Locked my bike. Walked into Kroger's. Grabbed a cart and went to get some bottles of seltzer. I've shopped at that store hundred's of times. Only this time a security guard taps me on the shoulder and insists on confiscating my backpack. Manager's orders he says.

I ask the manager and he says he's just following company policy. I ask him if its a new policy and whether I can see a copy of the regulation. He says he's just following orders.

I ask him for some kind of chit or receipt so that I can be assured that he or his employees will not give my pack away to someone else. He refuses. Funny, he sees nothing contradictory in having declared his lack of trust in me, and then insisting that I trust him with far more. (I did have check books, and bank statements etc in the pack).

Today I called Kroger headquarters for a better understanding. Found out that they do have a policy, that each Manager may enforce at their discretion. So in other words, the Manager lied to me, as I suspected.

I would boycott them, but Kroger's has a monopoly in my area. The only other grocery stores in the area are an even worse chain that is completely owned by Krogers.

Any other people have to deal with this type of situation?

Not in a grocery store. But actually, I usually prefer to turn my bags over in shops, because then I don't have to feel like I'm arousing their suspiscions.

Never without a reciept though... maybe even itemized.

Let's get real here......
We're in the middle of a terrorist war with a new set of rules in play.

Since backpacks , or other bags, are often used to carry bombs every
store in the nation should demand that they be checked at the door to
protect both business and customers. The freedom to walk in a store
with a bag is now gone.

These are the rules of war today.

Quit your whinning and get used to it as the old days are gone forever.

Any store that wants to confiscate my pack is a store that's not going to get my business.

Don't you think they could just get x ray screeners for Kroger's? Given the threat potential, I'm surprised they don't have checkpoints around the city with mandatory x ray scans and metal detectors. Kroger's could start the safety revolution.

We have this policy at the Grand Union in Rutland.
I think with them its because its near a high school and the little
Rutlets were cleaning them out on the way home from school everyday.
I didnt give the shoulderly chipped security guard the satisfaction of
the powertrip....I just left.


You should move here to the US. Despte the Bush regimes best efforts to
change it, we still do have a few freedoms left.

HAHAHA Keep giving up those liberties to stay "safe."

I use a topeak trunk bag, i put it in the child seat in the shopping cart, havn't been bothered yet. It's no bigger than a large woman's purse and much smaller than a diaper bag. I've even shopped with my panniers attached to the side of the shopping cart. I've done both of these at different stores. Maybe it's just that I'm in laid-back california...

Next time could you explain to the manager that you called corporate and that it's manager's discression. Then offer to let him search the bag right now (upon entry to the store) for bombs, and after checkout for stolen items. Then ask "I think that's a fair compromise, don't you?". The manager does have the duty to keep the place safe for his customers and also to make sure that people aren't stealing, but I think it's also reasonable to allow a backpack in the store if they can be assured it's not a safety or theft issue.

The gorilla probably saw you park your bike, thought you were a loser that had to ride his bike because he didn't have enough money to buy a car, and decided you were a potential shoplifter.

Good old fashioned stereotyping and discrimination at work.

Yep. I wasted some irreplaceable life energy stewing about it the first couple of times it happened. As a result, I made it my policy to comply and not give it a second thought.

If you really want to be subversive, chat up the security guard and exchange pleasantries whenever you go into the store. Odds are you'll find the guard feels just as oppressed by The System as you.

Nope - I'll keep whining. What about enormous baby strollers and women's purses? I've never seen these requested to be given up. A SUV stroller can pack in a lot more TNT than my messenger bag.

I'm not going to give my most important daily items: cell phone, wallet, checkbook, medical supplies, work material, etc. over to someone I don't know.

Everytime a store person asks me to hand over something I simply say: No, I'm more comfortable carrying it with me, thank you. Then I keep walking. Usually they don't follow me, end of issue. If they follow me and ask me to hand it over again I'll politely leave.

The mistake people make in this situation is to pause and start chatting when someone says "SIR, you need to...." Just say "No Thank You" and briskly walk about your business. In most cases with me they don't make the effort or don't care. And I'm not going to get into an argument with a clerk or secuity guard about my rights or their store rights when all I want is some ice cream or a can of soup.

Also I don't pause and return to the store when the Walgreens alarm starts blaring every time I've obviously JUST paid for something. I keep on walking, and have never been followed out of the store.

If you act professional and walk with a purpose people will see you that way. If you hem-haw and meekly argue about a dumb policy, you won't win.

They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither ...

Any reason why you couldn't have just told them no? It's a private business and they can run it however they want to, but they can't put their hands on you or your gear without your permission. They can ask you to leave, of course. You could have fun with them and say no to that too, I suppose.

Or say "I'm not comfortable giving up my materials but you're welcome to shop with me." I've said this a few times as I'm walking off. For some reason security guards especially don't like to leave a five foot radius spot they're planted too. Store employees really don't seem to care.

Again -- If you keep walking, and respectfully with eye contact say NO, THANK YOU, My experience has been they leave me alone, or mumble something about, "just this once"...

I tend to give them as much thought as a guy asking me for money on the street. I'm not rude to anyone, but I don't have to stop and chat with everyone about life and policies, I just do my thing.

Agree with above, you're backpack was not impounded, you gave it to them. I'd shop somewhere else.

Right, so the store is safer storing explosives than having me walk around in the store with them on my back. Get real. And then why can women still bring in big purses?

This situation has been going on for decades.

The real problem is that they are demanding my stuff without offering me any protection.

As I explained, Kroger has a local monopoly. I don't have a lot of choice there. The thought did cross my mind.

People demand things of us everyday. It doesn't mean that we have to give in to those demands.

Also, it is their private property, and they do have the right to create whatever kind of rules that they want. You have the right to choose as a consumer where you will and won't shop. You're telling me that a city of 180,000 people only has one grocery chain?

I don't know man but it seems pretty illegal to confiscate something without any violation of law. Why didn't you call the cops?

It's private property onegear, they are welcome to set rules, just like a club can dictate how you dress in order to enter.

Random your point is concise and well put. When dealing with quasi "laws" set through corporation and security guards the issue is even more muddied. Not even all cops know the full laws regarding bikes on streets. I enjoy taking pictures of buildings, bridges, etc, and their have been cases of cops and private security telling citizens they can't take photographs on public property. Complete bull ****, and a "non-law" worth discussion.

The people that blindly follow rules without giving second thought to the reason or logic are generally weak minded and pushovers. I choose to always politely ignore rules I find overly absurd or ridiculous. (Oh and one reason I'll never buy a home governed by HOAs too)

In SF there are plenty of record stores and books tores that have you check you bag an the counter, but at least you get a number. of course its not about terrorism, its about theft. I aumming you used to word confiscate beacuse you got riled up. you did get yoru bag upon leaving the sore, right?

never had a problem in a grocery store. (at least not in the US). I've got plenty of choice in my area, and trader joes actually encourages you to use your own bags.

i wont check my bag unless they require women to check their purses at the door too....

Hey, get with the program. In the new millenium, it's called "profiling".

I would take the f'n manager at Kroger
aside an give him the 411 that if he doesn't
start letting you bring in your bag you are
gonna do whatever it takes to get rid of him.

I'd stop just short of threatening to kick his ass!

Been there done that, after first time I just walked to service counter and hung my bag on the doorknob on the inside of the door and went about my business. Never had a problem. After shopping there for more than 2 years and wearing an orange chromebag cashiers and managers and other store employees knew my face and bag. While I dont care for the treatment, I do understand it, it was in a rough neighborhood and the store has to protect itself from theft.

Bottom line, its private property. You play by their rules or you dont play, get used to it.

This is very much along the same lines of the discussions round here about not being able to bring your bike inside a store, again, be an adult, be prepared, and lock the thing up and do your business.

You think having to give up your bag or pack is tough, try dealing with govt buildings these days, I do it 5 days a week, welcome to the fascist states of america. For those that havent had the pleasure, let me clue you in, you enter a govt building and you essentially lose about 99.9% of your rights and sometimes more. Time is on their side, you wanna fight it in court and it will months or years, they know this in advance.

You wanna fight kroger, the corp management office is here in columbus on the northeast side of town, the address escapes me at the moment but it isnt hard to look up. Ive been there several times. Direct your angst there. Oh, wait, now I remember, it 4111 executive parkway I believe, westerville,oh 43081 I believe.

@negoudy, give it a shot, you will lose

car-free isnt about special treatment people, get over it, most of you already know this