Racial profiling verdict creates PR nightmare for Barneys
New York department store Barneys is facing a welter of criticism after it was found guilty of racially profiling its customers during an anti-shoplifting drive at its Madison Avenue outlet.
The initiative saw store managers and security staff disproportionately target black and Hispanic shoppers for checks, with many being frisked or detained on suspicion of credit card fraud.
Data obtained directly from the store showed that ethnic minority shoppers were held ‘at rates greater than their percentage of the store’s customer base’. Amongst them 21 year-old nursing student Kayla Phillips who was detained by police after buying a &2,500 bag.
When customers complained to the New York authorities, sparking the nine month investigation which resulted in Barneys being slapped down with a $525k bill in fines and legal costs and an inestimable hit on its image.
The retailer has also been ordered to hire an ‘anti-profiling consultant’ for at least two years and improve its training of security and sales staff.