Supermarkets are failing disabled customers

Baywatch 2025 reveals widespread misuse of disabled parking bays

Supermarket chains are failing to protect parking spaces designated for disabled people, the latest Baywatch survey reveals.

The nationwide survey, conducted by the charity Disabled Motoring UK (DMUK), also reveals concerns among disabled motorists that they are being forgotten about in the move to increase provision of EV charging at supermarkets.

There is little evidence of improvement since the survey was last held in 2022. 

The data reveals disabled bays in 86% of reviewed car parks are being misused, and 75% of the respondents at some point have felt watched or judged, or received negative and intrusive comments for using disabled bays.

In addition, only 25 out of 1,007 respondents surveyed a supermarket which provided accessible EV parking.

The survey, which ran from mid-July until mid-August, gave people the opportunity to complete a 5-minute survey each time they visited one of the following supermarkets – Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons, Aldi and Lidl. 

DMUK received 1,007 responses. Tesco was surveyed most frequently 32% overall, Morrisons least often but it still received over 100 surveys. 

The survey’s main intention was to reveal how extensively disabled bays are abused and misused while challenging parking operators to step up and improve their services. The survey also revealed information on other challenges disabled people face and the number of EV charging bays per car park. 

For many disabled motorists, finding an available, properly managed and enforced parking bay remains a persistent challenge and disabled people feel at risk of being judged or harassed, particularly those with hidden disabilities. 

Disability activist Dr Shani Dhanda sets out the need for change: “Accessible parking bays aren’t just a nice-to-have - they’re a lifeline. 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 managed or 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.” 

This year’s Baywatch campaign has been supported by a range of organisations: 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.

The full report can be found on the campaigns page of DMUK’s website. Click here

Baywatch 2025: The results

The survey was split into two sections: disabled badge misuse and electric vehicle charging 

Disabled bay misuse

The vast majority of the car parks reviewed had a minimum of one vehicle misusing the disabled bays. 

Unsurprisingly only a small portion of all car parks had no disabled bay misuse, 113 car parks (out of 860 for accuracy of results). Revealing that 86% of car parks had at least some disabled bay misuse. 

• Highest recorded misuse: Asda had 97% of their car parks disabled bays being misused. 
• Lowest recorded misuse: Aldi scored best although still relatively high at 77% 

EV bays

• Highest percentage of accessible EV bays per car park: Tesco had the most accessible EV bays, Morrisons scored 2nd highest.
• Car parks with least EV bays of any type: Asda and Aldi

 

Key observations

Accessible parking bays per car park: 4-9 disabled bays were most common in the supermarkets surveyed, accounting for 30.29%. 

Cancelled supermarket trips: 79% have either had to source parking options elsewhere or had to cancel their trip to a supermarket entirely (57%).

The experience of disabled bay users: 49% have felt watched or judged for using disabled bays, 27% at some point had received negative or intrusive comments, totalling 75% of all respondents.

Blue Badge inspections:

• 87% have never had their Blue Badge inspected by a civil enforcement officer.
• 93% would be happy for their Blue Badges to be inspected.

Rights and responsibilities of the use of Blue Badges: 62% find the rights and rules of Blue Badges between councils confusing and not well communicated.

Private car parks: With regard to other private car parks, the majority of respondents (75%) thought that nearly all car parks did not have enough disabled bays. Hotels and motels scoring the highest frequency. It was also revealed multi-storey car parks and airports scored worst for the experience of accessibility issues, however overall scores were lower on this question

Zoe Rush, DMUK’s marketing and campaigns manager, said: “The results are unfortunately not a surprise to us at Disabled Motoring UK, it is discouraging to see the numbers of misuse so high and to see such little evidence of change over the years, as well as such low numbers of accessible EV bays. Considering the Blue Badge system has been around for decades we’d like to see the scheme re-evaluated and ensure it fully serves the people it was designed to support.

“We encourage supermarkets to review this report and reflect on the impact these issues have on their disabled customers, on their own revenue, and on the wider parking sector. Providing signage and parking bays is not enough in terms of providing reasonable adjustments for disabled people. While operators likely comply with the Equality Act 2010 and the Private Parking Code of Practice, the results from the Baywatch survey demonstrates why this is not enough. 

“Besides appropriate accessible bay management, we also encourage parking operators and supermarkets to consider the Park Access accreditation and the Park Access EV accreditation based on PAS 1899). This accreditation ensures that the accessibility, security, provision and size of disabled bays are truly fit for purpose.”
 

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. 

The charity's 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. 

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 and shares ownership of the Park Access accreditation.
www.disabledmotoring.org