Can DD’s work do this?

[Rollergirl11]

DD (almost 18) works part time for one of the main supermarket chains. For the last few weeks store managers have been asking to check their bags on the way in to work to see if they have anything that they could have bought from the store and asking for receipts. Today DD was asked to empty her pockets to see if she had anything. She had a Carmex lip balm. The manager asked if she had a receipt for it. DD said no as it was hers and was used and half empty. Manager said he needed to initial it in case she was checked on the way out.

Can they do this?! I am pretty sure DD doesn’t have to empty her pockets on request or submit to a bag check and is under no obligation to prove that items on her person have or haven’t been purchased from the store. Does anyone know? This has only been occurring the last few weeks.

@NCForQuestions
I do know they search some places, yes.

But to say
"it's also a condition of entry to nightclubs, theatre shows and concerts these days" is just untrue.

It very much depends where you go and where you are. I attended the theatre in my local city at Christmas. No searches at all.

So all that proves is that it isnt universal not that it isn't a condition of many places. I've been to two arena events recently, one with bag searches the other with airport style walk though arches
At neither did I think they suspected me if taking in a bomb or a knife

Yes it's certainly not universal @shoppingshamed . It's not a condition of entry to all the places pp said it was. That's my point.

As you haven't quoted I can't find the original post but your bold bit doesn't say "all"

If you check the T&Cs of the venue of any event you've been to in the last few years, it'll almost certainly say something like that reserve the right to refuse entry for any reason, and it will state specifically if that relates to you refusing to cooperate with a search.

For example, a security search statement: https://plymouthpavilions.com/safety-security/ but the full details are in the website or event T&Cs.

Whatnonsenseisthisnow I don't believe this. You've never been to a concert or nightclub where you've had to open your bag for security to look in? Or maybe you've just never left the house!

Does the manager label tampons?

It doesn't say 'some' either though. My point is It's not universal as pp seemed to be suggesting it was.

It sort of is. I wouldn't tolerate being searched going in and out of the office in case I'd been swiping stationery or toilet roll or milk

Both are to do with shrinkage!

Don’t work in these places then. The fact you wouldn’t like it, doesn’t change the fact it’s standard

W T A F

Tbh...yes it is policy and agree stores have a right to protect their profit line.

However, often (student days, working for a green supermarket, allegedly posh) the people disproportionately targeted for these "discretionary checks" were young women, non-white employees.

Some of the male managers were addicted to running "spot-uniform" checks on females, whilst others just walked past them doing exactly the same thing. It's a power thing.

One of the "lads" (managers favourite) "found" £20 that had fallen from a till...nothing done.

A lot of the male managers were as creepy af and saw the female employees (especially the attractive students) as their "hunting ground".

The job itself was a laugh and lots of discounted food and it was nice chatting to all the posh old dears. I actually wish I'd stayed longer as it was good money for what it was.

But the managers were the problem.

A lot of them seemed to have chips on their shoulders about their role not being seen as a "mainstream graduate job"

(the company policy was to put the posh looking people to Head Office after a few months being seen on the shop floor -Andy Street! - so the ones left over seemed quite aggrieved).

They sort of liked being aggressive, and doing petty shitty little things, and putting out vibes that if you were their "favourite", things would be a lot easier.

@MargieMoff not my experience at all. Also try managing a bunch (sometimes 100+) of students doing a job because their mum wants the discount.

There is a huge amount of theft in supermarkets. Cash and products. How else do those of you who think bag searches are abhorrent suggest shops fix this??

Why on God's green earth would I care about, or feel compelled to mitigate, the expenses of someone who suspects me of a crime when I've done nothing wrong? I've fulfilled my side of the contract when the purchase is made and I leave.

If they want to review the transaction after the fact, they're free to. I've zero objection to appearing on their cctv or having it pored over.

I've also no objection whatsoever to searches upon entry on the grounds of safety. My only objection is the two faced nature of a business who's schmoozing me and courting me up until the point of sale, then flipping the switch and accusing me of theft immediately after.

It’s been a while since I worked in an environment like this but I’d say yes it’s reasonable for employers to do this. I remember working in a call centre for a catalog, all the shoes for the catalog were stored in the building including next seasons including designer brands. The rules were staff with bags big enough to fit a pair of shoes in got searched. There was an internal fraud team, the amount of staff fraud was unbelievable.

Completely normal from when I worked in retail 20+ years ago as a student and also when I later worked in head office as we were located above a store.

I'm not sure if the stat is still valid, but I remember being told something like 80% of all stock loss was due to staff, not random shop lifters. From staff stealing, to only charging their mates for 3 out of the 5 items they took to the tills/bagged up etc.

In fact it's also a condition of entry to nightclubs, theatre shows and concerts these days

And given the cursory nature of the bag check the last few places I've been they might as well not bother. And that's been the case for years. One day I'm going to ask what they're looking for, because shining a torch into my bag for 5 seconds sure as hell isn't going to find it.

This is the smallest issue, honestly.