Ill treatment

Dear Shoprite Customer Service,

I would like to lodge a formal complaint regarding the treatment my partner and I received at one of your stores today.

When we entered the store, we had a trolley containing items we had purchased from Woolworths, as well as plastic bags containing items purchased from another store. None of these items had been purchased from Shoprite.

The security lady at the entrance instructed us to leave our trolley outside before entering the store. We did not have an issue with this and comp**** with her instruction.

However, while we were shopping and later standing in the queue, we noticed another customer who had a trolley containing items from another store. This customer was allowed to enter the store with her trolley, while we had been instructed that we could not do the same.

My partner approached the security staff to ask why we were being treated differently. Instead of receiving a reasonable explanation, the matter was laughed about and treated as a joke. When I also questioned the situation, the security staff continued laughing. I made it clear that this was not a laughing matter and that we were simply asking why the same rule was not being app**** consistently to all customers.

We were then told that another security staff member, Chavalala, had allowed the other customer to enter with her trolley. This does not resolve the issue. If the store has a rule regarding customers entering with trolleys containing goods purchased elsewhere, that rule should be app**** consistently to everyone.

Our concern is also about the manner in which we were treated. We felt embarrassed and humiliated because a genuine concern was laughed at instead of being handled professionally. This is not about race or colour; it is about fairness, consistency and respectful treatment of customers.

Furthermore, if customers are required to leave their belongings at the entrance, there should be proper security and supervision of those belongings. We had no assurance that our Woolworths purchases would be safe while we were inside the store. If anything had gone missing, who would have taken responsibility?

I am therefore requesting that Shoprite investigate this incident, including the conduct of the security staff involved, and provide us with an explanation as to why one customer was permitted to enter with a trolley containing goods purchased elsewhere while we were instructed to leave ours outside.

I would also appreciate a formal apology for the manner in which my partner and I were treated. Customers should be able to raise legitimate concerns without being laughed at or made to feel like a joke.

I look forward to receiving your response and confirmation that this matter will be addressed with the relevant staff and security personnel.

Kind regards, Dineo Serobanyane