Alixe Galatis was stunned by the exchange (Image: Kennedy News and Media)
A mother claims she was ejected from Tesco by a security guard who worried her outfit might encourage a pervert to undo her tie-back top and leave her “exposed”. Alixe Galatis visited an Essex branch of Tesco on June 26 with her children to do a food shop when temperatures reached a record-breaking 37C.
As conditions were “very hot”, the mum-of-three was dressed in a black v-neck top that fastened at the back. However, as she headed towards the “Scan as You Shop” section, she said a male security guard approached her.
Alixe claims he informed her she couldn’t enter the shop as her backless top could be “untied” by other customers and leave her “exposed” during the heatwave.
The 31 year old fetched a gym jumper from her vehicle and placed it over her back and shoulders, concealing the offending tie, and was subsequently allowed inside to finish her shopping.
Stay-at-home mum Alixe claims that as she departed the shop, the security guard shook his head with “disdain” at her outfit. Tesco said they were “really sorry” to hear about this experience and that “this should not have happened” and will contact Alixe directly about the matter, reports the Daily Mirror.
Alixe says she will avoid Tesco during the next heatwave (Image: Kennedy News and Media)
Alixe, from Essex, said: “It was just after the school run, I think it peaked around 36, 37 [degrees] or something crazy.
“The clothes I was wearing I had been in all day, I’d been in other shops and there wasn’t an issue until I walked into Tesco, I was with my kids as well.
“The kids were picking up the scanner and then the security was standing behind us and when I turned around he said ‘you’re not allowed in here’.
“I said ‘why not?’. He said ‘you can’t come in here wearing that top because it’s got a tie-up at the back’. I was just really confused and the kids were a bit stunned.
Alixe said she is concerned by the precedent the move sets (Image: Kennedy News and Media)
“I don’t know why but he wouldn’t give me any eye contact and I think because I wasn’t moving he carried on and said ‘someone can untie your top’, so basically just leave me exposed.
“Again, I looked at him so confused because that’s something that I’ve never even thought of. I said ‘okay so can I go and buy a top then because I just want to get the shopping done?’ and he said ‘no you’re not allowed in at all’.
“It was just so bizarre. The only thing I had in my car was my gym jumper. It was so hot and I was thinking ‘I can’t physically put this on, so I put it over my shoulders so it was covering my shoulders and my back.
“We did our shop, I had the jumper around me, and then on the way out he was watching me walk out. He was looking at me with such disdain and just shaking his head at me.”
Having left the supermarket and submitted a formal complaint, Alixe says she is troubled by the message the episode conveys to other women, especially her young daughters.
A Tesco spokesperson said: “We are really sorry to hear about this experience. We want everyone to feel welcome in our stores and this should not have happened.”
Alixe claims her eldest daughter, who is nine, has become worried about what her mother wears when nipping to the shops.
Alixe said: “I was just completely shocked. Why should I not be allowed in the shop? If someone ever, God forbid, tried to undress me in Tesco why would that be my fault?
Alixe says her daughter is now worried about what her mum wears to the shops (Image: Kennedy News and Media)
“It was very ‘victim blaming’ mentality, it was just crazy. It’s definitely not a policy, I was not exposed, I was not wearing a bikini bra. My eldest, is now more conscious around what I’m wearing when I’m going into the shops.
“She now thinks that that top is not appropriate to be worn in Tesco because of what this man was saying. They’re at a young age where they are very impressionable.
“Sometimes I pop into Tesco wearing gym gear and no one’s ever stopped me. It was just so bizarre that it was this top and that he said ‘someone can untie it and leave you exposed’.
“Should you not be more worried about those who are untying people’s clothing rather than stopping the person who is dressed?”
Alixe’s video went viral (Image: Kennedy News and Media)
After the incident, which she shared online to an overwhelmingly supportive reaction, Alixe says she’ll be avoiding Tesco during the next heatwave.
Alixe said: “The vast majority agree that the top was absolutely fine and that they should be focusing on the people that assault me rather than the clothes I am wearing.
“I will definitely be avoiding Tesco if it comes to another heatwave because I have quite a few tops or dresses that are a halter neck style, so your back is out.
“I honestly don’t believe my daughter would like me going to Tesco wearing something like that again because of what happened.”
The video Alixe shared went viral, racking up more than 53,000 likes and comments. One wrote: “Escalate this, it’s not acceptable.”
Another commented: “I am flabbergasted. I honestly think the world is going mad.” One added: “Should write a complaint of discrimination and harassment while shopping that you felt uncomfortable and vulnerable.”
