To Whom It May Concern,…read more
Today, I experienced an incident at your store that left me deeply disappointed and disrespected. While shopping, I noticed two employees at self-checkout focus their attention entirely on me. Despite having only eight items--far fewer than others checking out--I was watched, followed, and made to feel as though I was doing something wrong simply by existing in that space.
What should have been a simple shopping trip turned into a display of implicit bias and profiling. I was attempting to complete two separate transactions, a normal process that seemed to suddenly become a problem for your staff. The unnecessary remarks, the hovering presence, and the invasive scrutiny were both unprofessional and unsettling.
When I addressed the issue directly--pointing out that not every individual of my ethnic group behaves the same way--it appeared to baffle one of your employees. Rather than reflect on my words, she attempted to correct me, further exposing her own assumptions. I reminded her that making assumptions without evidence is the root of bias, and that following and observing someone based solely on perception or stereotype is unacceptable.
What made the situation more disturbing was the contrast: multiple white customers with overflowing carts stood unbothered in the "13 items or fewer" section, yet I, with my eight items, became the focus of scrutiny. This is not a coincidence--it's a pattern that many people of color recognize all too well.
No one should be made to feel criminalized for existing. No one should be treated like a suspect for simply trying to make a purchase. The entitlement to stand behind a customer, to invade their personal space, and to assume authority over them reflects a deeper, systemic problem that goes beyond customer service--it reveals unconscious prejudice at work.
I will not be returning to this location, nor will I spend my money where basic respect is not extended equally to every customer. However, I hope this serves as a wake-up call. This type of conduct does not just harm the person it targets--it harms your brand, your integrity, and the humanity we are all supposed to share.
Discrimination--whether conscious or subconscious--has no place in your store, your staff, or any environment that serves the public. I strongly encourage management to address this issue through proper training, accountability, and awareness, so that no one else has to experience what I did today.
