Shoppers spot former Woolworths CEO scanning groceries at local supermarket
- Replies 9
In a surprising turn of events that has left many customers and online commentators in disbelief, former Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci was recently spotted behind the checkout at a Woolworths store in Sydney's inner west.
The image of Banducci scanning items and serving customers at the Marrickville supermarket has sparked a fiery debate on social media, with reactions ranging from criticism to support.
Brad Banducci, who had been with Woolworths for 13 years and served as CEO for eight, stepped down from his role at the end of August following a controversial appearance on an ABC Four Corners report.
During the report, he was accused of having a 'mini tantrum' in response to tough questioning.
Despite Woolworths denying any connection between his resignation and the ABC interview, the incident has been cited as a contributing factor to reputational damage for both Banducci and the supermarket chain.
In a gesture that has been both lauded and lambasted, Banducci spent his final days at the company working on the supermarket floor, fulfilling his promise upon his resignation.
His hands-on approach in his farewell role was intended to show commitment to the company and its operations, but it has also been met with scepticism and criticism.
One customer's social media post, which included a derogatory remark about Banducci's stint at the checkout, went viral, attracting thousands of responses.
‘What a w**ker, the caption read. ‘Lady was having a go at him for cosplaying a wage earner while not paying his workers enough. Pretty on the money.’
The shopper said he ‘copped an earful’ from a customer when he visited, but it’s understood ‘there were no negative comments to Brand from customers during his time in store’.
The public's reaction to Banducci's checkout duty has been mixed.
‘I feel for all the store team members who would have been under the pump to prepare for this 'visit',’ one person wrote.
‘Nice. Now make the Qantas CEO fly economy on any flight over 5 hours. Experience 'the product' at its best,’ another said.
‘Brad now has some time to give back as he resigned from CEO last week,’ wrote another.
‘He's also probably doing a final bit of research on store experience in case somebody wants him as a consultant.’
And some people leapt to Banducci's defence.
‘I understand all the disdain in the comments, a corporate goon probably isn't going to learn empathy in a day—but surely this is better than the alternative where he never works at the checkout?’ a person said.
Woolworths Group reportedly has a program that requires all new office-based hires to spend several days working in a store, regardless of their position, to gain a better understanding of the business's operations.
Reflecting on the infamous Four Corners moment, credibility expert Neryl East criticised Banducci's handling of the interview, suggesting that his behavior and responses lacked authenticity and connection with ordinary Australians.
‘To have a mini tantrum, to say things that you then want to strike from the record. He was chugging from a water bottle while the questions were coming in. It was just all wrong,’ East said.
'I don’t know what happened between the preparation and execution, but something did. The bottom line is if you’re the CEO and you’re stepping up to face the music and answer questions…you’ve got to be able to deliver authentically. You’ve got to have a degree of humility, a degree of connection with the audience and ordinary Australians.’
Have you ever encountered a high-level executive working in a customer-facing role at your local supermarket? What do you think about corporate leaders getting their hands dirty on the shop floor? Share your stories and opinions in the comments below!
The image of Banducci scanning items and serving customers at the Marrickville supermarket has sparked a fiery debate on social media, with reactions ranging from criticism to support.
Brad Banducci, who had been with Woolworths for 13 years and served as CEO for eight, stepped down from his role at the end of August following a controversial appearance on an ABC Four Corners report.
During the report, he was accused of having a 'mini tantrum' in response to tough questioning.
Former Woolworths CEO was spotted at the counter at one Woolworths store scanning items and serving customers. Credit: u/iammr_schuck / Reddit
Despite Woolworths denying any connection between his resignation and the ABC interview, the incident has been cited as a contributing factor to reputational damage for both Banducci and the supermarket chain.
In a gesture that has been both lauded and lambasted, Banducci spent his final days at the company working on the supermarket floor, fulfilling his promise upon his resignation.
His hands-on approach in his farewell role was intended to show commitment to the company and its operations, but it has also been met with scepticism and criticism.
One customer's social media post, which included a derogatory remark about Banducci's stint at the checkout, went viral, attracting thousands of responses.
‘What a w**ker, the caption read. ‘Lady was having a go at him for cosplaying a wage earner while not paying his workers enough. Pretty on the money.’
The shopper said he ‘copped an earful’ from a customer when he visited, but it’s understood ‘there were no negative comments to Brand from customers during his time in store’.
The public's reaction to Banducci's checkout duty has been mixed.
‘I feel for all the store team members who would have been under the pump to prepare for this 'visit',’ one person wrote.
‘Nice. Now make the Qantas CEO fly economy on any flight over 5 hours. Experience 'the product' at its best,’ another said.
‘Brad now has some time to give back as he resigned from CEO last week,’ wrote another.
‘He's also probably doing a final bit of research on store experience in case somebody wants him as a consultant.’
And some people leapt to Banducci's defence.
‘I understand all the disdain in the comments, a corporate goon probably isn't going to learn empathy in a day—but surely this is better than the alternative where he never works at the checkout?’ a person said.
Woolworths Group reportedly has a program that requires all new office-based hires to spend several days working in a store, regardless of their position, to gain a better understanding of the business's operations.
Reflecting on the infamous Four Corners moment, credibility expert Neryl East criticised Banducci's handling of the interview, suggesting that his behavior and responses lacked authenticity and connection with ordinary Australians.
‘To have a mini tantrum, to say things that you then want to strike from the record. He was chugging from a water bottle while the questions were coming in. It was just all wrong,’ East said.
'I don’t know what happened between the preparation and execution, but something did. The bottom line is if you’re the CEO and you’re stepping up to face the music and answer questions…you’ve got to be able to deliver authentically. You’ve got to have a degree of humility, a degree of connection with the audience and ordinary Australians.’
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