A FAMILY from Lugar have been left baffled and bemused by shopworkers insistence that they leave their one-year-old in a pram at the door of the shop.

Alex and his wife were fuming with the treatment they received at Day-Today in Logan last Tuesday (July 21).

Their baby girl had recently had her second course of injections and was not feeling great and so Alex’s partner had decided to head out and get some baby milk from their nearest shop.

She had to abandon her efforts when she was faced with the choice of either leaving her baby at the door of the shop or getting the milk.

Shopworkers told her that the policy was in place “because of shoplifters”, to which Alex’s partner pointed out that “people can shoplift using their pockets too”.

Alex, who spends most of his time in Sussex where he works for the ambulance service, was livid, saying: “It was lucky I was here, I’m away three or four weeks at a time for my job.

“We’ve never heard anything like that anywhere else we’ve been. People shoplift everywhere so instead of refusing people, get a security guard or something.

“It’s so wrong. There are probably single parents around here that don’t have a choice,. They’re getting made to leave their child alone at the door, It’s not right, it’s a safety issue, you can’t just leave your children out there like that.”

What irked Alex even more was perceived inconsistencies in the way the shop policed their policies. In the shop window there are various signs, one of which points out that prams must be left at the door, another reads that face coverings must be worn at all times.

Alex pointed out that most customers he saw coming in and out of the shop when he went to speak with the management were not wearing masks

He said: “This is clear discrimination. They’re enforcing one rule but not another, it’s a ridiculous policy.”

Day-Today were contacted about this issue and the owners have since confirmed to us that they have taken the sign down. Though they are at a loss as to what should be done about the shoplifting problem saying that they've had "loads of people shoplifting and it's so difficult to tell who's doing it." 

With regards to the customers not wearing masks they expressed their regret, but said that they are not able to enforce that rule because it's difficult to know who's exepmt from wearing one and that arguments could be started over it.