She says that the incident has “knocked her confidence”
We all know that the Aldi checkouts are not for the faint-hearted. Only the seasoned pros are able to deal comfortably with the rapid scanning and lack of holding bay for the groceries. It’s a process that has caught out many who may be more used to the calmer nature of a Tesco or Sainsbury’s.
But one mum has said her experience was so unpleasant that she was left “crying and shaking” afterwards.
Nicola Fuller was shopping with her three young children when she became involved in a tense discussion with a “disgracefully rude” staff member.
She told Teesside Live that she was left traumatised by his “aggressive approach” and the “ferocious” speed of the conveyor belts.
Nicola added that the member of staff refused to slow down his scanning, even when food began to fall through the packing area onto the floor “like a slot machine.”
“He could see my struggle and when a tin finally fell, I began crying and shaking,” she said.
“I knelt to the floor to pick up the food while simultaneously trying to watch my children.
“I asked the cashier to please stop scanning through more food and that it felt like he was throwing the items at me.”
But she said that all she got was a “blunt and aggressive” response, with the cashier accusing her of “not packing quickly enough,” before calling her a “liar” for her accusations.
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Another member of staff eventually took over, and Nicola described them as “very lovely and understanding.” But she admitted the incident had affected her confidence.
She explained: “Shopping with three children can be challenging enough without suffering panic and anxiety at the checkout and leaving the store in tears.
“I was shocked how someone in customer care could disregard my struggle with no empathy or care whatsoever. It’s totally unacceptable.”
The mother said she has reported the incident to the company’s customer care ream, who say they have raised it with the area manager.
“Normally I pop into Aldi a couple of times a week, but I’ve been putting it off,” she said.
“I’ll have to face it at some stage, but the experience has really unnerved me and I’ll be steering well clear of that particular employee.”
She said: “I’ve never liked the checkouts. It’s always a rush, and the area is so small. I’ve never had an experience as horrid as this one though.”
An Aldi spokesperson said: “Our colleagues are trained to work at a pace suitable for each individual customer. We have spoken to Ms Fuller to apologise for her experience at the Guisborough store and hope to see her again in the future.”
