A California woman has filed a lawsuit against retail giant Walmart over claims the company keeps products primarily used by African-Americans inside a locked glass case.
Essie Grundy told reporters Friday that she was at a Walmart in Perris, California, shopping for a hair comb. That's when Grundy says she discovered “all of the African-American products [were] locked up under lock and key,” according to KCBS.
Grundy said she asked to speak to a manager, who told her the glass case was store policy.
She has since recruited high-profile attorney Gloria Allred, who says they are asking for an apology from Walmart and want its practice of locking up its products stopped.
Other Walmart customers on social media have posted pictures and videos of the products behind lock and key.
A Walmart store manager told Business Insider that some products are kept in a locked case due to “high theft issues,” adding that it is not a racist act by the retailer.
Walmart has released a statement on the suit, saying, “We do not tolerate discrimination of any kind.”
Read their full statement below:
"We do not tolerate discrimination of any kind at Walmart. We serve more than 140 million customers weekly, crossing all demographics, and are focused on meeting their needs while providing the best shopping experience at each store. We’re sensitive to this situation and also understand, like other retailers, that some products such as electronics, automotive, cosmetics and other personal care products are subject to additional security. Those determinations are made on a store-by-store basis using data supporting the need for the heightened measures. While we’ve yet to review a complaint, we take this situation seriously and look forward to addressing it with the court."