Right of Admission Researched

There are plenty of shops, bars, pubs, hotels, restaurants and eateries that have the sign ‘RIGHT OF ADMISSION RESERVED’ displayed on the outside of the establishment.

It is usually as small sign that attracts no attention until, of course, you are refused entry into the shop or kicked out of it. The Right of Admission Reserved sign means just that-the store owner or management are allowed to deny entry to potential customers without giving just cause. The decision as to who is allowed in or not is usually up to the store owner’s discretion, which can be in good judgement or not. This Right of Admission Reserved notice also allows the shop security to search your bag or your person at their own discretion. A store owner in Windhoek whose shop displays the sign said that on top of ensuring that customers have a pleasant shopping experience, the sign also allows them to protect themselves. ‘There is a lot of shoplifting that happens, and robberies too, so as a shop owner I have to control who comes into my shop. People that look obviously suspicious are not allowed into my store.’ While this is reasonable and every shop owner has a right to protect themselves, their merchandise and other well meaning customers, sometimes customers can be subjected to unfair and prejudiced treatment on account of this clause. In some cases wrongful profiling of a potential client can result in them being denied entry into a store, or being forcefully searched, making the potential clients shopping experience a negative one. Shoplifters don’t always look or dress like shoplifters and aren’t always easy to point out. Many customers have complained that they feel victimised when a shop security guard subjects them to a search at the door. ‘If I walk past the sensors and they go off then I think it’s okay for them to search me. But if the sensors don’t go off then they don’t have any right to search me,’ says one customer. This is true for shops with sensors, but shops without sensors have to apply different methods of trying to catch shoplifters, and in most cases the method will be the mandatory search at the door. Until the Consumer Protection Act comes into place, and gives customers legal recourse when it comes to outlining a customers right to enter a premise of her choice or to refuse a search, very little can be done. Shop owners are however encouraged to train their security staff not to act on subjective profiling of certain people, but rather have a transparent and equal approach when it comes to preventing shoplifting and theft. If there is a mandatory search at the door, then the mandatory search is for everyone, regardless of race, gender or ability. It is also important to have a female security officer search a female customer’s bag and person, and the same for men. As an entry and exit point of your establishment, the security officer’s approach and attitude can make or break a shopping experience. In fact, unless the store has a reasonable grounds to search you, they may not do so. If a store wants to search you but has no reasonable suspicion to base this search upon, you may refuse.

In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.

The Namibian uses AI tools to assist with improved quality, accuracy and efficiency, while maintaining editorial oversight and journalistic integrity.