A carer has vowed to never shop in Asda again after he was told to leave the supermarket because staff didn’t like the way he shopped.
Matthew Scholes was humiliated during the incident on March 5 when he was doing his weekly shop after a 12-hour night shift at a care home. The 49-year-old was being followed by a staff member with a clipboard and was told to leave the store in Thornaby, in Stockton-on-Tees, when he got into the alcohol aisle.
Despite his efforts she kept repeating herself and he had no choice but to put his basket down and leave the shop, reports Teesside Live.
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He contacted the supermarket giant about the incident and was left stunned by their response.
An email sent to him by ASDA Executive Relations said: "I have spoken to the store leadership team who have informed me they do not like the way you shop. I appreciate this may not be the response you were looking for and I am sorry for any disappointment this may cause."
The company says that their colleagues can ask shoppers to leave if they suspect them of "suspicious shopping behaviour".
Matthew, who has worked in the care industry for more than 30 years said: "I feel discriminated against and humiliated. I picked up a bottle of Ouzo and, at that point with a bottle in my hand, the woman said 'can I have a word? I want you to leave the shop right now'.
"I said 'what's going on, I haven't done nothing wrong, I haven't stolen anything'. She was repeating herself over and over again like a parrot. The only other thing she said was 'we have seen you in here before'. I was just so stunned. After the fifth time she said leave the store I had no choice but to put my basket down and leave the store.
"The email said they have had a word with the team and they don't like the way I shop and that's it! It's ridiculous, there's no explanation. I have not done anything differently, I have just shopped the way I have always shopped."
Matthew said he was placing food and drink items, such as cheese and energy drinks, into his basket before he was approached.
He has now been racking his brains all week to try and understand what the company meant by their response.
The care worker said: "My coat was open and I had a baseball cap on. I wasn't acting suspicious, it just makes no sense. I'm baffled. If they have seen something in my manner and the way I do my shopping, I was completely oblivious to it.
"I made a point of saying 'I'm a key worker during the pandemic'. I thought that may show my character but obviously, it didn't do any good."
Matthew said the incident has had a negative impact on his work and has left him constantly checking to see if anyone is looking at him when he visits other supermarkets.
He added: "It is just wrong. I have been shopping there since that store became ASDA. Even when Aldi and Lidl opened I stayed loyal to ASDA. The other morning I went to Aldi, I thought I'm done with ASDA now. I have told a number of people and they are just as surprised and stunned. My family aren't going to shop in ASDA anymore."
A spokesperson for ASDA said: "Whilst asking a customer to leave is always a last resort, if our colleagues suspect any customers of suspicious shopping behaviour then they can ask them to leave the store."
Teesside Live asked the company if they had contacted the police but the store did not comment.
Matthew told Teesside Live: "I'm a full-time worker, I have got no reason to steal. I have always paid for my goods. I have tried to get the message across that I'm a genuine person and I have never had problems shopping before. That is disgusting, it's a bad case of mistaken identity. I'm shocked about the whole thing. I'm glad I'm not going in there anymore if they are going to treat people like that."
