Istanbul International — Local services in Bath

Dear Sir,

I have been a loyal and regular customer since your store first opened, and I have always supported your business despite occasional issues. However, I feel compelled to voice my serious concerns following a recent experience that was unacceptable.

On my latest visit, I had an extremely unpleasant interaction with the individual who identifies himself as the main manager — a Turkish man — whose behavior was not only unprofessional and disrespectful but also deeply concerning. He was rude, dismissive, and lacked basic customer service skills. More disturbingly, his behavior came across as discriminatory, which I find completely unacceptable.

In addition to the poor service, I have repeatedly experienced issues with the quality of the fresh produce sold at your store. The fruits and vegetables are priced at a premium, yet a significant portion — often around 25% — has to be discarded due to spoilage or expiration shortly after purchase. This raises serious questions about your quality control and food safety practices.

As a paying customer, I expect to be treated with respect and to receive products that are fresh and safe to consume. I am disappointed and frustrated that these basic standards are not being met. I also question how such expired items are allowed to be sold under current regulations.

I hope you take this feedback seriously and address both the customer service issues and product quality concerns...

Dear Istanbul Team,

I have been a loyal customer of your store for a long time and have always appreciated your service. However, I experienced a concerning incident on 11th August at around 6:00 pm in the Butcher section.

While preparing my meat order, a staff member sneezed and then wiped his nose with his bare hands, after which he immediately handled and packed my meat without washing or sanitising his hands. This raised serious hygiene concerns for me.

Today, I returned to the store intending to purchase chicken liver, but I saw the same staff member working at the Butcher counter. Because of my previous experience, I decided not to make the purchase.

I understand that staff members may occasionally fall sick, but for food safety reasons, I would expect your store to ensure that anyone unwell—especially those handling raw meat—is not serving customers until they are fit for work. This is important to protect both customers’ health and the store’s reputation. If needed, you can review the CCTV footage from the stated date and time to verify my report. I hope you will take prompt action to address...

I just want to share my appreciation for one of your team member for this Egyptian guy named Waleed, the butcher. He's absolutely brilliant at what he does. The way he carves steaks and chops is not only precise but also makes it so much easier for my wife to cook and prepare meals at home.

This guy is incredibly friendly, humble and kind. Every time I visit, I truly enjoy having a conversation with him - Waleed is respectable, warm and always treats everyone with a smile. It's very rare to come across such genuine customer service these days.

He's a hardworking guy, always fixed at his station, and it's clear he takes pride in his work. Waleed is a real credit to the store. Keep up...