Aldi new bag check rule could see staff 'refuse to serve shoppers'

Aldi staff may refuse to serve customers who do not comply with the bag search policy at its supermarkets

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Aldi staff could refuse to serve shoppers who don't comply with a new bag policy, according to reports.

One Aldi employee told The Grocer Magazine that the bag searching policy had been introduced in their store last week with the checks being carried out by security guards and not Aldi staff. They said: "We are asking that they allow us to look in the bags to see if they are empty. We have been asking to look in the bags to make sure none of our items are in there."

The Aldi worker then said those who do not comply with the bag checks will be refused the sale - although they added that this had not happened in their particular store at the moment. The staff member also said shoppers walking out of the store could be stopped by security if they are suspected of theft.

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In a post on a Aldi Facebook Group, one worker said: "New policy at Aldi, all empty shopping bags must be on the belt plus all shopping." They also noted the policy "came in force” last week. Another Aldi worker commented that it was an "awful feeling" having to ask customers.

Aldi told The Mirror it is not a "national policy" and said it is down to each store. The bag check policy is not new, and reports of Aldi stores having the measures have been around since May.

Aldi is one of several supermarket chains to have introduced new checks in stores over the last year to prevent shoplifting as rates have skyrocketed over the course of the cost of living crisis. Food costs have increased significantly since Russia invaded Ukraine with food inflation reaching its peak in March at 19.4%.

Other things supermarket chains have done to prevent theft include limiting items on shelves, adding more security tags to products, having customers scan receipts to leave the store, and displaying empty products.

An Aldi spokesperson said the bag check policy has been introduced into "some stores" as a short-term measure - but reiterated that the checks are only ever carried out with the consent of shoppers. The checks are also only done on the bags the customer is using to pack their shopping and not their handbags or personal bags.

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