Young Aussie mum calls out her local Bunnings for 'targeted' move in store

Daily Mail​

13-05-2025

A young Aussie mum claims she was followed around her local Bunnings by security because of her extensive tattoos - prompting the hardware giant to respond to accusations it 'profiles' its customers.
Madeline Wood, 31, said she had gone to the hardware store to replace some light globes and had brought the old ones with her in a bag.
The young mum claims she was singled out and followed by a staff member wearing an earpiece because her arm and leg tattoos were showing.
'I've got (ear) stretches, it's hot today so the tattoos on my legs are showing, and I was obviously profiled,' Ms Wood claimed in a TikTok video.
'I work in retail management. The business I work for has undercover loss prevention officers... I understand their role and I understand what they look like.
'This one guy has his earpiece in or his AirPods. It's normal for them to be on the floor, the people on the cameras are telling them who to look at because they think that they're stealing.
'I had my light globes out, I was checking the boxes to make sure they're the same ones. Then I had to find some heat lamps and went to ask someone for those cause I couldn't find them.
'I then went back to the aisle and I saw the loss prevention guy looking at all the light globes that I had been touching, probably trying to assess whether or not I had swapped my ones over, or if I had stolen some, I don't know.'
@_madelinewood
Massive rant so hold on 2x speed but I'm so sick of being followed around retail stores by security just because of the way that I look! Anyone else have this happen or am I just the lucky one? #rant #bunnings #theft #fyp #aussiemum #momlife #mumsoftiktok
♬ original sound - _madelinewood
Ms Wood said she learned in her role in retail management that offering to help customers often deterred would-be thieves while it also boosted customer service.
She said the experience was even more infuriating because she spotted two customers pocketing items as as she was leaving the store, noting: 'That undercover could have been watching for that instead of watching me'.
Ms Wood's video garnered a flood of comments from Aussies saying they have had a similar experience in their local Bunnings.
'They do this to me, I have tattoos, coloured streaks in my hair and eyeliner. I also manage in retail and the people who actually steal never get watched,' one said.
'In Coles the other week, a guy was literally following me down every single aisle, I get you have a job to do, but it made me feel like I was doing something wrong,' another said.
'I own a security company and even I get followed in a couple shops,' a third said.
Another suggested Ms Wood should 'make a complaint' as they had once had a security guard 'rip' a trolley put of their hands. 'Needless to say she doesn't work at that Coles anymore,' they said.
Bunnings has insisted it does not profile customers.
'Creating a safe and welcoming environment for our team and customers is important to us, and this is reflected in the diversity of our team,' Bunnings Director of Stores, Rod Caust, told Daily Mail Australia.
'Like many retailers, we sometimes have loss prevention contractors in our stores who are engaged through an external licensed provider and are trained in monitoring customer behaviour.
'Discrimination and profiling have no place in our business and are not part of our loss prevention practices.
'All team members and security personnel receive rigorous, regularly reviewed training focused on safety, legal responsibilities, and respectful engagement — not appearance, background or personal characteristics.'