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Current Law Gives Priority to Elderly in Supermarkets and Influences Service Organization in Chains Like Assaí and Carrefour, Sparking Interest in How These Establishments Comply with the Rules and What Measures Can Be Taken in Case of Non-Compliance.
Entering a large supermarket, pushing the cart through crowded aisles, and facing long lines at checkout can often be a time-consuming task.
For people over 60, this journey can become even more difficult, especially when there are mobility limitations or health issues.
In this context, a law in effect requires chains like Assaí, Carrefour, and other establishments to organize service in a way that ensures priority for the elderly.
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Brazilian legislation defines this priority as a right provided by law, and not merely as a courtesy.
Law 10,048 establishes priority service for individuals aged 60 or older, as well as people with disabilities, pregnant women, nursing mothers, individuals with reduced mobility, and other groups considered vulnerable.
The Elderly Statute reinforces this provision by expanding the protection of the elderly population and stipulating that service in public and private facilities must respect the dignity of this age group.
Supermarkets, hypermarkets, and wholesale clubs fall within this set of services.
In practice, this means that large chains, such as Assaí and Carrefour, as well as smaller markets, must structure their service with priority lines or checkouts, appropriate signage, and teams prepared to recognize who is entitled to priority.
Preferential Service and Compliance with the Law
When the legal norms are applied, the effect is directly reflected in the shopping experience of elderly consumers.
Lines identified as priority, with signs positioned visibly, facilitate access for those over 60 to faster service.
This reduces the time spent standing and the need to carry weight while waiting at checkout, which, according to health professionals, can help reduce physical strain on individuals with reduced mobility.
According to retail specialists, the organization of preferential service can also improve the overall flow of lines.
By correctly separating priority customers and distributing other consumers among the remaining checkouts, the establishment tends to reduce conflicts and complaints in the payment sector.
In this scenario, compliance with the law primarily benefits those entitled to priority, but it can also reflect on the general perception of service organization.
On the other hand, reports from consumers and organizations advocating for the elderly indicate that priority application does not always occur regularly.
In some establishments, the preferential line exists only in signage, without being observed in practice.
There are cases where elderly individuals are instructed to stay in regular lines or have their priority questioned by other customers, especially during peak hours or when few alternative checkouts are open.
Legal Obligations of Supermarkets Like Assaí and Carrefour
The legislation is not limited to a generic indication of differentiated treatment.
It establishes a obligation for companies that provide public service.
Chains like Assaí, Carrefour, and other supermarkets need to structure their services in a way that allows the priority provided by law to be effectively exercised.
This includes both the physical adaptation of the space, such as the arrangement of checkouts and signage, as well as guidance for employees on who belongs to the priority groups.
Consumer and elderly protection agencies emphasize that when preferential service is not offered or is denied without justification, it can result in a violation of the norms protecting elderly individuals and the Consumer Protection Code itself.
In these cases, the issue becomes not just an inconvenience in daily life but is also a situation that can be reported and investigated by the relevant authorities.
How to Identify If the Market Is Complying with the Law
Even without knowing all the articles of the legislation, elderly customers can observe in their shopping routine whether the establishment adapts to legal requirements.
In supermarkets that follow these rules, there are typically dedicated checkouts for priority service, with readable signs positioned above or in front of the lines.
In many cases, employees explicitly and directly guide elderly individuals, pregnant women, and people with disabilities to use these lines and intervene when there is uncertainty about who may stay there.
Some stores also adopt specific ticket systems for priority groups, a resource that helps control the order of service, according to store managers.
When this occurs, priority is integrated into the normal operation of the service and does not depend solely on the customer’s insistence to be respected.
Reports of Disrespect for Priority
Conversely, there are establishments where priority is not realized.
Reports sent to consumer protection agencies and elderly councils indicate situations where there is no clear differentiation between regular and priority lines, nor visible signs indicating the right to preference.
In other cases, there is a lack of guidance on who can use the priority line, which leads many elderly people to give up claiming this right and wait in regular lines, even with greater difficulty standing or carrying carts and baskets.
Organizations monitoring the application of the Elderly Statute assess that situations of this type may violate the dignity of elderly consumers and undermine the objective of the law, which is precisely to reduce access barriers to services.
When this preferential treatment is not observed, it opens the door for questioning and potential administrative liability of the establishment.
What to Do When Priority Is Denied
According to guidelines from consumer protection agencies, when priority is not respected, an initial measure is to seek out a responsible employee in the checkout area or the store management.
In various cases reported to these agencies, the issue is resolved locally, with permission to use the priority line or the opening of a checkout designated for priority customers.
If the situation persists, the consumer can file a formal complaint.
State and municipal consumer protection agencies receive complaints related to violations of preferential service and can initiate administrative procedures to investigate the case.
In addition, supermarket chains often maintain their own customer service channels, such as customer service hotlines and ombudsman services, where customers can report the incident, indicating the date, time, and location where the issue occurred.
In more serious or repeated cases, which involve, for example, public embarrassment or impacts on the health of the elderly person, attorneys specialized in consumer and elderly rights point to the possibility of bringing the case to the Public Prosecution Office or to the special civil court.
In such situations, legal guidance assists in assessing potential damages and choosing the most appropriate path for seeking compensation.
Monitoring and Awareness of Elderly Rights
Experts in public policies for the elderly emphasize that the existence of the law, in isolation, does not guarantee the automatic compliance of priority in all establishments.
The combination of regular monitoring with awareness campaigns regarding the rights of elderly individuals is pointed out by these professionals as a way to bridge the gap between what is written in legislation and the reality of daily service.
The involvement of consumers and advocacy organizations is also seen as a pressure factor for changes.
As elderly individuals and their companions begin to file complaints, seek guidance from official channels, and prefer establishments that respect priority lines, retail chains tend to strengthen internal training, adjust procedures at checkouts, and enhance signage to avoid fines and customer loss.
Researchers studying population aging and consumption remind us that Brazil is undergoing a process of increasing the proportion of elderly individuals in the population.
According to these studies, ensuring adequate service in compliance with the law for this demographic is part of a broader set of policies and practices aimed at accessibility and inclusion.
In light of this scenario, to what extent has service in Brazilian supermarkets and wholesale clubs reflected, in practice, the priority rights established by law for those who have turned 60?
Teve sorte. Já presenciei uma agressão de um jovem a um idoso em uma fila de farmácia. E outra deixou de usar a fila com medo. Eu mesma prefiro evitar a confusão, embora já tenha me metido em muitas , a gente vai cansando de exigir o respeito aos direitos. E em um mundo de gente violenta que machuca e mata por nada, quem quer arriscar ?
Ter 60 anos e ser chamada de pessoa idosa num país de população envelhecida, porém ativa (perspectiva de vida aumentada), é descabido. Tem muita gente de 60 anos dando de 10 x 0 em muita gente de 30… Além do mais, as filas preferenciais sempre estão mais cheias e são mais demoradas. No caso dos supermercados, é preciso ter vários caixas para atender uma população extensa…
Poucos estabelecimentos atendem a lei, a população em geral tem pouca empatia pelos idosos faltam conscientização nas escolas sobre as leis e direitos. Os mais jovens não aprenderam a respeitar os seus antecessores sexagenarios.