Recently, situations have been increasingly common where supermarket customers have to deal with violations of their rights. Store security guards, who often work on an outsourced basis, do not have the right to force consumers to pay for spoiled goods. Such actions are a gross violation of the law and may be grounds for calling the police.
Experts from the Consumer Rights Protection Agency emphasize that buyers have the right to discuss issues regarding goods only with sellers or store administration, and not with security guards. If the packaging of the goods is damaged, this is the responsibility of the establishment, not the buyer. If the security guard still demands payment for the damaged goods, the consumer has the right to demand to view the video from the surveillance cameras and, if necessary, contact the police.
What to do if you are forced to pay for damaged goods? Consumers should be active in protecting their rights: demand to see video recordings, contact store management, and, if necessary, call the police.
In addition, another common problem is the refusal of cashiers to accept certain denominations of money. According to the law, cashiers are obliged to accept banknotes and coins of all denominations and independently monitor the availability of the necessary money in the cash register. If a cashier refuses to accept money due to the lack of change, this is a violation and grounds for filing a complaint.
Experts emphasize that the “no change” problem is not the customer’s problem, but the cashier’s. If the cashier continues to refuse, you should contact store management.
Knowing your rights will help shoppers effectively protect themselves from illegal demands and violations in supermarkets and stores.
