I must reluctantly defend Walmart here. In the video it appears that a Walmart shopper did not show her receipt upon request. And that set things off.
Just show the receipt. It’s a Walmart rule, and everyone knows it. It’s also 100% a property rights issue. Walmart is private property. They have every right to make their own rules.
Some folks think that rule is intrusive, and demeaning. They well could be right. Then go shop somewhere else.
Sometimes large items in carts will go un-scanned by the cashier with the store losing a lot on the sale. I have no problem showing a receipt for the store to protect itself from employee error.
I don't feel as though it's any reflection on me as the shopper. Also, if all purchases are bagged by the cashier I am never stopped for a check. It's only when there are items too large to be bagged that are visible in the cart that I'll get asked to show the receipt. Which makes sense. .
General rule of thumb at the big Walmart that I go to is they look at unbagged items in your cart. I’ve never seen them look in a bag. I always scan the unbagged items last, and if they ask for a receipt, I tell them the unbagged items are at the bottom of the list. Last time I was there, I was profiled and he gave a discrete hand signal for me to keep going.
At the Walmart grocery I usually go to, I’ve never seen them check at the exits, although I have seen them detain a couple of people. But I went to one in a richer part of town, and they had a gate at the exit and were checking everyone.
BS: it’s not a walmart “rule” ... there’s no signs posted to that effect ... and it’s ridiculous to claim “everybody knows it” ... Walmart has no legal right to demand to see a receipt, and if they attempt to detain someone who doesn’t display a receipt for something they’ve legally purchased, then walmart can be sued AND criminally prosecuted for kidnap ...
We have B.J.'s Wholesale Club in my area...central NY State. In every B.J.'s I've shopped at for over 40 years, no matter where I've been, you always have to give your receipt to the person at the exit, so they can check off the number of items in your cart.
We have very little crime where I live, but even the Walmart here has shut down its self-checkout aisles, and closed every other machine in their larger self-checkout area.
The local Marketside 32 (Price Chopper) store has two sections for self-checkout, but they usually only have one of them open, even if there are lines.
here is what grok3 says:
“can walmart demand a receipt for something a customer paid for upon exist and if a person does not comply, can walmart legally detain them?”
Walmart, like other retailers, can request to see a receipt when a customer exits to verify purchases, especially for high-value or unbagged items, as part of their loss prevention policy. However, this is not a legal mandate, and customers are generally not obligated to comply unless specific state or local laws apply.
If a customer refuses to show a receipt, Walmart’s ability to detain them is limited. Under U.S. law, retailers can detain a person only if they have probable cause to believe the individual has shoplifted, based on the “shopkeeper’s privilege” doctrine, which varies by state. Probable cause typically requires direct observation of theft, such as seeing the customer conceal an item or bypass payment. Refusing to show a receipt alone does not constitute probable cause for detention in most jurisdictions.
If Walmart detains a customer without sufficient evidence, they risk legal consequences, including claims of false imprisonment or civil rights violations. However, if a customer is suspected of shoplifting and probable cause exists (e.g., security footage or employee observation), Walmart can legally detain them briefly to investigate, contact law enforcement, or recover stolen goods, depending on state laws.
In practice, Walmart’s policy often involves asking for receipts at the door, but escalation to detention is rare unless there’s clear evidence of theft. Customers can politely decline to show a receipt and leave unless confronted with a specific accusation backed by evidence. If detained, customers should remain calm, avoid physical resistance, and request clarification of the reason for detention while asserting their rights.
For some odd reason, the Wal*Mart exit guards never ask me to show a receipt ... even when they’re demanding it of others.
My Walmart doesn’t ask for a receipt unless you got a cart full of groceries.
Wal Mart cannot demand to see your receipt unless they have probable cause that you were stealing. It’s different at membership stores like Costco and BJs and Sam’s Club because it’s part of the membership agreement. Wal Mart does not have any such agreement.
Wal-Mart can’t require a receipt for you to leave. Costco can, because people sign a membership agreement.