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| A model accessibility sign |
You might have seen reports on the refusal of Asda to lend an instore mobility scooter to a disabled man, because he declined to offer them his name and address and his allegation that several security guards escorted him from the shop.
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/uk-news/asda-mobility-scooter-row-after-34201210.amp
Based on the reporting available so far, this appears to be a situation where both sides have understandable positions, but there are also legitimate questions about consistency and customer service.
What Asda's policy appears to be
Asda has publicly confirmed that it is company policy to ask customers borrowing an in-store mobility scooter to provide "a few details" (including name and address) before using one. The company says this is done for the safety of colleagues and customers and that the policy applies across all stores. It has also written to Mr Daniels explaining the policy and offered to discuss the incident further.
The Widnes store advertises that mobility scooters are available as part of its accessibility services, alongside wheelchairs and disabled facilities.
Why Asda may ask for details
Although Asda has not published a detailed public policy explaining every reason, retailers commonly request personal details because:
They are lending valuable equipment.
They need to know who is using a scooter if there is an accident or medical emergency.
Scooters occasionally leave the store or car park.
It provides accountability if equipment is damaged or abandoned.
It allows staff to identify who is using the scooter if assistance is needed.
Those are all reasonable operational and health and safety considerations.
Mr Daniels' position
Mr Daniels also raises understandable concerns.
According to the reports:
he is 73,
uses two walking sticks,
has recently been diagnosed with cancer,
says he regularly uses a scooter at another Asda branch without being asked for personal details,
refused to give his address "on principle",
says he felt humiliated after being surrounded by several security guards and asked to leave.
If his account is accurate, the differing approach between stores is significant because it creates confusion about what customers should expect.
The bigger issue may be consistency
Perhaps the most interesting health and accessibility story isn't whether Asda has the right to ask for details, it almost certainly does on private property.
Instead, the questions are:
Are all Asda stores applying the same policy?
Have staff been trained to explain why the information is needed?
Could customers be reassured about how their personal data will be used?
Does requesting this information comply with all relevant data protection laws?
Was there a more compassionate way of handling a disabled customer who was already distressed?
Many disagreements can be avoided simply by saying:
"I'm sorry, but it's company policy. We only use your details for safety while you're using the scooter."
That explanation may have prevented the situation from escalating.
A balanced conclusion
On the information currently available:
Asda appears to have been within its rights to require personal details before lending one of its mobility scooters, provided this genuinely is company policy.
Mr Daniels was equally entitled to refuse to provide those details.
Once he refused, Asda was entitled not to lend the scooter.
The unresolved question is whether the interaction could have been handled with greater empathy and consistency, particularly given Mr Daniels' age and health.
For a That's Health audience, there is a broader issue worth exploring: accessibility is about much more than ramps and mobility scooters. It is also about ensuring disabled customers are treated with dignity, that policies are applied consistently, and that staff communicate those policies clearly and compassionately.
We have looked an Asda's website and it has no information that we could easily find as to their rules regarding borrowing mobility scooters. That's an important point in itself.
We searched for Asda's published policy and, despite Asda telling the media that requesting a customer's name and address is "company policy", we could not find any publicly available page on Asda's website explaining:
who may use the scooters,
whether providing personal details is mandatory,
exactly what information is collected,
why it is collected,
how long it is retained,
or what happens if a customer refuses.
That lack of transparency is newsworthy.
For comparison, many town-centre Shopmobility schemes openly explain their borrowing conditions online. Some require users to register and present proof of identity and address before borrowing equipment, together with information about data protection and terms of use.
Asda, however, appears simply to say after incidents such as this that the requirement is "company policy", without making that policy readily accessible to customers.
"If Asda requires disabled customers to hand over personal information before using a mobility scooter, why isn't that policy clearly published on its website or displayed prominently in stores?"
That raises several perfectly reasonable questions:
Is the policy applied consistently across all Asda stores?
What information is required, just a name and address, or something more?
Is photographic ID ever required?
Under what legal basis is the personal data processed?
How long is the information retained?
Are customers given a privacy notice before providing it?
Why do some customers report using scooters without being asked for any details?
Those are questions about transparency rather than criticism.
If shops do claim to abide by various protocols and offer to help people with disabilities, then it would seem logical to have signs in the shop outlining in easy-to-read notices in a prominent position stating what disabled people can expect from the shop and, conversely, what the shop can expect from the disabled person in return.
To learn about Shop Mobility Schemes visit their website
https://www.shopmobilityuk.org/find-a-centre
