Reply #37: It's a store policy. Nothing more.

[Pithlet]

Their policy to ask people to show receipts is no different than any other millions of policies that corporations come up with every day. It doesn't have the weight of the law behind it. There is a law in place that minors can't buy alcohol, and there are laws in place that state bars can and sometimes have to ask you for ID. There are safety laws governing what you can take on an airplane. There isn't a law that states people have comply with a store's request to look at a bag or receipt. That's the difference. Therefore, the store cannot force you to comply. They can ban you from ever coming back. But they can't act like you're a criminal, because you broke no law. Failing to comply with a store's policy isn't a crime, unless that policy has the weight of the law behind it, like ID checking for liquor.