Drivers at risk of 'maximum stay' rule at Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons car parks

Drivers may not be aware of one supermarket rule, with customers at risk of being hit with charges at stores such as Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons. Certain supermarket stores will come with maximum parking stay limits, meaning road users must return to their vehicles after a designated time to avoid being penalised.

The amount of time drivers have can wildly vary between companies and locations but will usually be around two hours. Stores implementing maximum parking limits may seem counterintuitive as customers are likely inside their supermarkets spending money.

However, stores want to ensure that parking spaces remain available for genuine customers and are not instead used by commuters or tourists. Asda is among those who admit to putting maximum age limits on their car parks, revealing drivers could be it with "parking charges" if they don't follow the rules.

Asda said: "Most car parks also have a maximum stay limit, which will be displayed within the car park. Our car parks are operated by Horizon and Parkingeye who may issue a parking charge if customers do not follow the terms & conditions."

Customers at Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Tesco and Aldi are also at risk, but the stores admit that customers should check road signs around car parks for the most up-to-date information.

Sainsbury's added: "Our customers are welcome to park in most of our car parks for up to 2 hours completely free of charge. But if you're not sure, don't worry, each store has clear signs displayed with any extensions or restrictions."

Morrisons posted: "We offer free parking at the majority of our stores, but time is limited for a maximum duration. This can differ depending on where the store is located, please see signs in the car parks for more information or speak to the staff in store who will be more than happy to help."

Tesco added: "Free parking is available in most stores but time is limited to a maximum stay, depending on where the store is."

Aldi said: "To make sure there's enough room for everyone, we set a limit for how long you can park. There are signs up in all our car parks to tell you more."