A TikTok video, which has since been removed, captured a Pak'nSave supermarket worker in Henderson being struck in the face before pushing a customer to the ground.
The incident took place around 4 pm on Monday when a customer leaving the store was suspected of not paying for two bags of groceries.
The Indian Weekender contacted Foodstuffs for a comment regarding the incident involving an alleged physical altercation between the customer and an employee. Foodstuffs clarified that the video circulating on social media does not depict the full story.
According to a spokesperson from Foodstuffs, the company that owns Pak'nSave, store security approached the customer and politely requested to check their bags. The situation escalated when the customer became aggressive, shouting and behaving violently towards the staff member, who was joined by several fellow teammates in an attempt to diffuse the situation.
"The alleged shoplifter continued to shout and yell at team members until she was escorted off the premises. As a result of the assault, our team member received a cut to his chin," the spokesperson stated.
"The alleged shoplifter struck one of our team members in the face three times before he took proactive action to prevent further assault, by pushing the alleged shoplifter away", they added.
The incident highlights the increasing trend of retail crime faced by supermarkets. The spokesperson said, "Supermarkets are on the frontline of the rising trend of retail crime and it's a sad reality that incidents such as shoplifting, assault and other aggressive behaviour are becoming much more frequent."
"This behaviour is not acceptable in our stores and will not be tolerated. The matter has been referred to the police."
Police confirmed they were contacted about the incident on Monday afternoon and are currently investigating further.
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