Anger grows over parking fines at Horsham supermarket

Sainsbury’s in Worthing Road introduced a new scheme earlier this year – but now many shoppers say they have been stung by ‘unwarranted’ £85 fines.

Previously, shoppers picked up a ticket at a machine at the entrance to the car park, had it validated after shopping and re-inserted the ticket into the machine on leaving.

Under the new scheme, shoppers are given a parking voucher at the checkouts which they then need to scan at a parking kiosk on their way out.

After scanning, the machine informs customers: ‘Nothing to pay’ if they have spent more than £10.

However, many say that they have received £85 fines despite following the correct procedure.

And many also say that they are now boycotting the store and using other supermarkets where car parking is less problematic.

One woman branded the new scheme as ‘unfair and ridiculous.’

Another said: “It's not good enough when you have spent alot of money, done everything correctly and been told ‘nothing to pay’.”

Andrew Mulligan, whose 88-year-old mother received an £85 fine, described it as ‘an outrage.’

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When public concerns were first raised over the new scheme in August, a spokesperson for Sainsbury’s said: “We recently reviewed our Sainsbury’s Horsham car parking system to make sure our customers can always get a space when shopping with us.

"Colleagues should provide a parking voucher to any customers at the checkouts which they then need to scan at any parking kiosk on their way out of the store.”

Sainsbury’s has been asked again to comment on customers’ mounting anger.