Has my mother grounds to sue primark?

[Wanttobehappy123]

My elderly mother went upstairs in penny’s (primark ireland) to purchase a hot water bottle. She paid for it upstairs refusing a bag and paying cash. She didn’t take the receipt from the assistant.
She went down the escalators(still in the shop) and was approached by a member of staff asking to see the receipt for her purchase. She told the lady the sales person had put it in the bin and was then sent back upstairs to the sales person to retrieve the receipt from the bin. This was all in ear shot of other customers and she was mortified and upset after the incident. I am very angry she was treated this way. Would anyone know has she grounds for legal action?

Correct - and if they'd seen me take/conceal the item, make towards the exit without paying, and had preferably observed me throughout, then that would be reasonable grounds. Just checking on the off chance without doing those things would not be reasonable grounds.

Of course I'd know they hadn't done those things because I'd paid for the item (in this hypothetical example). So they can ask if I have a receipt, but my cheery "No thank you!" as I continue to stride out of the door wouldn't be grounds to arrest me.

Presumably I wouldn't be entitled to a refund. Which is my lookout, and hardly an illegal act on my part.

No of course she doesn't! She was walking out of a shop with an item without a bag of proof of purchase...of course they were going to ask her to show she had paid for it instead of just letting her walk off with it! Do you know how many people walk out with stuff?

She could have just walked out anyway if she wanted, she chose to go back and get the reciept.

If she had left the store then she may well have been caught by a security guard, taken back through the shop which would be even worse.

You may find that the courts take a different view from you as to what constitutes reasonable grounds for arresting someone on suspicion of shoplifting.

So they do, in fact, have a right to demand proof of ownership.

I'm guessing you enjoy making security's lives more difficult, good for you... 🤨

Well not so far, based on my experience doing just what I've described. And on cases that have actually gone to court. And on the guidance that shops issue to their security guards.

To issue me a refund if I ask for one? Yes. To stop me from leaving the shop? No. Do keep up.

No of course not. Having good boundaries, obeying the law and expecting others to isn't an unreasonable thing to do.
I often choose not to accept a receipt - it saves paper and it's one less annoying thing for me to get rid of. I'm unfailingly polite but I'm not going to then go fishing round bins because a security guard asks me to

Between this and the woman who was upset her child was prevented from harming themselves in b&q is it stupid customer day. I have worked in retail for so long, where I work now has lovely customers, other places not so much but normally they shout abuse or throw things not consider legal action because they were asked for a receipt. Obviously all the shop lifters I have chased shouting stop you thief should
all be suing me and be in counselling.
Get a grip and stop your mum wasting money on stupid legal action that will get laughed at. Feel free to ring customer services, the poor people who work there need some light relief.