Portmans apologises to customer who felt racially profiled

Mass retailer brand Portmans has apologised unreservedly to Auckland nurse Amanda Lobo who was this week accused of shoplifting a wig at St Lukes mall. Photo / Supplied

A mass retailer brand has apologised unreservedly to a customer who felt she was racially profiled.

Earlier this month, Auckland nurse Amanda Lobo was browsing at Portmans at St Lukes shopping centre when she was stopped by security.

They asked to look in her bags and told her she'd been caught shoplifting a wig from a mannequin.

"They said 'you've been caught shoplifting, you've been caught on camera putting a wig in your bag as you were walking out of Portmans'," Lobo told the Herald on Thursday.

Portmans spokeswoman Susan O'Connor said she had been in direct correspondence with Lobo.

"I have offered Amanda my unreserved apology for the distress that this event has caused. I have also twice offered to meet with Amanda to offer my personal apology and understand more about the incident first hand.

"I believe our store manager has also offered a meeting."

O'Connor clarified the Portmans team did not identify Lobo as a shoplifter.

"There has clearly been a disconnect between the incident that took place outside Glassons, the Centre Security detaining Amanda and the events that have been outlined to me by our team. The Portmans team did not identify Amanda."

At no stage would the company ever wish to put any customer in this situation, she said.

"It goes against everything in our Code of Conduct & Equal Opportunity Policy, which value treating customers and staff with dignity and respect. We do not tolerate discrimination in any form."

Mall operator Scentre Group management they regretted the incident, which was a case of mistaken identity.