Aldi: Staff at bargain supermarket told to refuse to serve customers if they don’t follow bag checking rule

Aldi’s controversial new bag rule is reportedly leading to customers not being served by staff.

Staff at bargain supermarket Aldi are reportedly refusing to serve customers who refuse to have their bags searched when shopping in the store.

A member of staff at Aldi told The Grocer Magazine that the bag searching policy had been introduced into their store last week, with 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 also noted that those who do not comply with the bag checks will be refused sale, although they added that this had not occurred in their particular store. The discount supermarket worker also said shoppers walking out of the store could be stopped by security if they are suspected of theft.

According to Aldi, the new bag rule is not a "national policy" and said it is down to each store. They added the bag check policy in stores was introduced in May.

An Aldi spokesperson said the bag check policy was 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.

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.