Can Tesco's do this?

[smithlane]

I had a fraught phone call from DS15 this morning to say that he had tried to go into Tesco to buy his lunch but was refused entry into the store as he is a student without an adult.

Not very happy with this I drove over to speak to the manager. He admits that since just before Christmas they now have a blanket ban on any students entering the store because of problems they have had with students from a local school (not DS's) stealing and being abusive to staff.

Now I completely understand and empathise this must be a tricky situation to solve but surely a lone student as DS was shouldn't be 'punished' because a small percentage of kids can't behave. It feels very unfair and almost discriminatory of them to refuse entry. Surely if a ban is necessary it would be on groups of children not those on their own?

Just wanted to know if Tesco are within their rights to actually enforce this?

[Tinkermom]

I believe it is up to the individual store manager to make this decision. Our local Sainsburys has a similar policy.

[Gryff]

Stores are at liberty to refuse entry to whoever they like unfair to some bit probably easier to have a blanket ban than just on certain schools or individuals

[PoohBears#1fan]

This was a rule in several local stores in the city we used to live in, unfair to the honest genuine kids sadly. My DS was well known in our local store so if he was alone they'd let him in but not if there were others around, as they'd have to stick to the blanket rule.

[klr15]

Not Tesco, but a McDonald’s in a town near where I live have a ban on under 16’s entering after 5pm or 6pm (can’t remember which!) without an adult.

This is because of months of abuse and violence that they received, one member of staff was even put in hospital after an assault.

It has caused a bit of an outrage with some people in the town, but overall it is for the best.

So I do believe that Tesco would be allowed to do that I would have thought.

[Omega1]

I guess the store is at liberty to do this but I intensely dislike such things - why should the majority be penalised for the sins of a few? Same in school where a whole class is kept in detention because the culprit could not be identified.
Goes against my sense of natural justice.

[klr15]

Originally Posted by Omega1

I guess the store is at liberty to do this but I intensely dislike such things - why should the majority be penalised for the sins of a few? Same in school where a whole class is kept in detention because the culprit could not be identified.
Goes against my sense of natural justice.

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I do agree, it’s difficult because I guess they can’t be seen to be having one rule for one and another for everyone else. So by letting in some children and not allowing others, they might get complaints of discrimination? As they are picking and choosing who they don’t allow in.

Unless of course, they banned children one by one each time an offence or disruptive behaviour was witnessed. Or maybe if they put a ban in place for groups more than two? I don’t know, it’s a difficult one.

[John]

My local asda has a similar policy...only a few school kids allowed in the store at one time... all due to theft

[Mel49]

It is quite common where we are - the local Lidls don't allow kids in without an adult during the school day and the local Morrisons did have a ban but now just restrict the number alllowed in at a time. Having witnessed what goes on at lunch time with shoplifting, rudeness and the rubbish they buy I don't blame the shops and my kids either take a packed lunch or come home.

[Omega1]

Originally Posted by klr15

I do agree, it’s difficult because I guess they can’t be seen to be having one rule for one and another for everyone else. So by letting in some children and not allowing others, they might get complaints of discrimination? As they are picking and choosing who they don’t allow in.

Unless of course, they banned children one by one each time an offence or disruptive behaviour was witnessed. Or maybe if they put a ban in place for groups more than two? I don’t know, it’s a difficult one.

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Yes, it’s not easy, but it’s the offenders who should be punished (banned/prosecuted) not the good kids who behave themselves ie the majority. I’m happy with a restricted access policy eg 5 out, 5 in - but that needs policing and stores don’t want to resource that so go for the cheaper, unfair, option.
Hopefully the good kids will remember how they were targeted and banned by some stores when they have greater spending power in the future.