I witnessed a retail employee being absolutely vile to an elderly man today

[Greenfinc]

This afternoon in a small branch of Lidl at the self service checkouts. Nobody was on the actual tills so no option to use them instead.

An elderly man needed some help scanning his shopping and was explaining to the employee overseeing the checkouts that he was partially sighted and was struggling to find the bar codes.

The employee was absolutely horrible to him saying being partially sighted doesn't mean he can't see and that there's a difference between being partially sighted and blind. Her attitude was vile.

She begrudgingly scanned his remaining items, as though he'd asked her to pay for them herself, and as he was collecting his change from the machine she sarcastically said "oh you managed to see that well enough did you"

I asked him if he needed any help and if he was ok and he explained that he'd had two surgeries on his eyes and couldn't see very well, and that he was only able to get about to the shop on his own as he knew and was used to it but struggled with the bar codes.

I told him I'd heard everything that woman had said to him and that I'm going to contact the head office about her and report exactly what I'd heard. He said he didn't want to make a fuss and that she was clearly just looking for an argument.

WIBU to report her to her employer regardless? I feel really sad about it and don't think somebody like that should be in a customer facing role working with members of the public. Horrible bully.

Same here- I’d have called her out on the spot.

FGS, put down the pitchfork. An official complaint is enough.

Report her but also say to her how rude she was. She is employed and able to give reasonable assistance. The poor chap.

Not necessarily

Not really. 🙄

I think it's easy to say you'd go in all guns blazing and give her both barrels but it's not always the best thing to do in the moment.

I had my small children with me for a start, they'd have been upset if I'd started a big argument in the shop. The employee would have undoubtedly argued back, such is the sort of person she was, and there would be a scene.

The man made clear he didn't want a fuss so wouldn't have appreciated me wading in and giving her what for whilst he stands there feeling uncomfortable. He was thankful that I approached him though and atleast he knows that people do care and don't condone that kind of treatment.

NOPE i would NOT have left the shop without speaking to a manager and pulling her up on that attitude how dare she berate the very people paying her wages

Thank you for reporting OP. My father has terrible sight (macular degeneration and glaucoma) and his life is very difficult as a result. He and others like him deserve compassion not abuse.

I think you handled the situation well op.

This has upset me, what a vile person this employee is. That poor man will still be thinking about it, that could be anyone of us in years to come.
Kindness costs nothing but means everything.

You should have pulled her up there and then and asked to speak to the Manager.

Cow.

People being narky can happen anywhere - I'm sure we've all had bad days at work, but the dripping sarcasm at him retrieving his change is just so mean and aggressive.

I am a long standing customer of both lidl and sldi and have found the staff, without exception, to be really excellent.

The CEO's response is wishy washy and very poor.

Her treatment of that elderly man was appallingly bullying and plain nasty.

I would consider her manner to be abusive of that poor old man.

Shame on her.

Did you include your phone number?

Did you include the photo of the woman involved?

Have you a local radio or paper?

They love that type of story.

It really upset me too. I've never seen anything quite like that in person before. I know discrimination exists but have been fortunate to never have to deal with it personally or witness it in a way like I did today.

It makes me want to find that man and do something really lovely for him to reinstate his faith in humanity. I'll probably never see him again though.

I hope he has people around him who love him.

Bloody hell, please report her!

@Greenfinc Did you realise there is still a tweet visible with her picture on it? Not the one you posted first, but another one.

I'm glad you intervened. Some people have the weirdest attitudes to those with visual impairments. It's as if they think having only a small percentage of useful vision remaining is the same as needing glasses for reading, so it's fine to treat any request for accessibility as unreasonably demanding.

I did leave my contact number on my email to the CEO yes and I also attached a picture of the employee in question. I took the picture as her name wasn't clear on the badge, it looked like it had been rubbed out. I got a bit of a bollocking for putting the picture on twitter, perhaps rightly, so have removed the picture from the tweet I made to Lidl.

Gosh no, can you send me a link please. I thought it had been completely removed.

I can understand your children being with you prevented you speaking out to someone so nasty and aggressive.

You weren't confident that she wouldn't turn on you, and frighten your children in the process.

I think you should email that to the CEO.

Disgraceful behaviour.

Elder abuse.

Ringing 101 and making a complaint would soften that womens cough.

Of course it's a stupid comment. The customer should be treated with respect whichever shop he is in. I shop in Lidl and have never seen this kind of (lack of) service. Your post reeks of snobbery.

Disgusting, report her

I’d have been calling for her manager there and then and quoting the Equality Act at her/him. As well as contacting Lidl HQ put a review on TrustPilot.

I'll PM you - don't want to share the link publicly!

Read the thread!