Watched a cashier utterly humiliate a girl with WIC checks...can I complain somewhere other than the store on her behalf?

[Macaela25]

I know nothing about WIC, but what I saw made me steaming mad!

I was at Publix and a young, very pregnant girl was checking out. Her cashier begain saying very loudly that one of her products was not on the WIC list, and that she needed to go back and get the right thing. My cashier (equally loud and obnoxious) turned and began shouting advice on the exact type of item needed. The girl was bright red and began to slink off to get whatever the item was when I said to the bagger, "Excuse me? I thought I was in Publix...isn't the BAGGER supposed to go retrieve items for customers??" (Not if they have WIC checks, apparently...)

This loud debate over the item went on while the bagger was away, and the girl was close to tears. She waddled out the door as fast she could once she was done....poor thing looked ready to deliver. The cashier then had the NERVE to tell the person who'd been waiting behind her..."Sorry about your wait...you know those people and their food stamps."

Let me tell you...I was HOT! I complained to the customer service desk on my way out, but they'd watched the entire exchange and never intervened .

Can I complain to someone else, perhaps at WIC? I know they are a federal program, but that's about it. There is no reason to humiliate someone like that, and it just hacks me off. Any advice?

[angeleyeza]

call corperate maybe? i dont have a publix but there is no reason for ppl to be predjuiced and so mean towards ppl with wic or foodstamps for that matter. They dont know the situation of the person maybe she had nooone else.. some ppl are just so ignorant, selfish uptight. what comes around goes around as my grammother used to say. Some day those kids will need help and they wont get it.

[CW&M Mom]

I would try publix corporate. I don't think WIC could do anything about it.

How absolutely awful. I sooo know that feeling though.

[Smee]

Store manager? If you decide to go Publix corporate, it's been my experience that a phone call goes a lot further than an email, and it will only get sent back down to the store manager for resolution, anyway. However, also in my experience, Publix seems to really want to stand behind their image of good customer service for everyone, not just those who look or pay a certain way, so I would think they'd want to know. Did you get the name of the cashier involved? I'd also make sure to let them know the date and approximate time. With my complaint, they actually pulled surveillance video to watch the interaction.

[motherofmolly]

if it was me, i would of said something right there. they obviously thought it was okay to gang up on someone and didnt think anyone else thought it was a problem. if it was me, i would of stopped them and asked for a manager right away. and proceeded to make a big old stink out of it for that girl. and then i would of told those girls/cashiers that i hope they never lose their job and have no money to feed their children and have to go on wic or foodstamps because what goes around comes around.

and then, asked for corporates number and the regional managers information before i left with the cashiers in ear shot.

i would get both of them and make a calm but rational stink about it to them.

[gctattoo]

That's awful. Like pp's, I would suggest complaining to corporate. Not only was it completely rude and uncalled for, the cashier was completely incorrect when she referred to WIC as food stamps.

It's very easy to meet the requirements for WIC. My husband was making $40,000 a year and we still qualified when I was pg with DD. I didn't enroll because we were doing fine without it and my using it would mean another person who really did need it might not get it. Plus the fact that I don't drive so it would end up costing us money to have DH take off work to go to the WIC office on a regular basis. How would that be a savings?

I really would've said something nasty to that cashier. And by the time I was done humiliating her, she would think twice about doing it again.

[FunnyFace]

I would try and find the regional or district manager first before I went to corporate if you haven't already talked to the store manager in addition to customer service.

WIC is also a state program instead of a federal one or at least it was, not that lady should have been chastised if she indeed was using food stamps and unintentionally picked up the wrong product.

Part of me understands the hardness of employees towards those that abuse the systems, but obviously those that day had little if any discernment or compassion and need educated in the matter.

[Mikki 316]

Like all government programs, I'm sure there is some agency that has to approve certain stores/chains to accept WIC. Do some research on that subject. That kind of treatment is completely unacceptable. Kudos, OP, for caring enough about another living being to want to make this kind of treatment known to someone higher up the chain.

[Jessi]

I would try publix corporate. I don't think WIC could do anything about it.

How absolutely awful. I sooo know that feeling though.

Actually if you complain to WIC they will look into it and possible pull their WIC selling license for that store.........I would still contact Publix corp with the cashier's name, the location of the store and time of day.......then I would let them know that the WIC office is being contacted as well about this matter. HTH!

[gctattoo]

Actually if you complain to WIC they will look into it and possible pull their WIC selling license for that store.........I would still contact Publix corp with the cashier's name, the location of the store and time of day.......then I would let them know that the WIC office is being contacted as well about this matter. HTH!

I think that the pulling of a WIC license might do more harm than good though. The ones who would actually suffer are the people on WIC. Publix has lots of BOGO sales where you can end up with double the product allowance. For example: if you were allowed 1 lb of cheese and you purchased it in 8 oz blocks that were BOGO that week, you'd get 2 lbs total.

They might not have another store (Publix or otherwise) near them where they could get a deal like that. Perhaps WM now with their new policy honoring competitor's BOGO deals. But I still think it would be bad for those who use WIC.