to have complained to Morrisons? I feel guilty.

[FruitCakey]

Yesterday, I popped into Morrisons with my Mum for a few bits. As I was walking through the doors to enter Morrisons, I had a member of staff crash into me with great force and was shoved harshly to the side.
Unfortunately, there was a shoplifter, so naturally the member of staff chased him out of the store. I respect him greatly for doing so. However, because I was so harshly crashed into and shoved to the side, completely out of the blue it resulted in me having a severe panic attack. I was shaking and couldn't breathe, which has happened in some cases before as I suffer with anxiety and take medication for this.

I put in a complaint through their website last night, just expressing how this had affected me. I explained that while I understood and respected this staff member for bravely chasing the shoplifter, I thought that it shouldn't have been at the expense of other loyal customers such as myself. I was also concerned that if this had been anyone else, perhaps with some sort of disability, it could have resulted in much worse!

I received a phone call from a lady in customer services tonight and she was incredibly apologetic and lovely and she also said that she was sending vouchers out. I feel so guilty. Poor bloke was just trying to chase down a shoplifter. Tell me how bloody awful I am!

I reckon anyone who says you're unreasonable hasn't suffered a panic attack while in public at the same time as suffering with anxiety. Most people would've complained, if you're anything like me your guilt is triggered by your anxiety! Don't worry too much you weren't unreasonable to have complained, and it probably took a lot for you to do it so you obviously felt strongly about it. They could have seriously physically hurt someone, and they did cause you harm but not in a totally physical way.

Years ago my bf of the time worked in morrisons, he was a strapping lad and so was asked to sit in an office with a shoplifter while the police were called. He said the lad was quite jumpy but he thought that was because he'd been caught. When the police arrived they search him and found a knife, it scared my bf to think what could've happened if the lad had decided to give it a go.

I know policy has changed since then.

Sorry, not really answering your question, it just reminded me. I hope you're feeling better now, I don't think you were unreasonable to simply point out what had happened, next time they may avoid piling into an elderly person or a child etc.

Yanbu. They shouldn't be shoving people to chase someone that they don't need to be chasing. I'm glad you complained too.

YANBU I can't imagine why a shop assistant would be chasing a shoplifter - what would he do if he caught up with him?

I have a disability that affects my joints and I've just has a c-section - I would have been in a right mess had he smacked into me. Absolutely not on and you are right to complain.

Nobodies life was in danger he has obviously been watching a few too many action movies. I would have expected them to have taken good care of you though there and then.

I suffer from anxiety too and I can understand why the shock upset you .

I can see why it happened, and it was indeed an accident. I can also see that you are upset at having a panic attack, and your concerns if it had been a frail elderly person. I think it's fair enough to say something and perhaps ask for some training in the area. I doubt vey, very much that the staff member will be disciplined in any way,except a word in the ear, so I would not feel guilty.

YANBU my elderly frail mum got knocked over by member of staff in Sainsburys recently. Gave her and dad a real fright. The staff member was so upset. Manager was really lovely, first aided checked her over, shopping taken to their car and complimentary lunch was served to them. Mum has some huge bruises but she is full of praise for the manager and her team. Treat yourself with the vouchers

Not sure why a staff member was chasing a shoplifter, all you can do is 'ask' them to come back inside! You can't physically tackle them to the ground and drag them back to wait for the police.

In the clothes shop I worked in a lot of the serious shoplifters (whole rail of coats kind of thing) were drug addicts and likely to attack you if approached. One went and cut himself in store and bled HIV blood everywhere. That was fun.

I meant to say you're not U OP, not nice to be smashed into like that.

Actually I don't think that you are U, that member of staff was chasing a shoplifter yes, but surely another was nearby who could have stopped to ask if you were okay?!

Of course YANBU. At the end of the day, it's just a shoplifter. It's not as if they were chasing a violent criminal. Ordinary shoppers should not be shoved out of the way - how can a business expect to attract customers if that's how it treats them?

I've worked in shops and was always under the impression that you should never give chase to shoplifters, you should always inform the police or if your in a large store, security, and let them deal with it.

YANBU - other than perhaps to think you are awful

YANBU

Chasing thief is completely wrong according to policy & law. Knocking over random people in some kind of adrenalin fuelled rage where they can't touch the thief anyway... Not acceptable.

He absolutely should be retrained if not given a warning.

Hope you are ok

YANBU at all OP. I work retail and we've ALWAYS been trained not to chase shoplifters because we're not allowed to touch them or anything incase they become aggressive. The advice we're given is to let them go and call the police, who will then come in and view CCTV and deal with it.

I assume Morrisons has a similar policy (I also work for one of the "big 4") so this worker shouldn't have been chasing him and endangering other customers. You were exactly right to put in a complaint.

Don't feel guilty, you were right to complain. You reasonably expected to do your shopping without fear of personal harm or injury.

Yes, they have to address shoplifting, but chasing about isn't the right way to do it.

I was in my local Morrisons earlier when about five or six members of staff, including someone who was supposed to be working in the bakery and another who was in the middle of serving someone, suddenly ran out of the shop and into the car park. A few moments later they all returned and I heard them saying that a woman had been seen stealing some children's clothes.

I immediately thought of this thread when it happened, I've worked in retail for several well known chains and it has always been company policy that you do not give chance when someone shoplifts from the store, obviously there is no such policy in Morrisons, and come to think of it, unlike the other big four supermarkets, I've never seen security guards on the doors there either.