Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons shoppers warned over car park 'age limit'

Make sure you pay attention to the small print the next time you drive to the supermarket

Shoppers who go to major supermarkets such as Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons are being warned to be careful when parking to avoid falling foul of the rules. Failure to abide by them could see you slapped with a fine.

Supermarket car parks tend to have signs showing the various rules about parking there. Many of them relate to how long you can stay, but others can be more specific.

Given that most supermarket car parks are free, few people think too hard about the terms in these car parks - but they do exist. And one relates to parking with a child.

In almost all supermarkets, there are dedicated spaces for parents to park with children. These were commonly known as mother and child spots, but are now dad-friendly too to be more inclusive.

What you may not realise is that these parent and child bays often have an age limit. If your child is aged over 12, you often can’t use them any more. Even if you have a 13-year-old in the car and you are just nipping in for a loaf of bread and you want to park near the front of the shop, you could still be penalised.

As Avalon Motor Co explains: “In almost all supermarket car parks. You’ll find designated spaces for parent and child parking, and they’re usually closer to the store doors to save parents having to cross more of the busy car park than is necessary.

“Whilst it can seem ambiguous as to who can park there, we’re here to clear things up: you can park in a parent and child parking space if you’re entering the shop with a child that is under 12 years old. The age of 12 is used as the limit, as this is the age up to which a child must be secured in the vehicle using child restraints, such as child car seats.

“If you’re going into the shop on your own and leaving a child with another adult in the car, you must use an ordinary parking space.” If you’re caught using them when you’re not allowed, you could be issued with a fine, known as a Parking Charge Notice.

This is because most supermarket car parks are actually run by third party companies, and some even use cameras for enforcement, and failing to pay the fine could see you landed in court.