A grandfather says supermarket staff who persisted in trying to search a bag against his will made him feel “violated”.

Michael Verrinder was shopping at Aldi in Swanmead Way, Tonbridge, with his wife Jackie who has Alzheimer’s and he was carrying a bag full of sensitive items linked to her health condition.

Once he reached the till and started putting items on the conveyor belt a store assistant asked to check his Asda plastic bag in the trolley.

His shopping bags were hooked on the side but they did not ask to check them.

When he replied, “no sorry, it’s a personal bag”, he says the employee went to check even though he had declined the voluntary search.

As a result of his refusal, the store manager was called and another employee stood next to Michael and said: “I’m going to check your bag.”

The 64-year-old reiterated he was not consenting to the bag search and dug his heels in but says he began to get “heated” out of frustration.

He claims the manager also insisted the search would need to go ahead but when the dad-of-two questioned what authority he had to do so, he was told “staff policy”.

The interaction, which happened on April 25, continued and eventually the couple, from Hadlow, were asked to move away from the tills to allow other customers to carry on shopping.

Staff continued to question why he had brought the bag in to begin with and had not left it in the car.

“Why shouldn’t I bring my bag in here, I don’t need to explain myself to him?” he told KentOnline.

While the grandfather admits he became angry and swore as the situation escalated, he feels strongly staff managed the situation incorrectly and it could have been avoided.

He said: “My wife is double incontinent and the reason I do my shopping in Aldi, as well as being local, is if she had an accident half-way round, I can go in the accessible toilet there – so that’s why I do it.

“I’m not having all her stuff taken out and shown to everyone.”

The former water treatment engineer says he was not accused of shoplifting and was told it was simply company policy. As Michael’s frustration grew he asked staff to call the police but they did not.

As a result of the altercation, Aldi says Michael was banned from the store because he became aggressive towards store colleagues and that staff have the right to refuse service to anyone that does.

And while he admits he did become heated and “frisbeed” a cottage pie onto the conveyor belt after a staff member tried to check his bag, he says he was arguing profusely but did not become physically aggressive to any of the staff.

After the interaction Michael says he spoke with a police officer who told him: “It is illegal unless you’ve got reasonable suspicion to check your bag.”

Consequently, he rung up Aldi customer services to tell them how the situation made him feel and was told by one employee he wasn’t banned. But then an employee called him back and told him he was still barred.

Customer services told him staff can ask to check the bag, but, when you decline they must honour this and should not insist or persist.

The grandparent to eight, said: “I feel violated. You’re in the middle of the shop, they’re checking personal items. I certainly wasn’t taking out her incontinence bag in front of everyone. It’s humiliating.

“It’s not fair and it’s not right. I still feel aggrieved, there has been no apology about it.

“It is such an intrusion but it’s almost violating my character. I’m nearly 65, I’ve not stole in my life and it upset me.

“I think it’s a disgrace, they were bullying and harassing us.”

“Like other retailers, we sometimes ask to carry out routine bag checks in our stores where needed…”

Michael’s wife Jackie was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s eight years ago and he gave up his job to care for her the last four years. They have been together for 45 years.

Even if the store assistants had asked him to tip-out the contents of the bag in a private room he would have still declined the search, he said.

Michael believes he has spent nearly £5,000 at the store in the past year and has now switched to Tesco.

And although he understands the policy might be in place to prevent shoplifting, his response is: “Get some decent surveillance or get security at the door.”

An Aldi spokesperson told KentOnline: “Like other retailers, we sometimes ask to carry out routine bag checks in our stores where needed. We apologise if Mr Verrinder experienced any distress due to this request.”

The supermarket did not answer specific questions as to whether Aldi staff followed company policy when they persisted in checking a customers bag after they declined the search.