Lush staff intimidated/accused my dd and her friends

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Dd 15 had Christmas money/ vouchers to spend in Lush£30. Went in with 2 lovely girls from school and were smelling perfume testers. Approached as per usual by sellers, one girl didn’t turn round to listen and carried on smelling. None had anything in their hands.Seller then told said girl off for being rude and said it looked suspicious. Went over to speak to other staff who collected in a huddle and started watching them. Girls left as felt uncomfortable but returned as wanted to spend their money and also to complain to manager.Told her what happened and that they wanted to make it clear that they weren’t shop lifters. Dd said she was very fake charming and excused their behaviour by saying they get shoplifters in the store. Manager proceeded to follow them round the store pestering asking if they wanted anything in particular/if they had decided what they wanted to buy yet even whilst they were paying for bath bombs. All other staff doing the same and taking in turns to follow the girls with eye signals. Then all followed them to door and watched them leave the shopping centre through window.

Dd is devastated/ mortified and vowing never to return. She used to love Lush. I’m so pissed off as this was a cheer up trip. They work hard at school and my dd doesn’t generally have money to spend in there.Upstairs in her room now really upset. I could bet your bottom dollar I wouldn’t have experienced the same and surely you need good grounds to accuse and intimidate anybody.

Should I complain to head office?

I don't want to sound harsh but I wonder if schoolgirls complaining to the manager came across as a little snotty. I be a bit if one of my teenagers told me they'd demanded to see the manager because a sales assistant had spoken to them about being rude.

Sadly this is just the treatment young people get sometimes, similar happened to me in Claire’s when I was young, had been carrying around a nail varnish to buy but then decided I’d get earrings instead as couldn’t afford both, the cashier accused me of pocketing it because I hadn’t put it back where it belongs, so I went and grabbed it and put it back where it belonged to prove I didn’t steal, she then made me go bring it to her before she would serve me. It put me off going in there tbh and I haven’t bought from there since. Tell your dd not to sweat it, some store workers are just cows. There’s a right way and a wrong way to go about it.

They’re always like that. I only shop in lush if I have my dog. The staff are too busy fussing over her to give me any kind of sell , then I can choose things in peace.

Reading this thread has awakened my deep and long standing dislike of Lush and its stinky products.
It offends my nostrils that I have to smell THAT smell miles before I even walk past their shop.
Stop polluting my nose Lush.
And YANBU OP.

Teens are known for exaggeration I’m afraid. I’ve no doubt some of the story told is spot on, but I’ve worked with teen girls, and they tend to elaborate. Your post has so much detail as to what happened despite the fact you were not even present which makes me think there may have been a few bits included by the girls purely for drama.

I never shop in lush but had to go in as I was with someone who wanted to buy something. I had my 2 month old daughter in her baby sling on my chest fast asleep when an assistant came up to me and very loudly said "excuse me, do you know you have a baby attached to you" which then woke lo up. She then proceeded to talk to me even when I was trying yo leave. Will not be going back again. I am sorry that your daughter experienced that, I think you should defiently complain and let your dd help word the email so she'll get some experience in wording complaint emails if in the future should she need to again

OP - I don't know about bath bombs but Ethique and Earth Kind do nice bath bits!

Of course they're not going to go home and say they were misbehaving - it's always the stupid sales assistant that has wronged them.

Possibly, though if they had been mucking about, I doubt they would then have gone back in to complain.

I’m sorry this happened to your daughter. This is why I avoid shopping on the High Street and prefer online. I suspect many others do too.

I’ll never forget the time I was in M&S, a woman and her grown up daughter walked out because they were being followed by security (I was nearby so overheard their conversation). I felt awful for them.

Whatsmore once shop staff have identified someone who they deem to be suspicious I’m sure they then share that info with other shops so they can keep an eye out. This is all very well if they’re sure they are dodgy but a TOTAL invasion of privacy if not.

No wonder high-street shops are struggling so much if they treat their customers like that 🤷🏻‍♀️

I really feel for teenagers sometimes. DS 15yo has noticed a definite increase in shop staff/security interest in him when he goes in stores (even a wariness with other shoppers) and I have witnessed this myself. He sees it as an injustice in that typical teenage black and white way. I try to explain to him about statistically teenager steal more than other groups but he just sees it as victimisation.

Trouble is, a lot of shoplifting takes place after school.
A lot of students come into our town to get/change buses and often pop into shops. It’s interesting to note that the cosmetic/facial care displays in the supermarkets are covered up mid afternoon and you need to ask a staff member if you want something from that display. I asked , once, why , as it always bemused me, and was told that it was store policy due to shoplifting when the students left school at home time.

Unfortunately DW likes the shite that Lush produce.

I hate it: the place stinks and so does the attitude of the Gestapo, sorry, staff. Hope your DD is ok and never goes back to that stinkhole.

Gestapo staff

Lucky escape, lush products are rank- send her somewhere else for a treat next time

I agree teenagers are one of Lush's main markets and if Lush is going to charge teenagers the same amount and would treat them as harshly as other shoplifters if they were caught shoplifting they should also treat them as politely as other customers too. On the other hand the overhelpful sales people are just part of the Lush experience along with the overwhelming cloud of scent that makes me wonder why anyone goes in there.

Most rapists happen to be men. I suppose I’d better start treating all men like they’re rapists. FFS

You’re being followed at night in a quiet area. You’re telling me you wouldn’t be more worried if you were being followed by a man than by woman? Of course you profile men as more of a threat.

So basically if you’re a girl and go shopping with friends you can be treated like shit.
A group of teenage boys shopping would be treated with even more suspicion.

My girls used to order toiletries online because they said they were harassed in shops.Our town centre is dying on its feet so it's a real pity.

I was once put in hospital due to a horrendous UTI I got from using one of their bath bombs. Nearly lost my baby. Yes, really. Not lying. Showed paper bag with ingredient sticker to Gynae Consultant and he seemed pretty certain when he saw one ingredient in particular. Obstetrician said I wasn't the first to have a horrendous reaction to a bath bomb.

I was on a catheter for 8 days

I use one particular product from Lush, and when I need it, I go in, grab it, pay and leave. I’d love to browse leisurely, but the staff make it impossible.

Maybe its the way they are trained?
I wouldn't say trained. I'd say it's something you are forced to do or you lose your job. In some ways I loved working there, in others it was godawful.

Should add that it's not just Lush though. Everywhere makes you do it these days.

When my son was a teenager on almost every train journey he was regarded as a fare dodger. Once he got on train and sat opposite door whilst I was still getting on. The guard yelled at him to sit further down the train. I said come on ds we'll sit just here and guard spluttering because he hadn't seen me earlier.
It was a shit few years and I think there's a lot of little despots who enjoy bullying teens.
Unfortunately your dd will just have to get through it until she looks a bit older.

Lush staff are shits at the best of times x