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Popping down to the Spar or the corner shop in your pyjamas: we’ve all been there. Whether or not you’ve done it in full robe and curlers or just snuck in with your slippers, it’s a common South African happening that proves we have no skaam as a nation.

Two women recently found out that not every supermarket will mind their own business when it comes to grocery shopping dress codes.

The weird thing is, the mother and daughter who were stopped by security at a Spar in Cape Town this week were not even in their full jim-jams.

The duo were dressed up in what’s known as ‘Huggle hoodies’, a fleece-y dressing gown hoodie hybrid that many South Africans have been enjoying wearing to combat the icy weather.

40-year-old Shanaaz Prins and her 63-year-old mother Fatima were finishing up their August shop at the Vangate Mall when security gave them the evil eye at the entrance to Spar and barred them from walking through.

The mom and daughter were told it was a ‘no pyjama zone’ and were even asked to remove the cozy garments before entering:

“She [the security guard] told us to take it off in order to enter. I told her that I couldn’t remove my top because I only had my bra on underneath, but she still insisted that we couldn’t enter,” Shanaaz explained in a public social media post.

The frustrated customers tried to speak to someone in charge about what the Spar security called an “unofficial policy”, but no matter what, the store employees wouldn’t budge, even when Shanaaz asked about the specifics of the so-called ‘policy’.

“I told her I saw people with onesies and said I entered the store like this before, but she [the security guard] also told me that they can’t let us into the store with these tops because social media says it’s pyjamas.”

Seems a bit iffy to point fingers at social media to enforce dress codes. It’s no wonder Shanaaz and her ma won’t be continuing their support for the supermarket branch.

“I was absolutely disgusted and humiliated. I’ve been an advocate for their store for many years, but now I refuse to ever support any Spar again!”

While it must have been embarrassing for the two women, it’s come to light that the situation was most likely a communication issue. Spar senior manager Ashley Bodkin put the grocery store back into good graces when she responded to the incident:

“I spoke to the security and found out that she was informed by a controller from another store that no pyjamas are allowed. I told her that was not the case at our store, we don’t have that policy. If they had to call me, I would let the customer in, regardless if it is pyjamas or not … I am sorry about what happened, I will also give the customer a written apology should she require it.”

Thanks to Bodkin’s response and reassurance, I’m inclined to follow the Prins’ lead and try my luck at my local grocery shop in a Huggle hoodie myself. They sure do look cozy.

[source:iol]