NJ.com readers left passionate comments on both sides of the debate.
File photo of Whole Foods. (Jessica Remo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)VAUXHALL -- The cheese stood alone - in a 70-year-old woman's Whole Foods shopping cart on Oct. 4, and has since caused a debate with passionate opinions on both sides.
According to reports, Margaret Dooley walked out of the Millburn-Union Whole Foods after paying for her order, not realizing (she says) that she had some cheese under her purse in her cart. A company hired to provide security at the store reportedly stopped the woman, questioned her, took her photo, ran a background check on her, and banned her from ever stepping foot in tri-state area Whole Foods locations.
The incident sparked a social media firestorm, prompting Whole Foods to issue an apology, and replace the security company at the store with another one.
NJ.com readers were split, with some feeling that Dooley was treated unfairly, and that the supermarket's security team should have been more understanding.
"This treatment of a customer under these circumstances seems heavy handed," Anthony wrote. "Let them pay for the forgotten item and return as a local community customer."
Others thought that Whole Foods was in the right.
User X666x said, "Whether she did it accidentally or on purpose really makes no difference. She should own up for her actions. Not being charged, but being banned from the store is more than reasonable."
Some commenters questioned the roles that the woman's age, and the use of social media, played in the reaction to this incident.
YourMaster said, "She's old and 70 it's not her fault...When will it stop? She's old and 22 just let her steal your items!"
"Nobody would have known about this incident if the woman didn't plaster it all over Facebook," Riles246 said. "It was her mistake to accidentally shoplift, not Whole Foods'."
Do you think the security firm at Whole Foods was justified in banning the woman? Should Whole Foods have replaced the firm? Vote in the poll above.
Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
