A female retailer has highlighted the continued challenges women face in male-dominated environments, suggesting they still need to “think twice” about what they wear.
Nathalie Fullerton, owner of a One Stop convenience store on Dumbarton Road in Glasgow, made the comments during her address at the Scottish Grocers’ Federation’s inaugural diversity and inclusion conference on 3 April.
Speaking about her experiences as an independent female retailer, Fullerton shared how she has often felt uncomfortable while purchasing stock at cash and carry locations. She explained that her attire would often attract unwanted attention.
She said: “If I’m wearing tight jeans, I know I’m going to get stares; if I’m wearing a slightly low-cut top, I’m going to get stares; if I even wear a hoodie, I still get stares just because I’m a female in a male-orientated environment, and that’s not right.
“I shouldn’t have to feel like that. I shouldn’t have to feel that I have to wonder what I’m wearing.”
Call for women retailers to be given greater recognition
Fullerton also recounted experiences of being questioned about her heritage, despite being from Glasgow. She explained how, at a cash and carry, she was repeatedly asked whether she was from India or Pakistan.
“I always say I’m from Glasgow. And they go, ‘yeah I know that but where’s your family from?’ Glasgow. They look at me as if they get annoyed with me and then they say again, ‘no, but where are you from? India? Pakistan?’ Glasgow.
“They go, ‘all right, she’s just not playing ball’, and they walk away from me. I just don’t understand why that has to be a question – whether I’m from India or Pakistan or Bangladesh or wherever it may be. What difference does that make?” she said.
Further reflecting on her experiences in the retail industry, Fullerton described situations in her own store where representatives would ask to speak to the manager. Upon her arrival, they would ask if her father or husband was available to discuss the issue.
She added: “Whatever that rep has come in to speak to me about, he’s lost me instantly with that conversation, because I’m instantly shut off and I’m not interested in anything he’s got to say, he could be giving me gold bars and I’m like ‘no, I’m not interested’.
“He’s just completely lost me straight away, and it’s just not right.”
Retail workers are ‘unrecognised’ – store owner calls for mental health focus
In addition to the gender-related challenges highlighted by Fullerton, another independent retailer, Natalie Lightfoot, also shared her insights at the same conference about the overlooked mental health struggles faced by retail workers.
Lightfoot, who owns the Londis Solo convenience store in Glasgow, discussed how retail workers are often forced to operate in high-pressure environments with little support or recognition.
Lightfoot, a founding member of the Retailers4Retailers initiative—which offers support to those in the industry—stressed that many retailers are hesitant to discuss their mental well-being with colleagues, unless they share a “close, non-competitive relationship,” for fear of being judged.
She explained: “There are 43,000 independent retailers across the UK, according to the Association of Convenience Stores, and some of these people are still working 16 hours a day in their shops, day in, day out, with little to no support and no network.
“We are definitely forgotten about; we’re expected just to keep going, almost like you’ve chosen your bed, now lie in it. We truly believe we are an unrecognised workforce, expected to keep going, plodding along with no support whatsoever.”
Lightfoot also highlighted the extreme demands faced by some retailers, who work “seven days a week for three months solid.” She noted that this gruelling schedule often leads to neglect of their mental health.
She added: “We are the leaders of our shops, and the buck always ends with us. We are responsible for all of our staff and their well-being, but we cannot look after our shops if we don’t look after ourselves first.”
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