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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Boots - not Mum friendly. word of warning.

160 replies

CarolineFin · 15/03/2010 14:02

Went into boots last week to swap a pack of nappies to a bigger size. Ended up not taking them straight to the till, thought i'd check they had the size 1st. I got distracted by some perfume, mothers day presents and my phone. Went to the till and paid, walked out of the store. Was standing outside sending a text and got stopped by securtity. When i'd been talking to the cashier and taking stuff out of the buggy basket i'd missed a gift set i'd put in. To cut a long story shorrt i was in the office for 2 hours, they called the police and everything. i was morfified and called hubby in tears.

Really i just wanted to warn you, I'm sure you all know how easy it is to stuff bits in your buggy basket as your doing your shopping. I've also been banned from Boots stores for 12 months, which is crazy seeing though i'm a member of the mother and baby club and buy a lot of food, nappies etc. They also accused me of taking the nappies i'd swapped and just wouldn't listen to me, even when they'd seen the cctv.

Anyway, thought i'd share, really wouldn't want it to happen to anyone, but they don't seem to trust harressed stressed out mums in a rush. mistakes don't happen....

A most pissed off caroline xx

OP posts:
justallovertheplace · 15/03/2010 14:04

YABU
You walked out without paying. Simple

cluckyduck · 15/03/2010 14:04

Well thats not being "not Mum friendly" thats being "Not shoplifter friendly" surely?

You have my sympathies, but really how were they to know you werent a shoplifter? Anyway, you're home now, have a cuppa and get your OH to do the shopping next time

justallovertheplace · 15/03/2010 14:05

ALso, who on earth puts things in their buggy basket before paying for them? You're just askign to be stopped by security

waitingforbedtime · 15/03/2010 14:07

Not a nice experience for you Im sure but why would you put things in the buggy basket and not a shopping basket?

MathsMadMummy · 15/03/2010 14:08

Oh dear
That's horrible... on behalf of DH I should say that's not how it always is. He helped catch several mums who genuinely had used their buggies/babies to cover up vast amount of theft. Quite sick that people would do that really. And really unfair when it means people like you get punished for it!
Sorry you had a rubbish experience though, hopefully when you feel better you can write to head office or something?
((hugs))

ChickensHaveSinisterMotives · 15/03/2010 14:08

Wrong place to post this, OP YABU.

sunchild77 · 15/03/2010 14:08

Think you all being a bit harsh on OP here.

Ive done what she did and not realised until Ive got home, or my child sitting in buggy decides to show me the packet of batteries hes nabbed.

I really feel for you OP.

gingernutlover · 15/03/2010 14:10

it does seem out of order for them to be accusing you of something if the CCTV clearly shows you didnt do it (re the nappies)

but, you did put something in your buggy basket and walk out without paying for it, so they ANBU on that count.

Lesson learned i guess, dont put things in the buggy basket until you've paid for them.

I would have gone to find the right size nappies before asking for an exchange though - I think they are being unreasonable about that, it just looks bad coupled with the unpaid for item.

Original poster
CarolineFin · 15/03/2010 14:10

How do you do your shopping? with a buggy and only 2 hands I often use the basket underneath, i know a lot of other mum's do the same. And as a said, i'd taken all the items to the till and i'd been stood outside the store sending a text, not in a rush to leave.

It was obviousdly a honest mistake, as the policeman said to me and the store.

My post was just a word of worning to other mum's how use their buggy baskets. I know its not that unusual. This was my 1st post and after the response my last. Just hope none of you ever make a honest mistake.

OP posts:
paisleyleaf · 15/03/2010 14:10

"I'm sure you all know how easy it is to stuff bits in your buggy basket as your doing your shopping"

No.

Kaloki · 15/03/2010 14:11

Unfortunately there are people out there who do use buggies to hide stolen goods, and it's securities job to stop people leaving with unpaid goods. They were doing their job.

sunchild77 · 15/03/2010 14:11

Also, Waiting ~ have you ever tried to push a buggy and carry a basket at the same time?

cluckyduck · 15/03/2010 14:11

I use one of the reusable bags from the supermarket, keep it on the buggy handles and that way I can see what goes in and what goes out. I also thoroughly frisk DD at the tills!

laughalot · 15/03/2010 14:11

I shove loads of bits on the top of my buggy hood whilst im shopping must take a mental note not to do that anymore, its hard to hold a basket and push a buggy.

porcamiseria · 15/03/2010 14:12

aaaah bless, you NEVER should have put stuff in the basket tho.

DS1 has been knows to nab things when he is his buggy too, yikes

FrazzleRock · 15/03/2010 14:12

I do a weekly shop and have a double buggy. I always put shopping underneath as well as in a basket balancing on the top.
I always pay for everything but forgot about a pack of nappies hanging from the bag clip once, luckily I realised just as I was leaving!

Op - it's very easily done, my sympathies. You must have been mortified!

justallovertheplace · 15/03/2010 14:14

No it wasn't a warning. It was you trying to say 'OMG BOOTS ARE AWFUL HOW DARE THEY'. As awful as it must have been for you, this was entirely your own fault. i don't by the 'lots of mums do it' at all. I have never seen that before, and tbh if I did see people putting shopping in their baskets I would assume they were pinching it. Lots of people manage to do their shopping with their buggy, I suggest you learn how. If its one with 2 handles, just hook the basket handles over the buggy handles. If you've only got one handle, get some of these and attatch the basket to the back of the buggy. Easy

SoupDragon · 15/03/2010 14:14

"My post was just a word of worning to other mum's how use their buggy baskets"

No it wasn't, it was a complaint against Boots.

swanandduck · 15/03/2010 14:15

I would have thought it would have been obvious to security that she was not some kind of hardened shoplifter. She actually went to the till and paid for everything, bar one item and, as she said, hung around outside sending a text. Keeping her for two hours, reducing her to tears and banning her from Boots for a year sounds completely over the top.

gingernutlover · 15/03/2010 14:15

i can carry a basket and push a buggy at the same time, yes

not that hard, or if it is, then i just pop them on the cupholder or in the buggy hood, where i can see them, right infront of me. To put stuff in your buggy basket where is can mixed upw ith other shopping, looks very suspicious.

putting stuff in the buggy basket is asking for trouble and is probably what drew attention to you in the first place. I noticed when I first had dd, I would be followed round our local convenience store if i had the pram with me, and not if i didnt (we lived in quite a rough area, where a lot of shoplifting took place)

does sound like they were just nasty about the nappies though and I would complain about that, (whilst completely owning up to making a genuine mistake on the gift set in the buggy basket at the same time)

Original poster
CarolineFin · 15/03/2010 14:16

The basket was empty, except the nappies I took back. I'm a new mum and still getting used to not bumping into aisles. I've never been in trouble and did make a honest mistake. As I said before my post was to warn other mum's. Beeing in a room for 3hrs and accused of all sorts is a truely horrible experience. I just didn't want it to happen to anyone else with a young baby.

OP posts:
MarthaFarquhar · 15/03/2010 14:16

"I use one of the reusable bags from the supermarket, keep it on the buggy handles and that way I can see what goes in and what goes out"

I did that in tesco and got accused of shoplifting. I had to empty my bags and watch the security guard go through every piddling item before he was happy.

I did get vouchers and an apology though, after getting a bit medieval on customer services.

waitingforbedtime · 15/03/2010 14:16

Erm yes I have funnily enough and managed it no bother really.

Kaloki · 15/03/2010 14:16

caroline The title of your thread, and where you've posted was never going to be an easy thread for you.

It wasn't Boots fault, and you were being a little unreasonable for posting it was. However it was a mistake and one you'll obviously not make again.

TheBreastmilksOnMe · 15/03/2010 14:16

I believe it was a genuine mistake, we all get days when we are hassled however I don't blame Boots for taking such a strong stance as they must get it all of the time. I also don't think it was very wise of you to pop an item in your buggy basket. I don't think that they are being mum unfriendly either and you shouldn't really be using that to draw up ill-feeling against them. Put it behind you now, you could try writing to them, apologising for what happened, recognising your fault in it and asking them if they would reconsider un-banning you. It might work. I'm sure a genuine thief wouldn't do that.

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