Customers abuse staff at Woolies

Published on Tuesday 23 December 2008 09:09

SHOP assistants at Woolworths are being verbally abused by shoppers demanding bigger discounts during the failed chain's closing-down sale.

Signs have been put up by bosses at the Lothian Road branch asking customers to respect staff as "fellow human beings".

It comes after shop assistants – who are facing redundancy when the branch closes at the end of the month – were said to have been subjected to swearing and threats at the hands of some frenzied shoppers who wanted to haggle over the already heavily discounted goods.

One member of staff told the Evening News: "There have been quite a few customers coming in and demanding larger discounts because the shop is closing down. When we tell them it's not in our power to do that, they can get agitated and some have been very abusive toward us."

A colleague added: "Some customers are stressed. It's going to be an expensive Christmas and when you combine that with the usual festive shopping conditions, it seems some have decided they can't afford manners this year."

A spokeswoman for Woolworths condemned the incidents but insisted it did not "represent the broader picture".

She said: "Obviously we do not tolerate any kind of abuse against our staff and have security in place to deal with any incidents that get out of hand. On the whole, we have not received complaints from staff that indicate an increase in this sort of behaviour but we do take any complaints we receive very seriously."

Tollcross councillor Joanna Mowatt said reports of abuse were "despicable".

She said: "It is very disappointing that people are behaving like this when staff at Woolworths face, through no fault of their own, so many uncertainties.

"I have no sympathy for people who behave this way toward any member of the local workforce, and I do not think it's a fair representation of shoppers in this area as a whole.

"It is a terrific shame that the end of an era for Woolworths customers in Tollcross has been marred by such inconsiderate and rude behaviour."

Administrators confirmed last week that all Woolworths stores would close, at the likely cost of 27,000 jobs, after failing to secure a buyer for the business.

Woolworths, which launched in the UK almost a century ago, will begin shutting on December 27.