Just Looking, Not Buying: Australian Store Charges Customers $5 For Browsing

Are the days of browsing coming to an end? They could be if this story is anything to go by. A speciality food store in Brisbane, Australia has decided to start charging visitors $5AUD (around €4) for simply having a look around the shop. Really.

The Irish Independent reports that the owner of ‘Celiac Supplies,’ a gluten-free food supplier, made the annoucement after they became frustrated that so many customers were coming into the store for advice but not buying anything of their products.

The sign states: “There has been high volume of people who use this store as a reference and then purchase goods elsewhere. These people are unaware our prices are almost the same as the other stores plus we have products simply not available anywhere else.”

Speaking to APP, the owner of the store said: “I’ve had a gutful of working and not getting paid. I’m not here to dispense a charity servies for Coles and Wollworths to make more money. I can tell straight away who are the ratbags who are going to come in here and pick my brain and disappear.”

The good news is that customers who do decide to buy something in the store will be refunded the $5 charge.

We imagine The Stereophonics are a band who would not be welcome in this store...