Formal Complaint Regarding Unfair Treatment and False Accusation by Security Staff

Yesterday I went to Sainsbury’s while holding an energy drink that I had bought earlier from a local shop. As I started shopping, I noticed that the security guard was following me around from place to place, pretending not to look at me. I wasn’t sure what was going on, so I smiled at him and continued my shopping.

Before I finished, I went to the snacks section, which was busy because it was a weekend afternoon. The security guard approached me. When I smiled at him again, he said, in a rude tone, “Why do you keep smiling at me like a drug addict on the street?” I was shocked and confused. I asked him why he was following me and if everything was okay.

He said it was not okay and accused me of taking a drink from the shelves and drinking it inside the store. I told him I had brought the drink with me from outside and asked him to check the CCTV to confirm it. His response was, “Even if you brought it from outside, you need to tell the staff before drinking it in the shop.” I told him I’ve been coming to this store for three years and no one has ever said that to me.

He then told me to “step back” and said I was standing too close to him. He accused me of trying to “play games” and embarrass him, and he suggested I was acting like a shoplifter. This was humiliating, especially in front of other customers.

I asked for the manager. The manager was nearby the whole time but pretended not to be involved. When I explained the situation to him, he supported the security guard without checking the CCTV. He said the security guard had the right to approach any customer if he was suspicious. I told him it was unfair and unprofessional to embarrass and accuse me without evidence. The manager was also rude and didn’t seem to care about how I felt. I couldn’t help but wonder if I was being treated this way because I’m a foreigner with an accent.

I left the store feeling humiliated and upset. I couldn’t sleep because I kept thinking about how unfairly I was treated. I’ve been shopping at this Sainsbury’s for three years since I moved to this country, and nothing like this has ever happened before. I have always been respectful, and I try my best to represent where I come from positively.

I want to know what I should do. Should I report this incident? How can I move on from this experience? Essex, England