Tesco and Sainsbury's shoppers could be hit with a penalty charge notice while "just nipping in" to one of their stores, if they park incorrectly.
Sainsbury's says it "regularly monitors" its car parks, and this includes keeping an eye out for people who are parking in parent and child bays without actually having kids with them.
Any parent will know how difficult it is to manoeuvre yourself and at least one child into and out of a car, often with a trolley nearby, in a regular-sized parking space.
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This is why most supermarket car parks have designated, larger, spaces for people shopping with children. These bays allow parents to safely buckle little ones into car seats and fold a pram or buggy, among other things.
But analysis from Confused.com found many people use these bays without actually needing to. The excuses most often given is that people were "just nipping in" for a few minutes, or because there were no other spaces available.
As most supermarket car parks are on private property, there are no official government or council-level rules on these bays. That means it’s not illegal to park in a parent and child space without a child. But you could get a Parking Charge Notice (PCN), the same as you would if you overstayed in a car park.
Sainsbury's said it clearly signposts its parent and child bays, and anyone found to be misusing them could be hit with a parking fine. The ECHO understands people are also at risk of a PCN if caught using these bays incorrectly at Tesco.
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