MartinLuther

Nail hit firmly on the head.

ABCDiamond

But those shops are NOT invading your privacy. When you enter the store, you have agreed to their conditions.

The LAW states that a shop can display a sign prominently at the front of the store informing customers that they may be asked to display the contents of their bags before leaving and that this is a condition of entry.

This allows the shop to ask you to do exactly that, and you understood that when entering the shop.

If you don't like the terms, then shop somewhere else. It is that simple.

If you approach the shop first and say you do not agree to their entry terms, the shop has the LEGAL right to refuse you entry.

If you then enter the premises, prepared to break the legal conditions of entry, you are effectively trespassing. That is the Law.

For what it is worth, I have only had a bag search done once, but I always offer any bags I am carrying to be looked at, as I leave.

Even going through the checkouts, after buying things, sometimes people do still have bags checked.
It isn't only when you exit without buying anything.

The majority of people accept it for what it is; a way to try to keep shoplifting costs down, and therefore keep prices down.

A quote from a Federal Government website:

Notts_bloke

In a previous life I worked in shops. I personally think bag checks are dangerous for the people doing them. In my experience some shop lifters wouldn't think twice about assaulting someone. Plus, bag checks don't work! Do they really think that shop lifters are going to be so obvious?

Deutschmaster

I used to stack shelves in Safeways as a teenager. We were always told never to ask to check bags unless we had actually seen somebody steal something. The store saw it as they didn't want to annoy people who hadn't done anything and make them go elsewhere.

There was the issue of the alcohol aisle - but the store had a few people to work on it - it was hard keeping the shelves stocked with all the alchies - so I suppose they also acted as a visual deterrent

Pommy Dan

i often do my weekly COles shop then take the trolley into K Mart for a wander round. ABout 1/3 of the time they ask to look in my trolley laden with Coles green bags. i tend to make sure they can see the things i COULD have stolen from Kmart.

once they asked to see my COLES receipt for a block of chocolate. I didnt have it. they said i could have stolen it from k mart. i agreed and challenged them to prove it. they couldnt (be bothered).

pompeyblonde

That is just plain rude!

MartinLuther

I can believe it - I've seen it. The French have a strange relationship with authority and rules. Sometimes they flout it with abandon at other times I can't believe how much they kowtow to it.

When we were in France, the locals couldn't believe the Brits were reluctant to have ID cards.

irishbloo

I have no problem having my bags checked.I have nothing to hide.In fact I normally offer up my bag so they can look.I did ask the girl in Big w once that while she was looking could she see if she could find my hair clip that I had been looking for ,for days.The only time I got annoyed was when this,"Im more special than you girl" in Bunnings asked to look in my teeny bag I had on me at the time.Did she somehow think that I managed to hide a wheel barrow in there.

kporte

[QUOTE=MartinLuther;7312667


If you get searched a lot then why not put a huge dildo in your bag. [/QUOTE]

I don't think Gordon Brown would fit

suziegaz

oh dear lets let the shop keppers have al augh, not there yet, but cant wait to flash my wares..... or my old bag..... runs quick before suzie see this post .........

MartinLuther

A long time ago a friend of mine had not long been going out with his new girl friend when she asked him where he got something.
"I got that off my Aunty Dildo", says he, jokingly.
"That's a funny name", she says genuinely.
At that moment her mum came into the room and his girlfriend says "Mum, Eddie's Aunty has got an unusual name. She's called Aunty Dildo".
"Oh, no", he thought. Face struck with terror.
"That's a very unusual name", says the mum.

Now the mum might have been very diplomatic but he thinks she didn't know what one was. Anyways, all's well that ends well, as he is now married to the girl.

loz

I just don't see the problem. If you don't like the practice don't go into the store...................simple. It's your choice you are not being forced to have your bag looked into............go somewhere where they don't ask to look in your bag.

If you have no choice but to shop there suck it up ..................you are living in Australia now not the UK. Again you had the choice to live here but you don't have the right to choose which rules and regs you want to follow or ignore.

My philosophy is I have chosen to live here so I will live by the Australian laws etc etc. The same way when I lived in the UK I expected people who moved there to follow the UK laws etc.

Am I the only person who feels like this? I don't expect people to change their rules and practices just because I've moved here and may be a little uncomfortable with them because I have never been used to them.

DunRoaminTheUK

Nope. I fully agree with you...

moneypenny20

You're making the assumption that the shop lifters a) have their brains in gear and b) have any money on them at all.

Daydreamer123

Its never really bothered me before, but I got asked on the weekend, and felt a bit put out by it. Probably a long day of shopping! I did wonder if I was allowed to say no.

Do you think on the whole women feel more upset by this as it happens more often, as we are always carrying a handbag? For men, its less frequent, and the request is normally to look into a shopping bag, not a handbag full of personal items? Also, my OH refuses to go into Kmart, Target type shops, he can't stand the aimless lost looking people wandering around, and so he very rarely gets checked.

Growing up in South Africa, it happened in every shop, and shopping bags were always sealed before you could enter. I remember they always wore white gloves and had a little white stick to poke around inside your handbag. Everyone used to just put up with it, but I dont know if they would anymore.