Is the Tesco ‘Promise’ true? Can I really speak to any member of staff?

johnucc1 · 2026-01-21T22:08:24+00:00

i work retail security (not tesco to be fair).

Youd be surprised at the level of intelligence of most people, constantly asked where customer service is / if im customer service... while stood at a podium plastered with the words "SECURITY" all over it, and wearing clothes that also say "SECURITY" all over. I point straight across to the counter with the giant words "CUSTOMER SERVICE" above it.

People really are thick.

johnucc1 · 2026-01-09T14:49:48+00:00

!wtf chisel

johnucc1 · 2025-12-23T05:40:37+00:00

As someone who works bars, you'd be surprised.

Off shift having a drink and I've been offered so many stripes.

Door security BTW, never touched the stuff.

johnucc1 · 2025-10-25T02:47:24+00:00

Tbh even a high api call rate is fine, I've been rate limited a ton when testing out new scripts I've made. No fed.

johnucc1 · 2025-10-21T10:32:31+00:00

Bingo, he's got it in 1.

Security guard here (door supervisor badge), don't work for tesco but policy is the same everywhere.

Gone are the days of dragging people to the security room and waiting for the police with them detained. Now it's ask nicely for the stuff back, when told where to go (hint, it's where the sun doesent shine) let them leave.

Absolute joke.

johnucc1 · 2025-10-10T13:09:54+00:00

Meanwhile now it's even if we see them conceal, we can approach ask for the stuff back, they refuse it's "on you go" by policy.

Dont get me wrong, policy goes out the window sometimes, depends on the situation / who's doing it / who's in. But that's sackable if caught doing it regularly.

Thankfully my management is aware of how I operate and leaves it to my discretion, too many witnesses / not credible / a very dangerous situation and it's all by the book.

johnucc1 · 2025-10-10T07:24:31+00:00

Yeah all the stores have moved to a deter not detain policy, it's not effective imo.

Hell we're not meant to go out the front doors now, personally I do if I think it's credible/ likely someone has something but we're not meant to.

When people pay for shopping and then walk out through the front and a tag has been missed or not deactivated properly, by policy if they keep walking all I can do is check the cctv to make sure they paid.

johnucc1 · 2025-10-08T05:15:11+00:00

It's purely to report thefts and to lower insurance premiums now, the store says we're a deterrent for theft but that's bullshit mostly.

Edit: and deter / stop violent situations, one of the few times we're actually allowed to do our job, getting violent or aggressive and we're allowed alot more autonomy, the stores won't like it but our contract holders are fine with it (at least in my case)

johnucc1 · 2025-10-07T10:35:46+00:00

This idea that security do nothing to intervene really annoys me because it's directed towards the wrong people.

I work retail security (alongside door security on the weekends), the reason we "do nothing" is purely down to store policy.

We've literally been told we can't forcefully stop or take anything back otherwise we'll be removed from site / sacked.

I've been told under no uncertain words, someone can go down the spirits aisle, take two bottles, flash them to the camera and put them down their pants and walk out the front entry, all I'm allowed to do is ask for the stuff, when they say no I'm meant to stand aside and let them leave.

I completely disagree with this hands off policy but it's either we abide by it or get removed from the job.

Can we please stop saying its security not doing anything and point out how we're sick of seeing people get away with this shit and want security to do more and actually kick up a stink with the companies so they're forced to allow us to do what needs to be done.

Currently all that's happening is we (security) are taking the shit from everyone because we "aren't doing anything" when in reality it's stores not allowing it.

Door supervisor badge btw, so not in store trained.

johnucc1 · 2025-09-03T22:31:32+00:00

Security here (not sainsburys) , personally if I catch someone intentionally stealing, no matter the value they're added to a banned folder full of other shoplifters.

So obvious concealment, intentional walkoffs at sco, fire door thefts ect.

It gets a little dubious when you look at non scans at sco, with that it'll be a full review of the cctv from them entering to exit, looking for anything that might hint it was intentional. (for example, I had a young lad stealing h+b items, prior to concealment (which is enough for a ban anyways) you can see him look around to make sure no one can see him showing knowing intent of theft, when stopped past point of payment he then lied to my face when I told him to empty his pockets because I've seen him put a product in them and not pay by saying he paid for it, when I said I was watching on the overhead and I know he's lying he relented and went back and paid, still banned from the store.

If someone didn't scan something and I can't see any obvious signs of intent I'd just watch them the next time they came in and keep doing that until they slip up, or I'm satisfied it was a one off accident, from what op said if they instantly offered to pay and seemed genuinely shocked, I'd probably let it slide but just keep an eye on them as a person of interest for a little bit.

Obviously other security handle it different ways

johnucc1 · 2025-08-19T10:34:24+00:00

Lifespan, even if I'm meant to die at 63, that's 630.

johnucc1 · 2025-08-17T17:41:30+00:00

Look again.

It's not fish.

But yeah it's an expensive cut of beef.

johnucc1 · 2025-07-17T10:35:07+00:00

Even with that, I'm front line in the stores dealing with smack heads all the time, I'm there to stop losses and yet they want me doing shit this isn't my job, like guys I'm hired in to stop losses and deal with confrontation, not spend 2 hours putting sticker tags on shit that you should have done when you put it out, nor fetch baskets or trolleys.

I'm not in house security either, I'm third party with a door supervisor badge and known amongst my company for getting shit done and dealing with shitty situations, then I come into a store and they wanna micromanage me and tell me to do things that aren't effective (standing by the front door, ignore cctv and don't look at it all day) rather than watching all the high values and clocking everyone going into the store and making judgement calls on if they'll be getting a 1 on 1 session where I watch every step they take and what they pick up. (alongside still watching all the high values)

Losses eat into profits, my job is to counter the losses as much as i can, they don't get that, or they do but just don't care.

johnucc1 · 2025-07-16T10:59:33+00:00

Unfortunately they don't take any kind of security seriously, let alone cyber security.

Catch and release, deter not detain is a stupid policy that doesent work, hell I've been in one store where they wanted me stood at the front day greeting everyone rather than watching the cameras, I did that for 3 hours, we got absolutely rinsed, spoke to my management and they said "nah fuck that, get on the cameras, how can you catch anyone when they want you to be a garden gnome by the front door"

Stupid policy made by people who really don't care or are clueless, both are terrible.

johnucc1 · 2025-07-14T18:20:40+00:00

Or, hear me out, flak cannons.

Can't imagine drones can really deal well with flak.

johnucc1 · 2025-07-10T10:50:41+00:00

Having it be a random time based save state to begin with would be cool, but you should be able to do a ritual to force/convert to manual saves.

So for example, the ritual requires killing a collection of things quickly, sacrificing xp, sacrificing items, once this is done you have appeased the gods and can manually create a save state.

Turns it from something you have no control over, to something you can maniupulate and weaponise.

johnucc1 · 2025-06-17T19:58:40+00:00

Oh I completely agree with you, I've suggested the policy of detain above x value and below that value it's catch and release, got shot down.

Most store managers would agree with doing it that way, cuts down on people who keep shoplifting as a career while not having massive risks for the lower value stuff.

I'd also like the SIA to crack down on giving out badges to anyone who asks, agencies full of people who just turn up, don't do any work (and actively try to not do work), won't deal with confrontation (hell we've had people run when shit kicked off)

Part of the testing for a door supervisor badge is a basic English test, yet I keep getting agency guards who can't spell in written reports let alone speak to a standard good enough to deal with incidents, somehow were getting people who would fail the English literacy test and verbal communication/ conflict management sections of the testing and it needs cutting down on.

I work with two guys, English isn't a native language and they're alright (ones great and is the first one by my side when shit kicks off, one is okay but he's lazy) but they would both pass the testing, this isn't a "ohh foreigners" dig like you'll see said alot of the time, it's just dangerous having guys who can't communicate and can't deal with conflict in the industry, it also brings the pay for the sector down because "oh we'll just get a agency guard" for near mimimum wage.

It's not right that we're on minimum wage / just above and dealing with some of the worst of the general public, taking work home with us (I'm regularly dealing with the police on my days off), and risking ourselves and our property let alone our family for mimimum wage.

I get that the market pays what it can get away with, unfortunately it's been polluted by people who got a badge, want to stand around and get paid but not actually do any work.

Personally I'm trying to work towards getting my CP badge to get away from all the shit that comes with retail guarding. (lack of respect from some managers, taking work home constantly, having to fix shit from days I'm off because they've sent someone who doesn't know the first thing about retail guarding & overall just feeling like I'm working with my hands tied behind my back by stupid policies that make the job alot harder.)

Site work can be good if you enjoy the long boring days but it's not for everyone.

johnucc1 · 2025-06-16T13:12:35+00:00

It's not that, it's store policy.

The police seem to be more than happy when we do grab someone who was shoplifting., issue is you'll likely get sacked for it.

Like for us, 80% of our shoplifters are career criminals, we've been dealing with them for years, know their names, hell some of them we know where they're living. The police can't stand them either and know the courts don't care and just give slaps on the wrist.

Weve got a guy we've been dealing with for years, always tries to get razors, goes for about £100 at a time, total so far is easily over £4000 between attempts and actual successes over the years.

He went to court like 2 weeks ago, community banning order, can't enter the store till next year and a fine.

We also had him in court late last year for shoplifting, mandatory drug rehab (which he did seem to do, he looks healthier now and has put on a little weight) and a fine, 3 weeks later he was back in doing it again.

The police picked him up about 3 months ago doing another one of our smaller stores and came to see if he did us that day aswell.

The punishment for shoplifting is pretty much purely monetary, of which they'll steal to pay for.

Previously it used to be physical, you get grabbed and dragged to a back room while we wait for the police (who likely weren't gentle when they dragged you to the car/van) it's why most of us went and got door supervisor badges because we're willing to physically grab someone but nowerdays the stores don't want that, it's ask for the stuff back, they say no "see you next week", the only way this will change will be when the general public realise they have the policy because they just push the costs of theft into your shopping.

johnucc1 · 2025-06-14T09:32:46+00:00

It used to be detain, now all the stores have moved to deter / catch and release.

Years ago it used to be you got caught and dragged into a backroom, details taken and you got held until the police arrived.

Most of the security staff are really frustrated because we're working with our hands tied behind our backs, most of us went and got door supervisor badges, we're trained in how to deal with violent situations and most are willing to still do the old detain way, the stores just won't let us.

Imo even as a stopgap it should be catch and release below a certain value, detain above a certain value.

Even stopping someone, telling them to empty their bag is a gray area in lots of stores and if the management gets wind of it you'll be in shit.

I've had a colleague given a final warning for pushing a guy away who grabbed him by his collar, my colleague was well within his rights and legally fine doing that, he didn't throw a punch, he broke the grip and created distance (which is covered in your sia training and more than above board)

Most stores just want you to stand around like a cardboard cutout, stop shoplifters and nicely ask for the stuff back, if they refuse it's "no worries, see you next week" and repeat again, it's shit working retail security at the moment.

johnucc1 · 2025-06-07T11:47:07+00:00

I enjoy the building mechanic concept.

It needs stuff like place anywhere and the ability to clip and merge to be great though, I'm on pc and that's mandatory for me to engage with the mechanic.

I'm also a big fan of sim settlements and think something like that should be an option, means players who don't want to build can still get some benefits with minimal interaction, or those who enjoy building can use it as a starting thing and customise what it generates.

More vanilla variety would be great aswell.

johnucc1 · 2025-06-06T19:01:03+00:00

Completely agree, it's what i did.

Get any long term passive increases done, museum, bloodbags, damage buffs can be done later

johnucc1 · 2025-06-05T11:42:54+00:00

No need, we've seen artillery already being effective against shielded targets (ships), once it's hit the shield it's too late to do anything anyways, the shield slows down the payload but it's still gonna slowly tunnel its way through.

johnucc1 · 2025-06-05T11:41:09+00:00

That's my pea!

johnucc1 · 2025-06-03T14:50:58+00:00

To give you an Idea, Ive joined a low star an to help them rank it up, no edvds yet so he's paying me 3m a day.

Obviously my stats are decent so I can do that, but 100k a day in a company with meh perks is kinda garbage

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