Supermarkets fighting theft with bag searches?

In theory they still do but coop staff seem to be particularly bad at it.
I don’t recall ever seeing expired stuff in Migros.

Where the “fill up from behind” is followed that’s unlikely to happen in the first place. But where that’s not followed, customers need to take off the recently-filled-up front and dig up the old ones, and that will take time.

So, you may actually be more likely to catch them later in the day in the problematic shops.

They should be more concerned about cleaning the floors and making it tidy than bothering customers paying high prices in Migros. Better go to Lidl.

Kassensturz (consumer program Swiss TV) brought up this subject:
Supermarket staff (including security staff) is not allowed to check your bag by law!
They can stop you, ask for your permission to check them. If you refuse they must call the police. They can also not physically force you to stay there and wait for the police.

6 Likes

Marks & Spencer and Waitrose use cameras. AI and a screen showing what they are watching you do. There is one assistant but they seem to be there mostly to help people scan stuff that hasn’t been weighed or needs to be manually entered. I keep confusing scone and crumpet. The assistant helps.

Further to the point I have a large number of points with Coop (I’ve abandoned my Migros points b/c they post coupons and I’ve sold my Valais holiday flat). A few times I’ve been checked at the Coop cashier. Once it seems I scanned a different flavour of the item in my bag. Cashier was amused. She also said (I speak native French) that it’s not a crime to be caught by her with unscanned goods since you haven’t left the shop yet. I remember on the old englishforum somebody complaining he was fined 150 Frs for leaving Coop with unpaid goods when what he was doing was in good faith exiting the barrier to get … a caddie. I make a point of leaving my basket inside when I do such things b/c I’ll always remember that guy’s fate.

Migros coupons appear on the app, I haven’t had a physical coupon from Migros for years.

Yup, hat that annoyance myself.

But they can ban you from entering their shop if they want. Its private property.

1 Like

Thanks for that. It seems Migros closed my account for non-use. The app won’t open with my password. On the rare occasions I use Migros (viz: GVA Airport) the self-check accepts my bar code but does nothing with it. On the other hand I do use Coop when visiting Switzerland and I have some credit there. Frankly the 1% UR points I get using my Chase Sapphire Reserve are worth more than I can get from loyalty points anywhere.

A tad difficult while they don’t know who you are. Which will remain the case unless you’ve actually stolen stuff.

Now, if you’re using the one of those inane “loyalty” cards, that’s on you.

200 CHF payment if you are caught stealing or not paying in Migros. Plus your name is registered for 5 years.

It might be interesting to see what happens if you challenge those 200.- as the retailers keep increasing their claimed internal costs.

1 Like

Actually I think fines still can’t just be issued by private people (companies in this case). They have to report you to the police.
The name is registered where? At Migros? Guess they can do that within their cooperation but I wouldn’t bet on it.

The demanded payment isn’t a fine, it’s reimbursement for the retailer’s claimed efforts.

There’s that thing called Hausverbot. It’s a ban imposed on a person, forbidding them from entering or remaining in a house, apartment, business premises, in general on any property. The right to issue such a ban rests with the owner.

It turns you accessing the affected non-private area into trespassing and thus crime.

That’s what the retailer will issue (probably not before one’s 2nd or 3rd incident).

The name is registered at Migros. There is no police involvement at all. Its not really a fine. Its to cover their internal expenses.
Minor thefts, such as stealing goods worth 30 francs, are generally considered infractions, not misdemeanors or crimes.

1 Like

I always wonder how they check how they find out that someone who’s “registered” in Lausanne has shopped in Migros in Zurich?

They’d have to have huge walls with mugshots - or use facial rec to scan everybody’s face.

Why wouldn’t they. Your cumulus number is valid everywhere, why wouldn’t they have a simple database on name, dob, date of infraction. Out of 8 million it’s unlikely two shoplifters will have same name and date of birth.

face recognition software makes wonders today…
Casinos have also a ‘black list’, and do use a mix of methods to avoid entrance of the people on the list

I’m pretty sure supermarket shop-lifters are not travelling the length and breadth of the country stealing packets of salami and blocks of parmesan.

They are probably recognised due to repeat visits to the same supermarkets in their neighbourhood and the same staff see them and watch them closely at the self-scanners - or the get caught in the random checks.
(The way the supermarkets get round the illegal bag checks is that once a check is required, in order for the payment process to proceed, a few items from the customers purchase (and normally now in their shopping bag) need to be re-scanned.

At this point, it’s probably pretty easy to spot that the two or three packages of filet steak hidden under the packets of pasta were not scanned.

It’s one reason why trolley shops are not allowed through the self-scanners - it’s too easy to hide the high-value purchases which the thief has no intention of scanning amongst the low value items.

They are trialing and using face-recognition software in the UK and the US - especially in more crime-ridden areas.
They are also employing VAR style technology at self-scanners, which along with recording cameras as proof, can show where customers forget to scan items.