Customer overcharged by cashiers breasts....

Co-op apologises after shopper is overcharged because store assistant's breasts were resting on the scales

By GAVIN ALLEN
Last updated at 12:23 PM on 9th November 2010

A supermarket customer was over-charged by around £5 while buying fruit and vegetables because the cashier's breasts were resting on the weighing scales. 

Bosses at a Jersey branch of Co-operative explained that the mistake occurred because the shop assistant's seat had been too low, causing her to lean on the counter.

Jim Hopley, chief executive of Channel Islands Co-operative, said the money has now been refunded and admitted that he has never seen anything like it in his 40 years of retail experience. 

Lean on me: A customer was overcharged for her fruit and vegetables because the cashier's breasts rested on the scales

'The customer was doing her weekly shop and had bought a number of items but the one that aroused suspicion was a green pepper,' said Mr Hopley.

'She was charged around £1.95 for it when it should have been around 79p, so she queried it and was proved right. 

'The customer then asked for the rest of her fruit and veg to be reweighed and she had been overcharged. 

'The supervisor was called and it was resolved immediately. 

'The young lady concerned was taken aside and the matter was sorted out.

'We have now adjusted the chair. We also checked the til receipt to see if anyone else had been overcharged.

'When the customer asked the supervisor what had caused the problem on the way out of the store, he told her the cashier's boob had been resting on the scale.

'We asked the customer if she was satisfied when she left and she said that she was.'

Weight a minute: The problem occurred because the cashier's seat was too low

However, once the customer returned home she became concerned that other people may have been overcharged and wrote a letter to her local newspaper, the Jersey Evening Post, which has caused great embarrassment to the cashier. 

'I won't identify the cashier by giving her name or the branch of the store where it happened because it has been upsetting for her and it has had an effect on her,' said Mr Hopley.

'The HR department is helping her at the moment because it has been very embarrassing for her and she is mortified. 

'But I've had 40 years in retail and I've never come across anything like this before and I probably won't again because I'm retiring in January.

'The only thing I can compare to this is that we once had a problem with rhubarb. 

'Rhubarb sticks are quite long and hang off the end of the scale so they were actually underweighing. Now we break them in two before putting them on the scales.'

The Co-op has nine food stores in Jersey.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1327966/Shopper-overcharged-Co-op-assistants-breasts-resting-scales.html#ixzz14nLbueKH