Parents of a child with disabilities were escorted out of a clothing store in Laguna due to the large stroller they were using.
In a post made by the disappointed customer on Facebook, the incident took place at the H&M branch in a mall in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, where she and her husband were shopping for clothes for their blind and deaf child.
“Pinalabas kami ng manager ng H&M store dahil daw sa stroller ng anak ko [The manager of H&M escorted us out because of our child’s stroller],” the mom of the child described their experience.
“Bawal ba talaga sa loob ng store mamili ang mga PWD? Bibili ko sana ang anak ko ng damit niya but since pinilit kami pinalabas ‘di na kami nakapamili [Is it prohibited for PWDs to buy inside the store? I was supposed to buy clothes for my child but since they forced us out, we were not able to buy],” she added.
The mother further expressed her disappointment at how the store’s manager allegedly showed no empathy to them. According to her post, the manager told them not to buy from their store instead of saying sorry.
People took to the comments to share their thoughts about the said incident.
One user wrote, “I think, it’s not really the rules ang naging problema dito [that’s the problem here].. it’s the way on how the manager APPROACHED the customers, kung paano nya hinandle ang situation [how they handled the situation]. Obviously, may nakatrigger sa customers kung bakit sila nagalit, as in galit na galit (based sa statement). They felt disrespected, and kahit sino namang tao na mafeel ang ganun, talgang matitrigger na magalit. [Obviously, there’s something that triggered the customers that’s why they got mad, as in really really mad (based on the statement). They felt disrespected, and any person who would feel that, they would really be triggered and be angry].”
Another user wrote, “If anything the staff should have extended special attention to your child by assisting you and giving you priority treatment. I think they lack training in this aspect. You need to report this and not let them get away with discrimination.”
A third user wrote, “Some people are ignorant of the welfare of others. Meron talaga iba’t ibang klase ng stroller/walker/wheelchair [There are different kinds of stroller/walker/wheelchair] to accommodate the disability of either a child or adult or even an elderly. Hoping the Philippines could be more universally adaptable so everyone will be accepted and everyone can move with freedom.”
Via Facebook
Upon being made aware of the situation, H&M released a statement on their Facebook page highlighting how they value their customers to create “an inclusive and welcoming shopping environment for everyone.”
“We are aware of an incident in one of our stores where a misunderstanding occurred involving a customer and their child. Our team approached the customer regarding a large stroller without realizing that it was being used by a child with a disability,” the company stated.
The brand also emphasized that they are committed to improving their practices to better serve their customers.
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