When 21-year-old Becci Wain, a Healthcare Assistant from Cambridge, went to Tesco to buy her friend a bottle of bubbly as a birthday gift, she didn't expect the reaction she faced.

Instead of the usual ID check, Becci was actively refused the sale of alcohol, thanks to a series of self-harming scars she has on her arms that a member of Tesco staff had noticed.

"I got to the check out with my items, showed my ID (as I look about 16, despite being 21!) and was then queried by the woman on the tills, who said she couldn't serve me," Becci told Cosmopolitan.co.uk.

"I was confused, because I was over-age. But the woman told me it was 'Tesco policy' not to serve alcohol to people with scars on their arms in front of a queue of about three people," she explained.

"It was very humiliating."

Instead of seeing the scars and continuing on as normal - as any reasonable person would, realising it is absolutely none of their business - this particular employee took it upon herself to stage some kind of unnecessary intervention.

And Becci was quite understandably upset by the situation. So much so, that she took to Tesco's Facebook to complain.

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"Mental health discrimination is real in Tesco," Becci wrote in her post. Explaining what happened, she added: "I am working hard on my mental health and to hear this (and loudly in front of the other customers in the queue behind me) is not only negative towards my progress, but triggering, and also highly humiliating.

"My personal history and mental health should not be speculated upon when I do my weekly shop. Tesco, please train your staff."

Becci Wain

Telling us how damaging this incident could have been if it had taken place at a time where she felt more vulnerable, Becci said:

"If this had happened a year ago, I would have left the store in a rush, not questioned it, and potentially been triggered by the unnecessary attention.



"But because I am now in a stronger position, I recognised it instantly as a form of discrimination. Although maybe this wasn't the intention of the woman on the checkouts, to be called out on a part of my past that I have recovered from and am now constantly aware of felt like a gross form of discrimination."





And she's totally right. Nobody, especially not someone who has battled with and is succeeding in managing mental health issues should be targeted in such a pointed, public way.

Following the incident, Becci said that the store manager sent her a big bouquet of flowers and "ironically, a bottle of champagne". All very nice gestures, of course, but Becci made sure she was satisfied that the employee in question had been disciplined on the issue.

"I went into the store to have a chat with the manager, and she made me feel happy in the fact that the woman who made this judgement error would receive further training, and they would make sure it wouldn't happen again. "

If you, or someone you know is suffering with mental health problems, visit Mind.org.uk or call them on 0300 123 3393.

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Catriona Harvey-Jenner Digital Features Editor Cat is Cosmopolitan UK's features editor covering women's issues, health and current affairs.

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