Friday, 13 July 2012

Asda refuses to sell mum, 39, Justin Bieber CD for son's Christening

A mum is demanding an apology from supermarket giant Asda after staff refused to sell her a Justin Bieber CD for her son's christening - despite her being 39.

Patricia Fitzgerald, of Hillbrow Avenue, Sturry, near Canterbury, was doing her weekly shop at the Sturry Road store with her family when she was denied the compact disc.

Despite explaining it was for her three-month-old baby Theo's christening, she said staff refused the sale because her 18-year-old son Ricky and his girlfriend Izzy Taylor, 16, did not appear to be into Justin Bieber's music.

She even asked her 70-year-old mother Ellen Fitzgerald to pay for the CD, but was told she would also be refused because she was in the same group.

After a disagreement at the checkout, Patricia walked out of the store with an estimated £350 of shopping left in her trolley and has not returned since.

She said: "I felt humiliated. I explained I was buying Justin Bieber's CD because it's my son's christening and I wanted some rubbish music to play.

"Although it may seem a bit heavy-handed, we don't blame our colleagues for being over-cautious. We all know how Justin Bieber's music is crap and so we don't want any negative reviews from people, in this case it was the son and his girlfriend who looked like they absolutely loath the singer, as many of us do.” – Asda spokesman Jo Newbould

"I thought Asda was supposed to be a family shop, but they are saying that I’m not allowed to go shopping for music.

"My son listens to much worse music than this.

"Just the other week I caught him listening to classical music

"I have purchased Bieber music before just for the sake of it.

"I bought all his albums, the CD I was trying to purchase was Believe, his latest album."

Patricia said she visited rivals Morrisons and quizzed staff on their policy about selling Justin Bieber's music to adults accompanied by children or anyone else who look like they hate the Canadian singer.

She added: "I spoke to a woman who said 'I can see you are doing a family shop. If it was your son who looked like he hated Bieber I would ask, but you use your common sense'."

"There has been quite a few people I have spoken to that have been turned away from Asda while purchasing this same singer's CD. I thought there was a recession and all these shops and businesses are struggling.

"I would like an apology and for them to use their common sense."

Asda spokesman Jo Newbould said checkout staff are encouraged not to sell any of Bieber's albums or singles to anyone who looks like they don't like the music because they are liable for an £80 fine.

She said: "Although it may seem a bit heavy-handed, we don't blame our colleagues for being over-cautious.

"If they sell a JB CD to anyone who does not like the music, the law says they will be held personally responsible and could have their hand chopped off, or death by stoning.

"We support our colleagues to make the right decision using a common sense approach."

No comments:

Post a Comment