



A Tesco customer has been branded a "stupid woman" by staff before being offered a £100 voucher as a gesture of goodwill.
The incident is alleged to have taken place at the Tesco Extra on Ocotal Way, Swindon, Wiltshire, on June 18, when the woman was purchasing groceries worth £126, including specially selected cakes for guests arriving early for their June 28 wedding.
According to the groom, John Strickland, his fiancée returned home in severe emotional distress following a Scan & Go inspection, during which she claims employees treated the delicate iced cakes roughly and directed insulting language at her.
Strickland detailed the alleged mishandling in written correspondence with Tesco's customer service department.
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|The incident is alleged to have taken place at the Tesco Extra on Ocotal Way, Swindon, Wiltshire
He stated: "CCTV footage will show the staff member holding the cakes at right angles, upsetting their contents and repacking the items carelessly, again holding and squeezing them recklessly and inappropriately."
He claimed that despite his fiancée's requests for more careful handling, the employee persisted with the rough treatment.
Most disturbingly, Strickland alleged that "During the conversation, my fiancée was called a 'stupid woman'."
The bride-to-be also reported believing there had been inappropriate physical contact with the staff member, though this was later disputed by the retailer's investigation.
Strickland described his partner as returning home "in near hysterics" and explained that she was too distraught to request replacement items, saying "she was so upset she just wanted to get out."
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The couple hinted they may stop shopping at Tesco following the incident
The groom encountered significant obstacles when attempting to register his grievance with Tesco's corporate offices, describing it as "impossible" to reach the appropriate department.
When he eventually made contact, he alleged that staff terminated the call abruptly.
"We shop at Tesco every week. Whether we continue to do so depends on what happens next," Strickland warned.
He added that they had already shared their experience with concerned neighbours and acquaintances.
Tesco initiated an internal review of the allegations, which included examining security camera recordings from the store.
The supermarket's investigation concluded that no physical contact occurred between the employee and Strickland's partner, contradicting one aspect of the complaint.
The company initially extended a £100 digital gift card as a gesture of goodwill, though Strickland countered with a request for £150, mentioning that the damaged cakes became material for jokes during their wedding speeches.
Store management subsequently contacted the couple and proposed a complete refund for any items that suffered damage during the incident.
Tesco declined to provide additional commentary on the matter.