Rita Seymour, a 79-year-old great-grandmother, has been banned from every Sainsbury's store in the UK following a series of incidents at her local branch in Hook, Hampshire. She is pleading to have the ban overturned, arguing that her nearest alternative supermarket, Tesco, is a 20-minute walk away compared to the five-minute walk to Sainsbury's.
Incident at Hook Store
The ban was enforced after a dispute during a visit earlier this month when Seymour attempted to buy a EuroMillions ticket. She claims she had to ask four times before a staff member responded. When the staff member finally attended, Seymour alleges the employee accused her of being rude and called management, who further accused her of insulting staff and 'pinching food'. Seymour said: "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."
Ban Imposed
The following day, Seymour was refused entry to the store and handed a letter informing her that she was banned from all Sainsbury's and Argos stores nationwide. She typically spends between £80 and £100 on her weekly shop at the branch, which she has visited regularly since moving to Hook in 1981. Seymour, a former customer service worker, insists she is "not that sort of person" and wants to clear her name. She said: "I'm not interested in money. But, I live five minutes away from the shop, and I would like this ban lifted."
Sainsbury's Response
A Sainsbury's spokesperson stated: "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."
Denial of Previous Incidents
Seymour, whose husband is disabled, flatly denied any prior incidents. She said: "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."
Why Supermarkets Can Ban Customers
Supermarkets, as privately owned businesses, have the authority to deny service and prohibit entry for almost any reason, provided the ban does not discriminate based on protected characteristics. Common reasons for bans include theft, shoplifting, abusive behaviour towards staff or customers, and antisocial conduct such as vandalism or major disruptions.
