How long should a supermarket shop take? Pak‘nSave shopper contests parking fine for being in store for more than 2 hours

How long is too long to spend going for a grocery shop?

Hastings shopper Renee Sciascia likes to scan the aisles carefully to get the best deals, but it turns out that extra time could have cost her.

Sciascia spent two hours and 20 minutes in the Pak’nSave Hastings carpark while doing a fortnightly shop for her family of five after church on Sunday, February 15.

She said she hadn’t noticed the 90-minute limit signs at the supermarket’s carpark and was “blown away” when an $85 ticket arrived a few days later.

“I just didn’t know you could be fined for shopping too long,” she said.

“I like taking my time when I shop. I do three laps, bargain-hunt.

“I shop big, and only once a fortnight.

“Some days the queues are slow, sometimes you bump into people you know and you might catch up with them.

“Every day is different.”

Renee Sciascia outside Pak’nSave Hastings with the breach notice she received after spending more than two hours in the store. Photo / Rafaella Melo

Sciascia said her $400 grocery shop that day was only possible because she had taken extra time to search for the best deals.

“I can totally understand if the time limit is being done to try and eliminate people who may not be genuine shoppers.

“But I got a ticket for being in the carpark of the shop I was genuinely shopping in,” she said.

“If you’re a real shopper, I don’t think there should be a time limit of how long you can be in the shop shopping because there’s so many different factors that could come to play.”

She appealed the fine, issued by Parking Enforcement Services - a division of Wilson Parking - and it was waived.

Parking Enforcement Services, which manages enforcement at the site under contract, said it could not comment on individual customer cases for privacy reasons.

The letter waiving the fine stated that if shoppers require more time, they should speak with customer service at Pak‘nSave to arrange an extension and avoid breach notices.

Foodstuffs said the 90-minute limit at Pak’nSave Hastings exists to ensure its limited parking spaces remain available for customers during busy periods.

Sciascia said the experience had made her consider switching to another supermarket in the region, many of which allow longer parking, including 180 minutes at Pak‘nSave Napier.

Hawke’s Bay Today asked other shoppers how long they typically spent doing their groceries.

Jed and Ellyn Banaag, who shop weekly for a family of four, said 90 minutes worked for them, but did not necessarily think it would for everyone.

“For us it’s enough. It takes us about an hour to do our weekly shopping,” Jed said.

“But for bigger families or older people, I don’t think they can do a fortnight grocery [shop] in 90 minutes,” Ellyn said.

Jed and Ellyn Banaag, pictured at the Pak’nSave Hastings carpark, say 90 minutes is enough for their weekly shop but may not suit everyone. Photo / Rafaella Melo

Ruche Pant, who shops more frequently and spends about 20 minutes at the supermarket on each visit, didn’t realise there was a time limit.

“I shop two or three times a week ... For me, 90 minutes should be enough time.”