Woman is approached by security at Asda and asked for proof of purchase. She believes it was racially motivated.
They started to leave the checkout area when two female staff smiled at them. Suddenly, a male worker ran toward them, asking for proof they bought the candle, which made Melanie and her daughters scared.
Melanie showed him the receipt right away. She wondered why they suspected her daughter and saw the worker look at the smiling staff, thinking they had alerted him.
Melanie felt the incident was “traumatic” and believes race was a factor. She is South Asian, and her kids are mixed race, leading her to feel like they automatically assumed wrongdoing.
Melanie grew up in Wales, lived in London, and returned to Wales in 2023. She now lives in Sully with her family and works as an inclusion specialist.
Melanie asked why they stopped them, questioning what made them think her daughter stole it. The employee didn’t give her a good answer, and she felt very upset by this treatment.
After leaving, Melanie phoned customer service, who told her to complain in person. She returned to Asda after thirty minutes, wanting to complain and return the candle because it now held a bad memory.
She talked to a supervisor who seemed sorry and said he’d look into it, despite being unable to explain why it occurred. Asda has not contacted her since.
Melanie won’t shop at that Asda again, feeling self-conscious and nervous now. She and her daughter are shaken up after they just wanted to see her mom.
Melanie thinks she experienced racial profiling, as no other reason for being stopped makes sense. They felt happy, not like shoplifters.
Asda said they want positive self-checkout experiences and staff may check receipts if unsure. They say it can be frustrating, but they act with good intentions.