Woolworths customer films excruciating meltdown after she is stopped from leaving the supermarket with ‘free fruit’ – as staff try to explain why it’s not allowed
A Woolworths shopper filmed her own meltdown after she was stopped from taking free fruit that was intended for children.
A staff member stopped the customer as she was leaving the supermarket in Dandenong, south-east Melbourne, after noticing she had not paid for some bananas and apples.
In a video shared to TikTok on Monday, the customer told the female worker she took a banana and apple because she was struggling and did not have food at home.
‘All I wanted is this free f***ing banana that you give out to kids,’ the woman yelled.
‘Why would you take the free food away from me when you know it’s hard? It’s a f***ing free banana, what are you on about. I don’t have food at home.’
The Woolworths worker calmly explained the free fruit was an initiative to promote healthy diets for kids, but adults still have to pay for the items.
Woolworth’s free fruit for kids program is aimed at children, allowing them to pick up one piece of fruit from the designated basket, to be eaten in store.
The interaction escalated and the customer, who is from Russia, accused the worker of telling her to ‘go back to your home country’.
A Woolworths shopper unleashed a scathing tirade at the checkout after she was stopped at the checkout by a staff member for not paying for fruit
‘It’s embarrassing that you told me to go back to my home country,’ the customer said.
‘You know what you’re trying to do, you’re trying to be a victim and you’re not a victim,’ the worker said.
The worker added she would have to call the police if the woman did not leave the store.
‘I have been trying to help you but when you’re crying like this and yelling and you have been abusing my team for a long time, it’s been an hour,’ the worker said.
‘I am not leaving. Call the cops,’ the customer replied.
‘It’s easier to call the cops than apologise for what you said. I did not steal things, it was free. I am not leaving until I get my apology.’
Security intervened and the customer claimed staff in the fresh produce section told her it was okay for her to take one piece of fruit as long as she told service staff she was struggling.
However, the Woolworths staff member claimed the customer had more than one piece of fruit in her cart and that is why she was stopped on her way out.
The customer claimed she had taken the fruit from the ‘free fruit’ section as she was struggling to make ends meet, however the staff member said that was only reserved for children
The customer said ‘so you never said what you said?’ to which the staff member gave in and replied: ‘Okay, sorry love about that.’
‘I’m so glad to have gotten an apology from her because saying that to someone just because they wanted a free fruit from kids section is not ok,’ the customer captioned the video.
Social media users did not agree with the customer, with many pointing out the free fruit was clearly marked for children.
‘No kid, no banana. Period!’ one person commented.
A second wrote: ‘It’s only for children to eat in store.’
‘The free fruit in Coles and Woolies are for children to eat while in store. They are not for adults to help themselves for free,’ another added.
Daily Mail Australia contacted Woolworths for comment.
