Clothing Store In Australia Enforced ‘No Food And Drink’ Policy On A Toddler In A Pram – Shuts Down Business Post Outrage

A mother wheeling-in her kid at a popular clothing store in Australia had the shock of her life, when she was asked to take the feeding-bottle out of her son’s mouth as per the company’s ‘No Food/Drink’ policy.

While it is routine to ask patrons to turn-in their eatables and drinks at the counters of cinema halls, theaters and stores as well, a mother was given a choice of either taking the bottle out of the infant’s mouth or leave immediately. The incident happened at a clothing store in Bunbury. The store, a popular multi-store and multi-brand franchise that sells clothes and accessories refused to allow a mother to feed her toddler while he was being wheeled around in a shuttered pram.

Incidentally, shoppers in Bunbury have often spoken out about the “unreasonable” food and drink policy of the business. But the discussion erupted with renewed vigor after a local mother, who only wanted to be identified as Alissa, posted an outraged comment about her experience in women’s clothing store, Flirtatious.

Alissa said she had just entered the store on Monday with her 11-month-old baby in a pram, when she was approached by the store owner, who proceeded to inspect the closed-in pram. Unhappy with what he saw, he asked the young mother to take the bottle out of her son’s mouth because there was a “no food and drink policy” in the store, reported WA Today.

Surprised and outraged, the only words Alissa could speak were ‘how rude’, before storming out of the store.

“My initial response was to exclaim ‘how rude’ and immediately leave the store. I was shaking with outrage that someone could have the power to request that I either remove the bottle from my son’s mouth or leave the store altogether. It is first and foremost a mother’s instinct to protect their child – in this instance removing the bottle would have caused him great distress and possibly result in a crying tantrum.”

Alissa confirmed she is well aware of the rules and their significance in a clothing store, but asking a mother to pull out the feeding-bottle from the mouth of an 11-month old baby is simply outrageous,

“I accept that food and drinks are not permitted in many stores as they are a significant cost to the clothing industry from damage acquired through drink spillage and soiled garments. I cannot accept that my son, who is only an 11-month-old baby, is unable to continue drinking his bottle while I browse this clothing store”

Alissa was pleasantly surprised and overwhelmed when her protest against the store on Facebook started receiving overwhelming response. In the end, the power of the social media and the momentum it can cause, forced the store to down its shutters for good.

[Image Credit | Offset, Bunbury Mail, Google Maps]