What happens when you're done your shopping and while leaving the store the alarm goes off at the entrance? This has happened to most of us at one time or another but what do you do now? Do you smile at the security guard & shop management and just walk out or does he drag you off kicking and screaming to the police station? Here are the rules concerning just such matters as specified by three of South Africa's biggest fashion retailers:
EDCON
(Edgars, Jet, Legit)
- Edcon staff do not have a right to conduct a body search on a customer as this may only be done by the SAPS or on instruction by the SAPS.
- It should be ensured that a female customer is searched by a female staff member and male customers by male staff members.
- A customer’s personal belongings may only be searched with the customer’s express consent; and in cases where a customer gives his/her consent to be searched, a third party must be present as a witness while the search is undertaken.
- Under no circumstances may a customer be “strip” searched, only a “pat down” search may be conducted with the customer’s approval.
WOOLWORTHS
- Woolworths will conduct a body search under exceptional circumstances when threatened by violence and if we have reason to believe that a suspect may be concealing a dangerous weapon, in order to protect customers, employees and the individual concerned.
- Body searches are only conducted by members of the same sex, off the store floor.
- Every effort is made to maintain privacy, human dignity and to spare the suspect unnecessary embarrassment. Such incidents are rare at Woolworths.
THE FOSCHINI GROUP
(Foschini, Donna Claire, Fashionexpress, Totalsports)
- When responding to a store alarm, our policy states clearly that staff must respond discreetly, respectfully and courteously.
- The policy sets out a step-by-step procedure to ensure that our staff are trained in handling sensitive situations should they arise.
- Should an alarm be triggered by a customer leaving the store, staff need to determine what caused the alarm to go off, starting with a shopping bag check to ensure that all tags were removed during the sale process. Should these be the cause, the garments are taken back to the point of sale for a thorough search of any tags that may not have been removed during the sale.
- If the bags do not trigger the alarm, the customer will be asked to escort the member of staff to the back of the store to resolve the matter discreetly.
- Should the store manager deem it necessary to perform a search of the customer’s handbag or person, the customer will be asked for permission first.
- Searches are conducted in the presence of a second member of staff, both staff members being the same gender as the customer.
[SOURCE - iol.co.za]
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