Rita Seymour, a 79-year-old great-grandmother, has been banned from every Sainsbury's and Argos store in the UK, including those in Birmingham, following a series of incidents at her local branch in Hook, Hampshire. She is now appealing to overturn the ban, stating she is "not that sort of person" and that her nearest alternative supermarket is too far away.
Ban Details and Local Impact
Sainsbury's is just a five-minute walk from her home, while the nearest Tesco requires a 20-minute journey. Rita, a mother of one, grandmother of four, and great-grandmother of two, typically spends between £80 and £100 on weekly shopping at the Hook store. She said: "I'm not interested in money. But, I live five minutes away from the shop, and I would like this ban lifted."
Incident Leading to Ban
The ban stemmed from a disagreement on a recent visit when Rita attempted to buy a EuroMillions ticket. She claims she had to ask four times before a staff member responded. When the employee finally assisted, Rita alleges the staff member accused her of being rude and called management, who then claimed she had insulted staff and "pinched food." Rita stated: "She went to take a picture of me, and I pushed her camera out of her face. I said, 'I've done nothing wrong here, you're not taking pictures of me'. She was flinging her arms about."
The following day, Rita was refused entry and handed a letter banning her from all Sainsbury's and Argos stores nationwide. She denies any prior incidents, saying: "I'm not that sort of person, I never cause trouble, I never do any trouble – they're saying it to get out of everything. I want to clear my name."
Sainsbury's Response
A Sainsbury's spokesperson commented: "We want everyone to feel welcome when they shop with us, and our colleagues work hard to create a positive in-store experience. We take any form of abusive and inappropriate behaviour seriously. Following a number of incidents over time, a decision was taken to withdraw this individual's right to shop at our Hook store. This action was not taken lightly, but the safety and well-being of colleagues and customers always come first."
Legal Context
As privately owned businesses, supermarkets have the legal right to refuse service and deny entry for almost any reason, as long as the ban does not breach discrimination laws relating to protected characteristics. Common grounds for a ban include theft, shoplifting, abusive or aggressive conduct towards staff or shoppers, and antisocial behaviour such as causing disturbances or damaging property.
