CVS apologises to black customer after white manager called police over a coupon

'I don't take issue, not then, not now, with him not accepting the coupon...It's how he didn't accept the coupon'

CVS sign and logo (Bloomberg)

Pharmacy giant CVS has issued an apology after a black customer said a white manager of the chain called the police after accusing her of attempting to use a fraudulent coupon.

Camilla Hudson summarised her encounter with employees of a CVS located in Chicago in a post published on Facebook. Ms Hudson wrote that she attempted to use a coupon intended for replacement products, when a manager on duty said he did not recognise it and believed it was fraudulent. Ms Hudson added that the clerk was reportedly “agitated” after she asked for his name and role within the company.

“When I pulled out my phone to document what happened and exactly what he’d said to me (AND how he’d said it!) he turned his back and walked away from me,” she wrote. “When I followed him and demanded that he answer my question, he ran to the back of the store and slammed a door in my face.”

Ms Hudson continued, saying a second manager – who she initially interacted with – approached her and warned that he’d call the police if she did not leave the store. She then filmed the manager, who appeared to be on the phone with authorities, and posted the video on Facebook.

“We sincerely apologise to Ms Hudson for her experience in one of our stores,” CVS said in part in a statement to Block Club Chicago. “Our region director in Chicago contacted Ms Hudson as soon as we were made aware of this incident. CVS has begun an investigation and we will take any corrective action that is warranted to prevent it from happening again.”

The company added that the employees involved in the incident would not be working in the store pending the outcome of an investigation. CVS says it has “firm non-discrimination policies in place to help ensure that all customers are treated with respect and dignity…”

The manager in the Chicago CVS incident has since been dubbed “Coupon Carl” on social media, in light of the recent string of reported incidents where white people have been called out for calling the police on black people for no apparent reason.

In the video, the manager identifies himself as Morry Matson, while seemingly describing Ms Hudson to authorities as a “female” and African-American. Ms Hudson can be heard correcting the manager responding: “I’m black. Black isn’t a bad word.” She also added that she had no issue providing police officers with her identification.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Mr Matson is running for a local council seat in Chicago and was a state delegate for Donald Trump in 2016. He reportedly leads a local chapter of conservative LGBTQ rights group Log Cabin Republicans.

Ms Hudson wrote on Facebook that police officers arrived and that she eventually left the store. A spokesperson for the Chicago Police Department told BuzzFeed that at least two officers arrived at the scene but that “nobody generated a report”.

“I don't take issue — not then, not now — with him not accepting the coupon,” she said. “It's how he didn't accept the coupon,” Ms Hudson said.