Freshco Kingston & Whites

You would think in 2023, white cashiers and management would be given BASIC training from FRESHCO about hiding their RACIST HATE when working with customers of different races. A human rights complaint to the HRTO is warranted for racial discrimination. Also, old age and boomer mentality is not an excuse for racist behaviour, ever. There are plenty white people in Durham and Pickering that are respectful and polite when interacting with people of colour. The white old lady cashier with glasses at this location desperately needs the customer service training, and learning some manners. My mom visits this location for the products but she always tries to avoid this particular cashier because she has seen how well she treats white customers versus customers of other races who cashes out in rude and disrespectfully when dealing with racial customers; I've seen it too when dealing with her twice at this store a few months ago. My mom was unlucky today and had to deal with this cashier's rude tone and judgemental attitude, as well as BLAME for FRESHCO's chicken packaging began to leak at cash, rudely telling my mom it's her fault it's leaking and exposed her (cashier) to bacteria. My mom denied she made the mess because she knew the chicken styrofoam package was in a thaw state and if the package is not air sealed tightly it will leak. My mom tolerated the rude tone, and wanted to pay for her items and leave. Then the cashier started rudely going on about the limit on particular items, in this case sugar. It's Ramadan, my mom cooks and bakes a lot during this time with sugar being used a lot. Apparently, there was a limit of 3 on the sugar; my mom knows English and always looks for the limit signs. She didn't see any and picked up 5. The cashier rudely tells my mom she can only take three. My mom said there was no limit mentioned but was done dealing with this person but my mom knew she was right. After the nightmare was done, she went back to the store and took a picture of the price for sugar where there was no limit sign which is usually right beside the price. She took a picture of the price and asked another white staff member to speak with the store manager; white staff said my mom speak with the cashier who cashed her out, mom said no and asked to speak to a manager. After the staff member spoke with another staff member, he told the manager who came over. The white manager made it look like he was listening but not caring. My mom showed the picture and the manager said it's there and someone pulled it down. The sugars were stacked high in a way on the store floor skid that customers cannot reach and pull the paper sign down. The manager was dismissive towards my mom in his behaviour and attitude towards her; he wanted her to disappear. He tells her "she can take as many as she needs, no one will say anything." What is he insinuating? That my mom told him about his cashier's rude behavior and bad customer service because she wanted more product? She said she'll get the remaining items from another store. My mom left the store disrespected and discriminated against. If you are a customer of colour, avoid this FreshCo in Pickering where white staff discriminates and practices poor customer service against racial customers.

I decided to drive from Ajax to Fresco at 9am on a Sunday morning. I was happy with the deals that I was able to get on a number of products. The quality of food was top notch. The store is well laid out for shopping and covod protocols. Great job! I will be back. My only recommendation during covid at the checkout is to perhaps have every 2nd cash open. It was a little crowded when packing groceries with side by side cashes open. The cashier was super personable, too.