Asda has issued a safety warning for customers playing Pokémon Go in stores.
The retailer advised customers against running in stores or abandoning their trollies while playing the game, which has millions of users in the US and launched in the UK last week.
In a tongue-in-cheek piece of advice, Asda also warned players against shouting in celebration and scaring other customers when they catch virtual Pokémon, which can be found in various UK locations including retailers.
It also advised customers who managed to catch a Pikachu during their shop to tell a member of staff, who would congratulate them over the tannoy.
On a more serious note, the retailer also said parents should accompany children at all times, as the game posed a risk of unsupervised children engaging with strangers.
The retailer stressed that players were welcome to use the store WiFi and use the Asda cafes to play the game in comfort.
“We all want our customers to enjoy finding a Pikachu at the pizza counter, or a Jigglypuff at George, but we acknowledge that there have been some concerns about the distractions caused by the game,” said an Asda spokesperson.
“So today’s guidelines will help everyone catch those highly sought after items safely - not to mention Pokémon too.”
But other retailers seemed unconcerned by the craze. Waitrose and Morrisons confirmed they would not be issuing safety warnings and Sainsbury’s has not replied to the request for comment.
Meanwhile, many retailers are embracing the opportunity to engage customers through the popularity of the game.
Anti-food waste retailer Love Health Hate Waste is offering a 10% discount to all customers who can catch a Pokémon in or around their store in Market St, Rotherham.
The retailer, which resells health food beyond its best before date, says customers can save 10% by showing a store assistant a photo of their catch or share a picture of the Pokémon on social media with the hashtag #lovepokemonhatewaste for the discount online.
“The popularity of Pokemon Go is exploding,” said Love Health Hate Waste MD Gavin Edley.
“We love the connection that it brings between computer games and real life, and we think the game will help to bring people back to the high street and support bricks and mortar retail stores once again. That’s why we are showing our support back to the players with this discount.”
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