To think it's because I'm black?

[notamumsymum]

Walked to co op this morning as OH has taken my car today. So me DD and DS went to pick up some fruit & veg for today.
I don't normally shop at co op I normally go to Asda or Tesco sometimes M&S.

Anyhow one of the staff in there followed me around the whole time then proceeded to wait for me at the door. I was so frustrated at this point I said I'm not stealing anything! She said well we have to be sure. Then I thought let me go back in and see if she is still waiting by the door and shock she was gone.

Aibu and just paranoid? Or am I allowed to be this angry!

Good grief, of course it's because you're black. Every bloody study done clearly demonstrates racial profiling in shops etc.
Sorry this happened to you, she was clearly racist.

Well I'm white, and I'm not aware of ever having been followed in a shop, pushchair or not. I'm sure there are many, many more like me. Yes, there will be white people that get followed in shops. Let's face it, in the UK there are a lot more of us. But I'm pretty sure that the percentage of black people that experience this will be much higher.

Is it a Co op policy? I say this because my aunt, aged ninety was followed in the Co op and she (being very feisty) turned round and said, "Do you think I'm a shoplifter? I have been coming in here every morning for the Telegraph for ten years!" She then asked to speak to the manager and said she was highly insulted. The manager said that there had been a spate of shoplifting and perhaps the security guard had been a bit over enthusiastic. (Probably it's easier to follow a small elderly lady than a big guy with a bottle of vodka...)

I've been followed around. I'm white and I'm a very indecisive in shops. I keep picking up things and putting them back. Drives shop security bonkers.

'I hate it when people bring race into it.'

What an absurd comment.

How inconsiderate of black people to notice racism and want it to stop.

I always get followed really closely in boots or Superdrug. I like to play by going w and aisle then quickly double back as the wee woman in Superdrug gets really annoyed. The security dude boots is always ‘just passing’ when i’m looking at stuff. I like to crouch down to see the bottom shelf stuff lol. I’m white and very boring I would hate to think anyone would be followed due to their skin colour....are we really still doing this crap? Skin colour is just pigment it doesn’t turn someone into a criminal!

If this is the first time it has happened then think yourself lucky.

Come on, man.

for you OP!!!

nonsenceagain

Yes I think anyone who this has happened to once gets how intrusive it is. So I do think people should think them selves lucky to not have had years of this shit

I am white but have a bit of mixed heritage so not exactly English looking.
On holiday abroad no one thinks I am from the UK.

'I hate it when people bring race into it.'

That sounds like your white privilege speaking.

I'm sorry OP but it does highly suggest it had to do with race. Otherwise you're just a mum of 2 doing her shopping.

Works two ways . Assuming here the shop worker was white ?

In our Co Op a black security guard used to follow me . I am white. In the end one day I left the damn trolley and walked out . I am no thief and the fact he obviously thought I was pissed me off.
Don't matter if you are black or white , some knobs follow people round OP

If this is the first time it has happened then think yourself lucky.

Yeah, I’m sure that’s the first time this black woman has suffered from racism.

complain notamumstmum

I think you are part of a group they are targetting, I'm white and I know there is a difference when I am out alone or with white friends and when I am with husband who isn't white.

I don't think you are in the only group that gets targetted, I remember when I was 17 and heavily pregnant and I was followed round a big department store, presumably my bump was a three piece suite and a dining room table, well it was a big bump. I had nothing to do, was killing a couple of hours after hospital appointment and meeting my sister so instead of wandering off to another shop I just walked round that shop for two hours. Of course I spent alot of times in areas where I thought they would be more worried, expensive make up, perfumes, designer handbags. The member of staff looked very fed up when I left the shop and turned to wave to her.

The fact that more than one group gets targetted doesn't make it OK and I'm pretty sure you were targetted for your colour and I was targetted for my bump. For all the white women who are constantly followed why do you think that is because lets be honest shops don't have enough staff to follow everyone on a one to one basis.

Every shoplifter I've ever seen (and there's been a few!) has been white and male. I'm sorry this happened to you OP, she was racist and I would complain

I'd say yes that's probably the reason. My mum was Turkish and noticeably not British, and she used to experience security guards following her round M&S. She couldn't have looked less like a shoplifter imo, small sweet middle-aged lady who made an effort with her appearance - the only thing that marked her out were eastern features and a darker skin tone.
Sure they do this to white teenagers too, but they're teenagers who are always a bit more likely to shoplift. It's one thing to keep an eye on silly kids showing off to their friends and another to follow ordinary grown women around a shop purely because of their ethnicity.

I’m a white female and I always get followed around shops, drug swabbed and searched at airports etc. I hate when people bring race into it.

But in OP's case it probably IS race that's led to the informal 'profiling', which is horrible. She's best placed to make an educated guess why they've treated her that way.

In your case, is probably something else they're stereotyping you for. Also horrible.

OP that’s awful. It may very well be because you are black, I’m not sure you’ll ever know but I would complain.
I was followed around a shop in a well know chemist chain not long ago. I’m white. He followed me up and down and literally stared at me the entire time I was shopping. He was a very large man and made me feel so nervous. I emailed and complained and I got a very apologetic phone call not long after.
I must have a suspicious face because it’s always me who is picked on to be frisked at the airport and bags checked etc.
It’s a nasty feeling and if they have made you feel this way based on your race only rather than any tangible suspicions I would be complaining no question.

It more of a class thing than a race issue when spotting shoplifter.
Also mums are known to be high on alert for looking for potential shoplifters.

I thought it was well known that these awful 'security' disproportionately target black people? Superdrug are VERY bad for it - in several different branches I've seen black women being followed for no reason and one woman shouting at the security guard because he always follows her.

Awful for you OP - definitely complain if you want to.

Yes it probably was because you were black but I'm white and am followed a lot (I look young, have a pushchair, spend far too much time in Waitrose that the security guard is clearly suspicious of me 😏)

Definitely complain. I was once very obviously followed around a store, the security guard was about a metre behind me at all times. I purchased the item I wanted but probably would have bought more if I hadn't been followed. I complained, the response said they had reviewed the cctv and agreed the security guard was inappropriate and they sent me a £25 voucher as an apology.

Don't matter if you are black or white , some knobs follow people round OP

It does matter. Black people are far, far more likely to be 'profiled' as criminals. There are tons of statistics on this, but as an example: www.theguardian.com/law/2018/oct/13/racial-bias-police-stop-and-search-policy-black-people-report

So to the white people who are saying 'Yes, but I've been followed too', I'm sure that's true - but the difference is, you can then walk out of the store and the experience is over. You aren't followed by these kinds of biases throughout your day to day life.