Mum who breastfed in Costa without buying anything slams coffee shop for ‘booting her out’
Kaley Louise Riley, 29, insists she had 'every intention' of buying a hot drink - but only after feeding her daughter
A MUM who breastfed in Costa without buying anything has slammed the coffee chain for "booting her out".
Kaley Louise Riley, 29, insists she had "every intention" of buying a hot drink - but needed to feed her 16-month-old daughter Scarlett first because her "shrill tones would have sent customers flying".
When a staff member asked the teacher, who was on holiday in Penzance, Cornwall, to leave if she wasn't going to buy anything - Kaley was so offended she walked out and has vowed to boycott Costa.
She moaned to the company online, but a Costa spokesman stuck by the employee's decision - and said Kaley, from Newark, Notts, should have explained her situation to a manager before sitting down.
Kaley has claimed the response was "inappropriate" and "insensitive", but others have agreed she should have bought a drink first.
Ranting on social media, Kaley wrote: “As a reputable breastfeeding friendly company, I was expecting them to be equally as appalled as I was. Unfortunately that wasn't the case.
“To cut the story short: Scarlett's pram had broken, it was pouring with rain outside, and she had just woken up and was very hungry (and) thirsty.
“I immediately spotted Costa and went in. It was packed full of people and so I just took a seat and breastfed her in a corner out of the way.
“The queue was huge and I wanted to settle her and didn't see a problem in doing so.
“I had every intention, once she had calmed down, to buy my favourite chai latte and chill out of the rain.
“That was, until a member of staff approached me and told me I must leave immediately if I wasn't planning on buying anything. As you can imagine, I was quite cross.
“I'm now even more cross at the response from Costa (as if standing around waiting/looking for a store manager to explain the circumstances is even a suggestion. Scarlett's shrill tones would have sent customers flying after a few minutes any way) and will no longer be frequenting their stores or buying their products.
“Please share to ensure that no other mum needing a safe space to calm her baby, is subjected to the same treatment, and to highlight how terrible Costa's social media team are at responding appropriately and sensitively to such a matter. #Costacoffee #breastfeedingmums #mumsunite.”
After Kaley contacted Costa on Facebook, the company replied in a private message: “Unfortunately we do expect anyone entering our stores to purchase a food or beverage product.
“On this type of occasion, we recommend speaking to the Store Manager on arrival to let them know your situation and it would be left down to their discretion whether or not staying in the store without making a purchase is possible.”
Still fuming over the reply, Kaley added: “I just wanted an apology really, and I didn’t get that. I had to reread the message about five times. I didn’t understand what had just happened.
“It’s not even a lack of common sense, but a lack of common decency with whoever was handling it.
“Babies need to come first because unfortunately they don’t understand that there’s a long queue and they have to wait. The queue was to the door, it was really long.
“A couple next to me said 'how disgusting, I can’t believe they have treated you like that'.
“I am quite lucky that I have been breastfeeding for a while now - if it had been two weeks in, or two months in, I probably would have left Costa in tears.
“That’ what I want to avoid. I don’t want anyone else to be made to feel like that. Breastfeeding should be celebrated, not isolated.”
Commenting on the post, Jane Tabor said: “Its absolutely out of order that they did not offer to bring over a drink for you, and give it you for free! They can afford it!
“They obviously knew what you were doing! Bang out of order Costa shame on you!”
But not everyone was on Kaley's side. Commenting on the post, mum Zoe Palmer wrote: “You are making it out asif they asked you to leave because you where breastfeeding which isnt the case at all….
“5min of facebook limelight is what your after!!”
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While another person wrote: “What’s wrong with that? I agree with Costa. And any other business. Buy something or get out.”
In more nursing news, this mum who still breastfeeds her five-year-old and bathes naked with him says it’s completely ‘normal’ and will continue for as long as possible to break stigma.
Costa Coffee has been contacted for comment.