Makro responds to elderly woman's complaint about a man sent to help fit bra
"I don't know how other women would feel about this," says the shocked shopper.
Lester Kiewit speaks to Anna, a CapeTalk listener from Sea Point, who called to talk about her 'very bad' bra-shopping experience.
CapeTalk producers also contacted Makro for a response.
On 9 April, CapeTalk listener Anna, an elderly woman, had a bad experience shopping for underwear at Makro in Milnerton.
She asked for assistance fitting a bra, and the store sent a man to help her.
"I turned around, I felt somebody's eyes on me and there he was... a male. I said, 'Sorry, can I help you?' And he said, 'No, I've come to help you, they've sent me.' I said, 'You're going to help me fit a bra? I must get naked?' He said, 'Yes'. I said, 'You've got to be joking, no, I don't want your help, thank you very much'."
- Anna
Anna's husband then called the manager who said he did not understand why the couple complained.
"... [Makro's] manager's attitude - looking and asking, 'Why are you shocked?' Maybe because I'm an elderly lady and we're living in modern times, but I was absolutely insulted at the thought of having to strip down from the waist up for him to measure and fit me".
- Anna
"I don't know how other women would feel about this".
- Anna
The manager's response made Anna question if she was being 'narrow-minded', but she nonetheless emailed Makro's head office, detailing her experience.
Anna then went to another 'upmarket big store' (Woolworths, V&A Waterfront) where she was measured and fitted by a female who 'couldn't believe the story'.
In a written statement sent to Kiewit and CapeTalk producers, the retailer confirms that the incident happened and that they have been in contact with Anna while 'managing the process internally'.
"Makro representatives confirm that the incident took place on 9 April and have contacted the customer directly. The associate did not act or behave in a way that was appropriate and we are managing that process internally. We realise that this was a very unpleasant experience for our customer and regret that it occurred."
- Makro
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the full conversation.