Kidnapped by Asda for refusing to Show Receipt on Exit.

[Horsen]

As a genuine question. Legally can any shop/retailer make it a condition of using their facilities that customers may be asked to show their receipts. Either to check that they might have been overcharged or under charged?

[postggj]

An organization can make any rules it wants in its terms and conditions, be it those rules are lawful is another matter

 

Whatever rules an organization sets, it has to be compatible with statutory obligation

 

A example of this would be searches on leaving your place of work, you would have agreed to this process as a condition on signing your contract of employment

 

A shop is different, you have not agreed to it because you have not been made aware of it

 

If there are posters everywhere stating you may be required to show for inspection your receipt as a condition of shopping in the store, then that would be lawful as you have been reasonably informed.

In that case you go to another shop

 

In layman's terms

 

They have no authority to ask you to do anything, let alone show a receipt

[caledfwlch]

I think the main point here is that no reasonable person could or would have expected what happened to follow denying some stranger's request to see a receipt.

 

Also, as the OP says, the person demanding was not wearing any sort of visible indication or identification that he was a member of staff and therefore in a position to even ask that - lots of people wear hi vis jackets, wearing one is no indication of employment in a particular place, and pickpockets and thieves are very clever these days and "distraction" is very much in their arsenal of tactics.

 

I don't like being bothered and would likely have reacted the same way as the OP.

[Horsen]

Hi caled. I was not trying to say if the OP over-reacted or otherwise. It was a genuine question upon which I, and no doubt many others, would form our own way of reacting should it ever happen to us. I have seen in Cosco large signs saying that you are asked to show your receipt on exiting the premises to check that you might have been overcharged. I have never seen signs in any of the main supermarkets/ high street shops and was intrigued if it was in some small print tucked away in the back of the store.

[stuggling]

Partner is s security guard (never attempted a police exam either! So don't judge a book by its cover!) as far as I am aware asda hire in store security so no need for an sia badge.

 

Also this happened to me at M&S I was just under 9 months pregnant and after paying for a basket full of goods was pulled at the main entrance and asked to prove I was pregnant! and my purchases told him to produce his valid sia badge and his company name.

 

He worked for a very well known firm, I showed receipt but he was saying I stuffed something up my jumper, decided to ring my partner (who was just in the car) he came in his uniform and asked the security guard what going on.

the guard told him a member of staff saw me walk in with nothing under jumper, but walking out stuffed! My partner went back car and produced my hospital book stating me being pregnant.

We then decided to ask store manager which member of staff reported this, it turned out to be my partners sister who had not seen in 3 years and she decided to be very rude over it all.

 

In the end the guard was sacked! And so was his sister.

 

Never just show ur receipt to anyone, asda ask for your postcode sometimes and also if you pay by cc it has some details on there!

[postggj]

Anyone who now works in the private security industry needs an SIA badge. It does not matter if a store has brought in external security, that store would still be held liable for the actions of that external company. It is called vicarious liability.

[stuggling]

no if you are inhouse security, eg like TKmaxx, Tesco and other majors stores have staffed hired within them so no need to be SIA. My partner was told he would not need to renew his License when he applied for inhouse staff by the SIA,

[postggj]

in house security, store detective would be classed as an employee and exempt from the SIA regulations

 

as long as the staff member is employed directly by the company and not employed through any third party

[caledfwlch]

Hi caled. I was not trying to say if the OP over-reacted or otherwise. It was a genuine question upon which I, and no doubt many others, would form our own way of reacting should it ever happen to us. I have seen in Cosco large signs saying that you are asked to show your receipt on exiting the premises to check that you might have been overcharged. I have never seen signs in any of the main supermarkets/ high street shops and was intrigued if it was in some small print tucked away in the back of the store.

 

Hey Horsen, my post was not aimed at you old chap, it was a general thing

 

I have seen what you mean in Cosco, those sorts of companies always do have those signs in huge. As such it is no more enforceable than anywhere else, the difference is, you have to pay an annual membership fee to shop at these companies, and refusal to show your receipt would see your membership revoked.

[tiafilson]

The pregnancy [problem] has been going for years, woman hiding stuff under there so calledpregnant bellies, but I never thought security guards would ask you to prove that your pregnant. If you declined would they be able to hold you on prmises? Kinda similiar to the receipt question but abit more demeening