Aldi Store Accusation

[Aldivictim]

I was at the checkout with all my items on the checkout yesterday when the assistant asked me to move my trolley around to the end of the checkout area, I innocently thought I was slowing down her scanning and flustered "oh yes of course" and then much timmy surprise the checkout assistant in front of all the customers behind me, then said now if you can life up your shopping bags (which I'd placed in the trolley ready to pack) as I need to check you havent Concealed anything, I politely agreed and did as asked, obviously there was nothing and I was both severely embarrased but also when I politley asked her on what grounds she was searching my personal property she just bluntly and rudely said its company policy, I asked where the signs were o nthe store to advise me that upon entering that I may be searched on demand and she was very rude and said we don't Need to tell you we intend to, and then asked if I wanted to speak to a manager, I declined initially however I changed my mind after paying and again wa s met with exactly the same blatant cold robotic it's head office policy regarding the infringement of my rights. I have Contected their head office and CDs department but feel that this is quite a serious matter which has obviously gone unchallenged to date, can anyone please give a brief opinion on my legal standing, as I have challenged them as asked what would they have done had I refused to let them look under my bags? Would they have then wrongfully detain d and searched me? Would the police have been,woukd we now be looking at a allegation of wrongful accusation?? Any help or guidance appreciated, I've also been advised they recorded phone calls of Aldi admitting it was badly handled etc and that they know they may Need to improve how it's handled, many thanks in advance,

[Aldivictim]

They have no loss prevention officers and they have no security on the store floor yet think it acceptable to challenge or search innocent customers, if loss prevention is so important why not have store detectives etc

[efpom]

She was not searching your property, she was searching their property, the trolley.

[Aldivictim]

In fact she wanted to search under my bags .. that os my property ,

[des8]

I'm sorry, but I think you are over reacting.
You were not accused of anything.
The checkout girl was asking to check there was nothing under your bags.
She has every right to ask
You have every right to refuse, but did not, and complied with the request.
There was no infringement of any rights.
You were not slandered, your reputation and standing were not demeaned
She explained company policy
It is idle to speculate what might have happened if you had refused.

I expect you will get a half hearted apology and possibly a voucher as they will not wish to lose a customer

[jaguarsuk]

Your legal position is that you were on private property loaning the company trading out of the property's shopping cart and were asked to lift some bags up to allow an employee of that company to see clearly the contents of their shopping cart.

Perhaps the employee could have been a little more polite, but they weren't and you have every right to complain about that, it seems you have and as Des says you'll probably get an apology for the level of service you received.

Some Aldi stores do employ loss prevention officers, my local one has a uniformed security guard.