A “code of etiquette” has been introduced in Tesco’s stores, in a bid to stamp out colloquial chitchat.
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From the supermarket giant, Karen Marshall told The Guardian newspaper: “A customer complained that the shop assistants were becoming too familiar, so guidelines have been issued.”
From now on, checkout staff have been told to refrain from referring to shoppers in local terms of endearment. Rather than addressing consumers informally as “love,” “duck” (East Midlands), “hen” (Glasgow) or “pet” (Newcastle), Tesco employees are to use the formal terms “madam” and “sir.”
The code has prompted some upset amongst the more regular shoppers in affected regions however, many complaining that they thought the more formal address to be an indication that something was wrong.
