Baywatch 2025: Are supermarkets doing enough for disabled people?

Disabled Motoring UK launches nationwide on survey of retail car parks

People with disabilities depend on schemes such as the Blue Badge permit and provision of dedicated parking bays at destination car parks in order to go about their daily lives in an independent manner.

However, it is all too common to find parking spaces intended for people with disabilities being misused. Disabled Motoring UK (DMUK) is addressing this problem with the return of its revised Baywatch campaign. 

The Baywatch campaign highlights the ongoing abuse of disabled parking bays and Blue Badge misuse in supermarket car parks, calling for greater operator accountability.

Baywatch invites disabled motorists, and those who travel with them, to complete a short survey each time they visit the supermarket between 2 July - 15 August. The biennial survey provides data on issues they encounter when parking. When the campaign last ran, in 2022, DMUK received over 1,000 responses.

Graham Footer, chief executive of DMUK, said: “For many disabled motorists, finding an available, properly enforced parking bay remains a persistent challenge and disabled people feel at risk of being judged or harassed, particularly those with hidden disabilities. 

“Across the UK, disabled people often face additional daily challenges, heightened now for many by uncertainty over their financial support. While the UK has the means to remove many accessibility barriers, private car parks often lack commitment to prioritising these improvements.

“Disabled Motoring UK is addressing this with the return of its revised Baywatch campaign this July. The campaign highlights the ongoing abuse of disabled parking bays and Blue Badge misuse in supermarket car parks, calling for greater operator accountability. 

“With little evidence of enforcement, disabled motorists sometimes feel pressured to put their personal safety at risk by challenging disabled bay abuse. DMUK wants all disabled motorists to feel safe, confident, independent, and respected. It’s time for greater accountability in both public and private parking.”

Demand for accessible parking is rising sharply, with 52 Blue Badge holders competing per accessible bay and nearly 3 million badge holders across the UK, including a 10% increase in England last year this is of no surprise. These issues reflect a wider accessibility gap across public spaces and car parks, disadvantaging millions of disabled consumers nationwide:

• 40% of customers have been forced to leave car parks because there were no available suitable spaces. This is very disappointing considering 36% reported non-badge holders occupying accessible bays, according to a recent Confused.com report (June 2025). This is an increase from DMUK’s 2019 Baywatch campaign which reported 20% of bays were being abused.
• 4 in 10 disabled people said they can’t visit local shops because they are inaccessible. (Purple Pound)
• Nearly 1 in 10 people admit to parking in disabled bays without a permit, often due to a lack of spaces, being in a rush or “will only be a few minutes” (Confused.com June 2025)
• Over two-thirds (67%) of Blue Badge holders have never had their Blue Badge officially inspected (Baywatch 2022)

This year campaign focuses on six major retailers – Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons, Aldi, and Lidl. Graham Footer said: “Considering 1 in 4 people have a disability in the UK it should be in Supermarket’s interest to ensure they don’t lose custom and loyalty from their disabled customers. At the moment supermarkets lose £501m a month through lack of accessibility (The Purple Pound). By gathering real-world data, DMUK can present this data to the parking operators and supermarkets showing the need for prosecution and encouraging them to change their attitudes towards abuse and misuse.”

The survey results will be release shortly after the survey closing date in August.

Support for Baywatch

Baywatch is endorsed by Dr Shani Dhanda, an award-winning disability inclusion and accessibility specialist.

“Accessible parking bays aren’t just a nice-to-have - they’re a lifeline,” says Dr Dhanda. “Without them, so many disabled people are shut out of everyday life, whether that’s getting to work, buying food, going to appointments, or just being part of their community. When bays are misused or not properly enforced, it sends a really clear message that our access and independence aren’t a priority. Baywatch matters because it’s not just raising awareness – it’s holding people to account and pushing for real change.”  

The campaign is supported by a wide range of organisations, including Disability Rights UK, Transport for All, Independent Living, Phab, Allied Mobility, Motaclarity, Surewise, The Outdoor Guide, Euan’s Guide, AVC, Hidden Disabilities Sunflower and the RAC. 

My Blue Badge matters

DMUK members and people with disabilities have expressed the importance of the Blue Badge scheme and shared their experiences via past Baywatch surveys.

• DMUK member (male): “I went to a supermarket, which had 25 Blue Badge bays, all were full, only 10 cars had badges the rest had no badges on display, the supermarket said the car park was policed by a private company. I had to try parking elsewhere, it caused problems when my wheelchair lift blocked the car park access road.”
• Andy S, Baywatch contributor: “A father and adult daughter got out of a car which had no blue badge. My daughter politely asked if they had forgotten to put the Blue Badgd on display, the abuse that followed was disgusting. I then approached the man and received the same. Security witnessed it and did nothing. I thought it was going to get physical, I walked away.”

The survey

Participants who complete the survey will be entered into a prize draw to win one of two £50 M&S gift cards, and are encouraged to complete the survey multiple times during the campaign. 

The survey can be found here: www.surveymonkey.com/r/BDWGZTT 

About Disabled Motoring UK 

Disabled Motoring UK (DMUK) is a national charity providing advice, advocacy, and campaigning for the rights and accessibility of disabled motorists. With a nationwide membership and with over 16.1 million disabled people in the UK, millions of whom rely on private transport, DMUK is dedicated to empowering independence and ensuring journeys are accessible from home to destination. 

DMUK works with local authorities, government bodies, Blue Badge fraud investigators, parking operators, service stations, and disability organisations. DMUK runs the Baywatch campaign to tackle Blue Badge misuse.  The charity also shares ownership of the Park Access accreditation, whose aim is to improve parking, road safety, EV infrastructure and access provision for disabled people, while also supporting scooter and wheelchair users, families, and carers. 

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