Verifying that a shopping bag you are removing from the premises does not contain items not paid for is hardly battery. (Unless you are one of those types who considers it assault when someone happens to frown in disapproval when they look at you.)
It is if I say no and they attempt to search anyway.
“Verifying that a shopping bag you are removing from the premises does not contain items not paid for is hardly battery.” It is not Costco’s right to check for stolen items that are not in my bag or on my person. Costco must have a probable cause to check my personal effects, per the 4th Amendment.
The other point is that if Costco takes the bag from you involuntarily or opens it while you are trying holding it, then assault has been committed. This is a third court case I’d like to see Costco et al defend. “Our Costco manager needed to force our customer into an involuntary search because she would not comply with our verbal order and written policy”.
What I keep an ear to the ground for is when Costco et al take someone’s membership away because the American refused to be search by Costco under the 4th Amendment.