Horsham woman left ‘humiliated’ after shop row

Melissa Anderson-Brown was with her disabled mum Frances Barnes when they went in to Superdrug in Horsham’s Swan Walk to buy some Paracetamol.

“Both of us needed to buy some,” said Melissa.

But after 68-year-old Frances bought hers, a shop assistant refused to sell any to Melissa.

“My mother is a pensioner and can’t leave the house without me as she is disabled and I am her carer,” said Melissa.

“She is visibly disabled and has to use two walking sticks.

“It’s obvious that she can’t carry anything in her hands as she has to hold on to these sticks - as a result I have to carry all of her shopping.”

Melissa was holding her mother’s Paracetamol after her mum paid for them.

“My mother bought hers but when I went to buy mine I was refused service. I explained that I was my mother’s carer and that she couldn’t carry her own purchases.

“I was buying mine and she was buying hers. We were even using our own differing debit cards.

“But I was told that it was company policy and she wasn’t prepared to make an exception.

“I said that this was tantamount to discrimination against the disabled and their carers, left my items on the counter and exited the store.”

She said he was left feeling ‘humiliated’ by the experience.

A spokesperson for Superdrug said: “Superdrug protocols follow regulatory guidance and sales of pain relief medication is restricted to a maximum of two packs per person.

“It is left to the Superdrug teams’ discretion on whether to sell pain medication if there are concerns that it is being bought on behalf of another person.”

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