"You didn't have what I wanted at a price-point I found acceptable, but that's all right - I came prepared with full camping gear and my own sleeping bag. Don't worry about it - you'll hardly notice me sticking around, possibly for ever."

New gates at the entrance automatically swing open when customers walk in, but they’re set to trigger an alarm if someone attempts to back out.

This sounds like a great way to troll them. There's nothing illegal or even just wrong about deciding to turn around when entering a store, so alarm away! What do I care, I have time.

Is this not illegal as hell?

I think I'd just leave though the fire exit.

So.....fire hazard. Got it

Huh. I'm reminded of Roller Coaster Tycoon, which has scenarios where you have to have a certain number of guests in your park at a specific time; and a valid strategy is to get enough people to come into your park, and then delete the path behind them so that they literally can't get out.

You cannot stop me, that's false imprisonment and you have no authority in this jurisdiction. I will be leaving, or I will be pressing charges. Your choice. That's not even close to enough for reasonable suspicion (which is debatably actionable anyway in most circumstances).

So false imprisonment is acceptable now if it’s a corporation doing it?

This is standard practice in europe

One more lie from reddit, for karma. Pathetic.

Looks like a little glassbreak keychain tool would make for a quick and crunchy exit.

While I watched some customers struggle with the new technology, my receipt scanned immediately. The glass doors slid open, and I was free. But if, like this person on the San Francisco subreddit recounted, I hadn’t bought anything, my only means of exit would have been to beg the security guard to let me out.

The security guard

Experienced similar at a Vons in Long Beach, CA. Not only that, but leaving from the checkout was itself a small maze-like experience. This won't last long once people die or are injured.

NFPA 101 -

7.1.10.1 "Means of egress shall be continuously maintained free of all obstructions"

7.2.1.5.2 "Locks and latches shall not require the use of a key, a tool, or special knowledge or effort for operation from the egress side."

We made it so that there was the least friction to people just buying constantly and freely... Well now we need app operated coupons, face scanning entrances and receipt operated exits with merchandise locked behind plexiglass...

Why are customers so reluctant to buy now?!

They can't hold you hostage. Oh wait, it's the USA . Maybe that's legal now. I don't know.

How has the fire department not come down on them like a ton of bricks?! Maybe the fire exits are accessible, but those are meant to be additional exits, not the primary means of egress.

I cannot believe they stay in business. The first time I have to scan my receipt to leave, fuck that noise, never going back.

On top of all that, several idiots at Safeway had to approve this thing. This shouldn't have made it past a loss prevention idiot bringing it up in a meeting. "Jesse, what are you talking about?"

I've seen the entry gates in stores, where you can't go out the front very easily. Except, you can force them open with a little bit of pressure. And yes, it sets off an alarm. It isn't terribly loud, but it will turn heads.

You don't owe anyone an explanation as to why you're leaving through the entrance. They also can't bar you from leaving if you don't buy anything. I'm willing to bet those exit gates open just as easily. The article cites fire codes, but it's also false imprisonment to keep people from leaving without probable cause to detain. That's why a lot of stores' policy is to let you exit the store even if they know you shoplifted. Because for it to be an actual theft, you must deprive them of their ability to sell it. Just pocketing it isn't enough — once you step off the property however, you're guilty of shoplifting. With the gates clearly being inside the store, even if you are holding merchandise you haven't paid for, they have no legal cause to detain you.

The law is not clear on what your rights are if they are not actively detaining you and you are not able to leave, at least not here. Where you are, it may be different. I do know if you break something trying to leave, you can be charged with vandalism or destruction of property. If they've barricaded you in, they have to lift the barricade upon request. The law is fuzzy on how long they have to do it, though. So they can obstruct you from leaving for a time but they can't detain you. What's the difference? The law is not clear. It's not five minutes, it's not ten minutes, it's not an hour. But also, if you hop over the thing without damaging it, you're legally in the clear. And it looks like you can hop over it without much effort.

I'm not a big fan of Safeway. They have nice stores, and I enjoyed their soda (Safeway Select) when I was younger. Now, I don't drink soda. I do admit they have good products (that they make) and clean stores, for the most part. When I am in Northern California, though, another chain gets my business. I don't hate Safeway, but they are not my first choice.

They pop out the way if pushed.

Yeah, no, if I'm trapped in a store, I'm kicking the door in

lol of course it's a Safeway.

Also: Every Walmart in my city has these. They don't do shit. 🤣 First, they arent even mechanically strong enough to stop you pushing past them, and second they are the same height as a subway turnstyle and easier to hop over.

They're also only installed at the entrance; people still just steal and exit through fire exits throughout the building.

Yes I am.

Are we still pushing this "shoplifting is out of control" narrative?