A FRUSTRATED Walmart shopper has threatened the retailer with a move to local grocers over one of its anti-theft measures.
Receipt checks have been rolled out at several major retailers in a bid to crack down on theft, notably at self-checkouts, but loyal and innocent customers are not happy.
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One shopper has called on Walmart to “quit playing games” after feeling criminalized each time she visits the store.
She added that enduring the frustrating anti-theft measure does not benefit her further than if she shops at rival stores that do not employ receipt checks.
“Dear @Walmart, You can prop Jesus himself at the door. Still not stopping and showing my receipt unless I’m accused or suspected of theft by an official officer,” the shopper posted on X, formerly Twitter.
“Your prices are about the same as local grocers so quit playing games,” she added, warning that she could take her business elsewhere and not lose out.
In response, another shopper shared their frustration with receipt checks after they were asked to show proof of purchase despite checking out with a cashier.
“Exactly. I got rang up by a cashier vs self-checkout and was still asked to show a receipt,” the shopper said.
The retailer’s receipt check policy has caused controversy since its arrival.
However, with the industry losing over $100 billion annually to shoplifting, the country’s largest retailer must employ new anti-theft techniques to reduce losses.
Placing employees at store exits to check receipts has long divided loyal Walmart shoppers.
Some have questioned how the practice impacts their rights while others say it is a small price to pay to keep prices low.
The practice has even seen customers share their receipt check evasion tactics on social media.
Some choose to ignore and walk past the receipt-checking staff at exits.
“I don’t stop- I keep walking because if you trust me to check my own self out you better all the way trust me,” one shopper said on X.
“If they wanted to do the whole ‘making sure you’re not stealing’ thing, then they shouldn’t have ever introduced self-checkout,” another added.
However, one claimed they are “treated like royalty” when avoiding the checks by using Scan and Go in-store.
Legality of receipt checks and detention
In an effort to curtail retail crime, stores are increasingly turning to receipt checks as shoppers exit.
Legally, stores can ask to see a customer’s receipts, and membership-only stores have the right to demand such checks if shoppers agreed to terms and conditions that authorize it.
Many legal professionals have weighed in and come to similar conclusions, caveating that all states do have specific laws.
Generally speaking, stores have Shopkeeper’s Privilege laws that allow them to detain a person until authorities arrive when they have reasonable suspicion that a crime, like theft, has been committed.
Declining to provide a receipt is not a reason in itself for a store to detain a customer, they must have further reason to suspect a shopper of criminal activity.
Due to the recent nature of the receipt checks, there is little concrete law on the legality of the practice, as it takes time for law to catch up with technology.
Setliff Law, P.C. claims that “there is no definitive case law specifically relating to refusal to produce a receipt for purchases.”
For stores that improperly use their Shopkeeper’s Privilege, they could face claims of false imprisonment.
“The primary law that applies to these types of wrongful detention cases is called ‘False Imprisonment’,” explained Hudson Valley local attorney Alex Mainetti.
“Of course, you’re not literally imprisoned, but you’re detained by a person who has no lawful authority to detain you and/or wrongfully detains a customer.”
It is likely that as altercations in stores over receipt checks continue, more court cases will occur giving clearer definitions and boundaries to the legality of receipt checks.
A Walmart employee even got on social media to share with customers another tactic to avoid being targeted by checkers.
It all has to do with the size of the items being purchased and whether they are in bags.
“The person checking receipts is only allowed to ask you for your receipt if you have anything in your cart that is not in a shopping bag,” Captain Rudy explained in a viral TikTok video last year.
Items too large to fit into bags are likely to be questioned at the store exits as they could have easily been plucked from shelves.
However, The U.S. Sun previously reported on one shopper who offered the retailer a deal, saying she would show her receipts when it provided larger bags to customers.
Walmart has been contacted for comment.
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