again one police man (they do seem always be men) has thought about what he is saying, got a bit excited and now the story is 'police will be searching your shopping bags'

No they wont. Even his 'we may probe a bit more is bullshit' and he knows it. They have to a reason, even now to search your shopping. And as he says he cant judge or tell someone what is essential. So he will look and do what? Nothing he can do.

My dad was a police officer for 30 years most are decent. But occassionally you get one fuckwit who gets over excited at a bit of power. Unfortunately, social media means they get more attention than they should.

I don't think they are talking about any type of food or drink more like hot tubs and paint iyswim? Many consumers are travelling to stores
to buy luxury items and not food
B and q are advertising their click and collect service being up and running.
I would buy paint right now if I had any money, would at least kill time and be a visible result of all this time off.
Your idea of luxury items is not the same as mine, I guarantee your idea of non essential is not my idea either.

DH went shopping for pasta and chicken, the shop had neither so he came out with Easter eggs and wine. Is he going to jail?

Clumbsy?
Just wrong, actually

My late FIL was a Scotland Yard police officer for around 30 years too. DH and I were only saying earlier that he would have been utterly horrified at this loon, even though he has now retracted his original statement.

what cobblers. police have enough to do without staring at fucking shopping

tried to get on the b&q site, a wait of 38 mins just to bloody look at gloss paint

Should this ever happen then I don't think the Police can't EVER say they are under resourced for dealing with real crime.

Sorry if I'm repeating what someone else has said but its a long thread now.

Should this ever happen then I don't think the Police can't EVER say they are under resourced for dealing with real crime

Well exactly. If they can find some policemen to come and patrol our supermarkets, I don’t think anyone would take kindly to it next time they tell us that haven’t got the resources to come out to a burglary!

Should this ever happen then I don't think the Police can't EVER say they are under resourced for dealing with real crime

^abso-fucking-lutely, between this & policing twitter thought crime they are rapidly losing all credibility.

Why don't people look at more sensible countries who have already (because they had governments who took action unlike the UK).
The point is not what you buy - but that 'nipping out' is no longer what anyone should be doing.
So going out to buy bog roll (necessary) and a lollypop (not strictly necessary) would get you a fine - not because of the lollypop but because you had gone shopping the day before and had decided to 'pop to the shops' again

Mythologies my IL’s are in Spain and they add being stopped and asked where they’re going, but there’s no actual limit on how many times then can go to the shop. The police don’t make a record of who have entered the supermarket each day to check they’re not going too often.