A disabled man from Newton-le-Willows has been threatened with a lifetime ban from his local Aldi store after he took a loaf of bread from a tray waiting to be put on shelves. Robert Marsh, 63, who suffers from arthritis and mobility issues, said he was accused of shoplifting by a manager on January 11.
Mr Marsh explained that he could not reach the bread on the low shelf, so he took a loaf from a nearby tray. A manager then approached him, shouting that his action constituted shoplifting and that he would be banned from the store if it happened again. Mr Marsh described feeling 'shocked' and 'humiliated' by the incident.
After complaining to Aldi's head office, the store manager apologised and invited Mr Marsh to the store for a face-to-face apology. However, Mr Marsh declined, saying he was too embarrassed to return. His daughter, Leanne Macclymont, said the incident has robbed her father of his independence, as his weekly shop was a rare outing.
An Aldi spokesperson said: 'We have apologised to Mr Marsh and are investigating what happened as a matter of urgency.'
