Sainsbury’s shoppers report having bags searched after using self-service tills

Some Sainsbury’s shoppers have reported they have had their bags searched after using the self-service checkouts.

One shopper shared their experience on the website Nextdoor – where people can discuss issues related to their local area – and asked whether others were experiencing the same thing.

The social media user said they had their bags checked the last three times they had visited the store.

The post read: “I’ve used self-scan since it started and have had my bags checked maybe twice in all that time until this week.

“The last three shops I’ve done at Sainsbury’s in Surbiton Basin have been checked, including a close inspection of my bag and sun hat.

“I know this is random – well, I assume it is random – but is shoplifting on the rise at Sainsbury’s and other shops?

“Their staff are helpful, products are good, my nearest shop too so this isn’t a rant.

“I just wondered if there is a problem?”

According to the Telegraph, other Sainsbury’s customers commented on the post to say they too had experienced the same thing when visiting the supermarket giant.

Speaking to the news publication, one source said staff who monitor the self-service checkout had been instructed to ‘scrutinise a bigger number of customers going through them’.

The source continued: “There were fears some shoppers might miss an item or two when scanning. They were introduced in the first place because often these stores have low staff levels, and shoplifters felt they could just walk through the self-scan area and out the store without buying anything.”

Supermarkets have reported seeing a rise in shoplifting over the last year or so, which has been linked to the cost-of-living crisis as many households have suffered a hit to their finances.

To combat having its items stolen, Sainsbury’s have upped security in its stores.

As part of this, the supermarket has also installed security barriers at some of its self-service areas, for customers to scan their receipts before they can exit. Customers leaving the store who haven’t purchased anything, or don’t print a receipt, have to ask security staff to let them through.

A Sainsbury’s spokesperson said: “We have a range of security measures in place and we have not changed our bag check policy.”

It confirmed ‘a small number of stores’ have the barriers – though it hasn’t said how many – but claimed that the barriers were not ‘new’.

There are 25 stores in Manchester which now have these barriers in place, as reported by the Northern Quota – a Manchester Metropolitan University news publication.

It’s not the only supermarket to have introduced bag checks and step-up its security measures. Aldi has reportedly been searching customer’s shopping bags, though it said it wasn’t a ‘national policy’ and was down to the discretion of each store.

Morrisons has also been reported as using security gates which require proof of purchase before leaving the store.