'Inconsiderate and unhygienic': Woman at FairPrice criticised for allowing kid to stand on checkout counter

[UPDATED 9.10pm]

In its reply to AsiaOne on Tuesday (Sept 26), a FairPrice Group spokesperson stated: “We understand that it is challenging to do grocery shopping with toddlers. We advise our customers to watch their children in-store and to get help from our store assistants when needed. In this case, we are thankful that the toddler did not get hurt.”

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It's 'place basket here' and not 'place child here'.

One customer at a FairPrice outlet in Singapore, however, did not appear to get the memo, based on a clip taken by TikTok user Tlbangela and posted on Monday (Sept 25).

The short eight-second clip showed the woman, clad in a blue T-shirt and shorts, with a toddler at the store's self checkout counter. The toddler was standing on the grocery platform as the woman scanned her items.

Speaking to AsiaOne, Tlbangela shared that the incident had occurred on Monday (Sept 25) at about 11.50am. She was queueing behind the woman at the FairPrice outlet located at Block 476 Upper Serangoon View.

In a caption written in Chinese, Tlbangela noted: "In our society today, I wonder if people study too much or there's something wrong with their brains. It says to put your basket but she placed her child on top".

She added that a FairPrice employee had "told her nicely" to bring her child down from the platform, but shared that the woman "looked unhappy". 

Tlbangela told AsiaOne that the woman had replied in Mandarin, "I will be careful". 

In the clip, Tlbangela also alluded that the woman was Malaysian, based on her accent when she spoke. She stated: "This goes to show not everyone here who embarrass themselves in public is a Singaporean."

Towards the end of the video, the boy accidentally slips off the counter as the woman hurriedly moves to grab him. A female voice from behind the camera can be heard exclaiming "Arh", in a disapproving tone. 

The TikTok clip has since gone viral with over 58,000 views and more than 200 comments, with many netizens chastising the woman for placing the child on the platform, as well as her alleged bad attitude.

"Not for your kids to stand there, it's inconsiderate and unhygienic. It's meant for frozen food and drinks!" Exclaimed one TikTok user.

"She will tell you her kids' shoes are very clean," wrote another, alluding to the customer's defensive stance.

More than a few commenters also criticised the woman's parenting skills, while another posited that if an accident were to happen, they would simply push the blame to others.

ALSO READ: 'Parenting fail': Teenager peeing at Waterway Point playground angers netizens

candicecai@asiaone.com