Wondering whether you can shop at Walmart without any shoes on?
Different stores have different policies when it comes to shopping barefoot.
Below, we answer all your questions on this topic!
Are You Allowed to Be Barefoot in Walmart?
Many Walmart stores may ask you to leave if you shop in their store while barefoot. While no specific law exists about whether shopping barefoot is legal or illegal, many Walmart stores will encourage wearing shoes while shopping for safety.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Some Walmart stores may ask you to leave if you shop barefoot.
- There is no law for or against barefoot shopping.
- Walmart doesn’t want you to potentially hurt yourself by stepping on something while barefoot in their stores.
Below, we explain in detail why Walmart doesn’t want you to shop barefoot at their locations!
Why Do Some Stores Say You Cannot Be Barefoot?
Some Walmart stores will specifically state that you cannot shop barefoot. You may see this on a sign out front before you walk in. You could also see this anywhere the store’s policies are listed.
Technically, there is no law that states you can shop barefoot — or that you cannot shop barefoot. Many companies may also not have any clear guidelines or policies regarding this issue. As a result, individual stores and managers decide where they stand.
Some Walmarts say that you cannot shop barefoot because of cleanliness, safety, and concerns for other shoppers. Walmart workers like to keep the store clean as much as possible — even though some customers may feel they don’t do enough in this department.
Walking around barefoot could cause some workers and other customers to worry about cleanliness. Walmart may also prohibit barefoot shopping when thinking about their other customers.
Let’s be honest. There aren’t a lot of people that will be comfortable looking at other customers shopping without wearing any shoes.
Finally, safety is essential at Walmart. If you shop barefoot at a Walmart location and step on something (such as glass), the store will have a major issue on its hands. Therefore, they’ll want to keep this from happening — and could ban barefoot shopping as a result.
Can Walmart Kick You Out for Being Barefoot?
If a specific Walmart employee sees that you are barefoot, they could potentially ask you to leave. It really just depends on the employee and the specific Walmart you’re shopping at.
Other times, you may not have any issue at all being barefoot. As shopping barefoot is neither legal nor illegal, different Walmarts deal with barefoot shoppers in different ways.
But yes, Walmart could potentially kick you out if you are shopping barefoot. If they ask you to leave and you refuse, you then could face legal repercussions.
Can Children Always Walk Barefoot at Walmart?
Children may get more of a pass when it comes to shopping barefoot. For example, if your young child that is sitting in your Walmart cart doesn’t have shoes on, most Walmart employees wouldn’t care.
They’re sitting in the cart, not walking around barefoot. Therefore, this is no danger that they will step on something or hurt themselves.
Now, if your child is walking around barefoot, employees may ask them to either put shoes on or leave. Again, safety is very important to the store. Walmart doesn’t want you or your child harming themselves because you are walking through the store barefoot!
Conclusion
While no law exists about barefoot shopping, many Walmarts will ask you to leave their store if they find that you are shopping barefoot. Walmart wants to ensure that you are always safe while shopping in their store.
If you’re barefoot, you could accidentally walk over something (such as glass) and harm yourself — and Walmart does not want this!
So, while it’s technically not illegal to shop barefoot at a Walmart, some stores may have specific policies that prohibit this.
