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Original poster

Tesco refusing £50?!

79 replies

frankiesamson · 15/09/2018 02:14

Is Tesco really legally allowed to refuse £50 notes? It seems to me if we allow such huge chains to refuse any legal tender they wish, it isn't good for society in so many ways..

I have just been to Tesco to buy £46 worth of shopping, I was v organised, brought a £50 note with me to pay for it, and they refused on the basis that they don't have any staff to open a til, and only have the self payment machines available, which don't take £50 notes. They also said they can't give me change for a £50 note to enable me to use the self payment machine.

I felt like saying "I have a £50 note, if you can't take it, that's your problem! "

Having spent almost an hour getting my shopping, i'm now faced with having to leave it behind and drive home which is around 35 min round trip!

There are so many rules and regulations the average joe has to contend with in the UK and it often feels like the odds are against the small person, please someone tell me it isn't legal for these big stores to refuse legal tender?!

OP posts:
Haberpop · 15/09/2018 02:23

As far as I know they are perfectly within their rights to refuse a £50 note (or any other note).

1vandal2 · 15/09/2018 02:26

No self service machine takes fifty pound notes
This is what happens if you go at unsociable times I'm afraid.

bumpertobumper · 15/09/2018 02:44

It is legal tender, my understanding of that means they have to take it

Snitzelvoncrumb · 15/09/2018 02:51

Are there any other shops you could go to?

Haberpop · 15/09/2018 03:09

Taken from the bank of England's own website..

"In addition, shops are not obliged to accept legal tender. If you hand over a £50 note to pay for a banana in your local grocery store, the staff are within their rights to choose not to accept it. Likewise for all other banknotes – it’s a matter of discretion...."^

edu.bankofengland.co.uk/knowledgebank/what-is-legal-tender/

NewUserNameTime · 15/09/2018 03:31

Lots of retailers won't accept large denomination notes so The is not uncommon.

May be easier to pay in the nite at your bank & use a smaller notes or a debit card instead

NewUserNameTime · 15/09/2018 03:32

^ in future.

Collaborate · 15/09/2018 08:06

Legal tender means you can use it to settle a debt. Not that anyone must sell you something just because you can wave a £50 note in front of them.

Original poster
frankiesamson · 15/09/2018 09:14

Outrageous!

OP posts:
Original poster
frankiesamson · 15/09/2018 09:16

Well if I took my shopping and put it in the car then I'd be in debt to tesco by £47, so only then they'd have to take the £50 note? Grin

OP posts:
Bluntness100 · 15/09/2018 09:17

Any shop can refuse to sell to you for any reason they wish. There's no law that says they have to. Items for sale are an invitation to treat, you then offer, they can decline

It's that simple.

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 15/09/2018 09:17

You went to Tesco at 2am and tried to use a £50 note? I am not surprised they had no tills open and am baffled as to why you thought they would accept it? Confused

Original poster
frankiesamson · 15/09/2018 10:48

Headsdown, you must find yourself in positions to be baffled all the time in society!

OP posts:
Original poster
frankiesamson · 15/09/2018 10:49

Bluntness, are you sure that's true? I'm pretty sure they can't refuse to sell "for any reason" e.g. on the basis of race or gender. Pretty sure you're wrong and that would be illegal.

OP posts:
Bombardier25966 · 15/09/2018 10:52

They're not refusing to sell on the basis of race or gender though, are they?

Original poster
frankiesamson · 15/09/2018 10:53

I never said they were though did I?
Bluntness said "they can refuse to sell for any reason they wish".

OP posts:
alwaysontimeneverlate · 15/09/2018 10:57

OP you sound like you just want an argument and anyone will do.

Are are unreasonable to go to Tesco at stupid o clock and expect them to open a till for you.

You asked for opinions, you've got them. Sorry they aren't what you wanted to hear.

bruffin · 15/09/2018 11:02

Lots of places refuse £50 notes because there were a lot a fakes circulating. Also because of losing all their change to give other customers

Otterseatpuffinsdontthey · 15/09/2018 11:03

Q

hobblesma · 15/09/2018 11:09

It is legal tender, my understanding of that means they have to take it

Your understanding is incorrect.

OP, I get why you would be annoyed, it would piss me off, but they are not legally obligated.

BonnieF · 15/09/2018 11:10

Attitudes to the £50 note are very odd indeed. £50 isn’t a lot of money to most people in 2018. It’s less than the price of a week’s groceries, or a tank of fuel, or a meal for 2 at a decent restaurant. Yet people start being weird when you hand them a £50 note, and treat it like they have never seen one before and are trying to con them.

In France, Germany, Ireland or Spain nobody bats an eyelid when you hand over a €50 note.

Ceeeeeelia · 15/09/2018 11:13

There's a few people on this thread using the phrase 'legal tender' who clearly have no idea what it means. The BoE explanation pp linked to above is (of course) correct.

Shops can refuse to serve you for any reason as long as they're not discriminating against you on a protected characteristic (race, sex, etc).

Using £50 notes is very rare, so it's not worth them investing in the tech or training needed to prevent the very real risk of fraud.

It's not really something to be outraged about.

DGRossetti · 15/09/2018 14:13

Be curious where the OP got a £50 note. They're hardly handed out like flyers.

It used to be quite common to see a notice "no £50 notes accepted" on shop doors a while back, but I really can't remember the last time I saw one - or a £50 note, come to that.

Also, if this incident happened as the OP states, it's intriguing that they managed to have a £50 note on them, but no alternative means of payment like a debit/credit card Hmm

Pictures - or it didn't happen Grin

SassitudeandSparkle · 15/09/2018 14:18

Did this really happen Hmm

They can refuse the notes, I don't even think they are legally obliged to give change tbh. Also, I don't think they have to accept large amounts of small coinage!

OP, there is something about this that makes it sound like you tried to pick a fight - I bet you had another method of payment on you like a card but didn't want to use it. No, if you drove off they would prosecute you not accept the £50 note Hmm

Sweetpotatoaddict · 15/09/2018 14:25

I’m more interested in how it took you almost an hour to do £46 worth of shopping. Did you have a nap in aisle 5 Confused

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