Kroger faces backlash after police, officer’s wife say employees refused to serve them
(FOX)- A Houston-area woman says a teenage cashier at a Kroger supermarket in Spring, Texas, stepped away from the cash register and refused to check out her groceries last week because she was offended by the message on the customer’s T-shirt. It read: “Police Lives Matter / All Lives Matter.”
The incident occurred just a week after a similar situation in Alexandria, La., when a police officer in uniform said a cashier declined to check out her groceries.
In Texas, the woman, who says her husband is a police officer and gave only her first name — Meredith — told KTRK Eyewitness News:
“She was stating that the shirt I had on was basically a slap in the face to her and she was doing everything she could not to cry. She made me feel ashamed to have the shirt on, and I don’t appreciate that.”
The incident has led the Blue Bow foundation, which works to support police officers and their families, to sever ties with the grocery chain.
Kroger has since released a statement regarding both incidents:
“Please know that we are disappointed and sorry to hear about the incidents in Alexandria, Louisiana and Spring, Texas. We’re especially saddened by how this incident reflects on the 431,000 Kroger associates who work hard to serve every customer in communities all across America
“We’ve taken steps to ensure this doesn’t happen again—and we are reminding associates that is our responsibility to honor our company values of Diversity and Inclusion and treating our customers with Integrity and Respect in every interaction, every day. Our goal is always to create a welcoming, hospitable environment for all customers.”
(Photo Credit: AP File Photo via Fox News)