Extremely distressing and unsafe experience - Lidl Streatham High Road
I had a deeply upsetting and unacceptable experience at Lidl today.
After paying in full for my shopping, I was stopped by a security guard who claimed that a colleague had instructed him to check my bags. When I calmly asked which colleague had made this request, he was unable to identify anyone and then denied that any colleague had said this at all. This inconsistency immediately made me feel unfairly targeted.
When I questioned this treatment, the situation escalated in a shocking way. A tall male member of staff ran out of the store aggressively, shouting and attempting to physically confront me. His behaviour was threatening and intimidating and he had to be physically restrained by other staff members. This occurred publicly, over shopping that had already been fully paid for.
I had done nothing wrong. I paid for all items and posed no threat. Yet I was subjected to humiliation, intimidation, and aggressive behaviour that made me feel unsafe in the store. Because of this hostile environment, I requested a full refund as I no longer felt comfortable remaining there.
This store has serious issues with:
* Unjustified bag checks after payment
* Staff giving conflicting and misleading explanations
* Complete failure to de-escalate a situation
* Aggressive and threatening conduct by staff
* Customer safety being compromised
No customer should ever be treated this way. I have escalated this incident to Lidl Head Office and expect a full investigation, including CCTV review and staff accountability. Until this is addressed properly, I will not be returning. read more