Giant Food has announced revisions to its bag and minor policy in D.C. and select Maryland stores, with changes effective this week that alter how customers and their belongings are handled, aiming to mitigate retail theft. According to a statement obtained by DC News Now, shoppers can bring backpacks no larger than 14″ by 14″ by 6″ into five D.C. locations, provided they consent to having their bags tagged prior to entry and searched before exit.
However, amid the policy shift, only five of the seven Giant Food locations in D.C. will implement the backpack tagging system. This amendment leaves customers at certain stores with the prospect of navigating shopping without their larger bags, a measure that has attracted both support and criticism. As per the WUSA9 report, unaccompanied minors are also subject to new restrictions. Starting tomorrow, individuals under the age of 18 are not allowed entry after 6 p.m. unless with an adult, in selected stores.
While Giant Food SVP of Operations, Diane Hicks, conveyed the company's intention to address community concerns through the adjusted policy, customers have expressed mixed feelings. As reported by DC News Now, Andrew Kelly, a shopper at the Shaw location, expressed his support: "The tagged bag is fine," he also added, "There is a security guard present but sometimes if the security guard is busy with something else you have a bunch of unattended bags." However, other shoppers, such as Cavonn Ellis, voiced discomfort, saying, "I understand the reason for doing it, but it's weird. And if that's supposed to be theft protection, it's not going to work."
On the community response front, ANC Commissioner Alexander Padro told NBC Washington that the "retail theft problem is going to continue and it makes more sense to invest in some lockers and have a policy that’s easy to enforce," suggesting an alternative to Giant’s current approach. The new rule for shoppers under the age of 18, he noted, will likely stir controversy. Echoing the sentiment of inconvenience, customer Justin Sessions said, "I’m not really too fond of it, but I understand why it's in place."
For clarity on which Giants locations are adapting to these new policies, customers are directed to the following lists. These D.C. Giant stores will allow tagged backpacks and ban unaccompanied minors after 6 p.m.: 1400 7th Street, 300 H Street NE, 4303 Conn Ave NW, and 1345 Park Road, NW. Conversely, the stores at 1535 Alabama Ave SE and 1050 Brentwood Rd NE, as well as the Maryland locations at 5150 Sinclair Ln, Baltimore, 20 Audrey Lane Oxon Hill, 4119 Branch Ave Marlow Heights, and 5500 Silver Hill Rd District Heights, will still enforce the backpack prohibition and minor restriction post-6 p.m., as detailed in reports from WUSA9, DC News Now, and NBC Washington.
