Open letter to Safeway Canada,
It seems for people who use wheelchairs at Safeway, it's "two steps forward and one step back."
You now have accessible washrooms and all checkouts are wide enough for a person with a wheelchair to use. (We used to have to go to specific checkouts that were wide enough.)
Now that you have chosen to use a type of credit/debit card reader that is fixed and can not be removed from the stand, except for the odd one, we are once again forced to go to specific checkouts - a step back.
When I complained, I was given the excuse that these readers are being stolen or compromised. I find this excuse unacceptable. If a few can be removed from their fixed positions, why can't they all?
Alternatively, why not replace them or modify the stands so they can be tilted to a downward position (like other retail chains) and allow those of us who use wheelchairs to once again retain our dignity and use any checkout.
The last straw was this afternoon at the Safeway at No. 1 and Francis roads. I went to a checkout that was designated for wheelchair use - with a logo - and after checking through my groceries, I was told the reader was not removable.
To reiterate, two steps forward and one step back at Safeway. Why not consult with a disability consumer organization that will happily assess your equipment and other changes you make to provide better service to your customers?
I have patronized Safeway for over 40 years, but when I continue to face what seems to a discriminatory mentality, I can no longer be apathetic.
Vince Miele Richmond
