Shopping mall tells woman breastfeeding is not allowed and she should take her ‘home chores’ elsewhere

The Kolkata-based shopping centre has since apologised

(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A woman was shamed online after she wrote a Facebook post explaining she was unable to find somewhere to breastfeed her baby in a shopping mall, which prompted staff to suggest she take her "home chores" elsewhere.

​Abhilasha Arup DasAdhikari had visited the South City Mall in Kolkata, India on Tuesday and posted a critical review on its Facebook page, revealing how an employee suggested she go to the toilets, which she described as a “disgusting” idea.

The manager of the Facebook page responded to DasAdhikari in a post that has since been deleted, saying she should have planned her day better, writing: “It’s not like your baby needs to be breastfed at any moment”.

After her experience, DasAdhikari gave the mall a one-star review, writing: "There is no place to breastfeed..on the top of it.your staff asked me to feed in the toilet... disgusting place. Such a biiiiig useless mall [sic]."

The mall's response, which was widely shared on social media before being deleted, begins: "Funny how you found this to be an issue because breastfeeding is not allowed on the floor for a number of reasons.

"In case of emergency we can make arrangements to help someone but cartainly this big place that we have is meant for shopping so with all due respect madam, please make sure you do your home chores at your home and not in the mall or at least plan it beforehand [sic]."

It goes on to suggest that breastfeeding in public is an infringement on other shoppers' experiences, concluding: "We cannot compromise the privacy of other people in public places can we?"

The comment sparked outrage on Twitter, with one person writing: "This is an absolute disgrace and you guys must immediately apologise to the young mother."

“Unbelievable,” added another, “shame on South City Mall”.

A spokesperson for the mall has since published an apologetic statement on its Facebook page, explaining that the centre does have proper provisions for breastfeeding, but that their baby changing room is currently being renovated.

“We still apologies for inconvenience caused to the concern patron despite all the amenities available at Mall,” they wrote. “We never intend to hurt anyone’s sentiment and/or disrespect.”

Speaking to the Times of India, the mall’s vice president Manmohan Bagri explained that the offending post was written by an employee of an external agency that manages the mall’s social media platforms.

"The rude and aggressive reply was posted without our consent. We have removed the agency," he told the newspaper.

But critics are still inundating the mall’s Facebook page with criticism over the deleted post, with many calling for people to boycott the centre.

“You cannot hand over your social media handles to such inexperienced and insensitive people,” commented one person.

“As for breastfeeding, we can do it any and every where. Just like you cannot ask a visitor to eat their meals in the toilet or a confined space, you do not have any right to direct a mother to breastfeed her baby in a particular place.”