IGA Queen St Village — Local services in Gold Coast City

My husband came to this store (05/07/25) just five minutes before closing, desperate to buy baby formula for our newborn. I’m currently at home sick, exhausted, and trying to care for a crying baby during flu season — and this was the only thing we needed.

Instead of being met with basic compassion, he was spoken to with complete disrespect by your security guard, who said, “Are you paying my bills after 10pm?”, “1 thing turns into 10” and giving so much uncalled sarcasm and rudeness. That level of arrogance and hostility was completely unacceptable, especially when all we were trying to do was feed our child.

What makes this even more upsetting is that someone who arrived after my husband was allowed in to buy toilet paper, but my husband was turned away for baby formula — something far more urgent and essential. It was so bizarre to me why my husband was turned down and another gentleman wasn’t.. my husband felt so discriminated by the security guard.

We understand the store was closing but when their store is advertised to close at 10 and not 9:55 we expected to be let in. We weren’t asking for special treatment, only a little empathy in a very difficult moment. Had the guard simply said, “I’m sorry, we’re closed,” we would’ve understood. But the rudeness and lack of human decency we were shown is heartbreaking. It was utterly disgusting. If you wanted to not let customers in at 9:55, the store needs to change their advertised operating hours.

This needs to be addressed. No parent should be made to feel humiliated or helpless when trying to care for their child. We’re new parents, we’re struggling and this encounter was honestly one of the worst interactions we’ve ever had. We hope this is taken seriously. Absolutely disgraceful behaviour as well. If you’re reading this — I genuinely hope that if you ever have children, I hope you find it in yourself for ever encounter this situation as I wouldn’t wish it upon anyone. And if you do have children, I truly hope they grow up with more kindness and empathy than what you’ve shown today. Learn how to be more compassionate to parents or at the very least, learn to treat others with basic...

One star is way too generous.

I have been a regular customer since opening day and was my local. I recently experienced severe harassment at 2.10pm on 14/11/2024 whilst in the middle of my food shop and the staff’s response was appalling. An older man with grey hair and wearing the stores uniform and green apron followed me through the store, accused me of being a thief and under the influence , and chased me down aisles. He even interfered with my self-checkout, leaving me terrified and distressed.

After finding out this man is an employee at the establishment and assaulted me without cause it’s even more disturbing that they allowed this unprofessional behaviour to continue in their store. My safety was dismissed and still is even after my support and I both discussed a solution to the incident which was a reasonable request for a written apology from the 2 x staff members who conducted themselves unprofessionally towards a disabled person. I have this correspondence with Matthew the general manager recorded and also my support is a witness. This has gone to BRQ for further action regarding discrimination.

As someone with a disability, I screamed for help, but the staff stood by and did nothing. Worse, some mocked me, laughed, or ignored the situation entirely.

What worries me most is that this man could target others, including vulnerable people or children with the school holiday coming up and the store seems unwilling to take responsibility or address safety concerns. Claiming he isn’t an employee whatsoever and they don’t have green apron in their store which is untrue, after many attempts to call and get the staffs names involved to make a formal complaint I was hung up on then the same man who attacked me left me a voicemail. I haven’t been offered an apology, refund or items that got destroyed replaced nor have I heard back from the duty manager to make a complaint

This experience was deeply traumatizing, and I urge to take accountability, discipline and train their staff in customer service, safety and disability awareness, and ensure no one else goes through...

The treatment and service that I received from this IGA team members at cold pastries counter has been very unwelcoming and discriminating.

I have been a regular client for over 12 months. Every week I visited the store at least once or twice.

Particularly on Fridays, I always bought few cold pastries and some groceries for my client to have them over the weekend.

It doesn’t matter I was the first, the second or any number in the queue, I always was served the last.

Today (13/12/2024) it happened again around 11am. There were people coming and going at the counter. When I arrived, I was the third to be served but both of your team members ignored me and proceeded to serve other people (at least 5), who obviously walked in after me. I was waiting patiently until the last person left, then finally I was served by an unpleasant manner elder lady with glasses.

This incident today was NOT the first time or few times but it happened in regular basis when the counter had more than 2-3 customers.

At times, if I saw few people there, I would go to get other groceries first to avoid “last to be served treatment” at that pastries counter and to save time.

I was never being rude, I always use “please” “thank you “ “have a nice day”. It’s usually my lunch break that I went there, so I dressed modestly.

Why am I being discriminated and treated without respect? May be because I’m a migrant with colour skin tone, not a white Caucasian person ?.

It is very disappointing since this store has a very good quality products but if I can’t be served equally as other customers. I probably...