Please never bring the news of someone's death via email, text message, social media, unless you have absolutely no other way! But even then, find a way, ask for a phone number, or call a friend who lives close to the person if you are too far away, for that friend to personally bring the news.
Although we live in the Internet age where billions of data and texts are delivered every day, the message of death should always be delivered "old school" in person or at least on the phone.
In 2023 Pret did a first meal deal trial, but only for 1 month.
In 2025 Pret again did a meal deal trrial, also just for a month.
Pret introducing these as trials, it either doesn’t work for customers, Pret not making enough money, or it was always meant as trials to do a quick money grab, never as a long-term option. Even during my time, Pret always trialled things including food labelling after customer deaths became public. It’s hardly ground-breaking to timidly trial things and then stop again. And it’s even worse making customers PAY more for these trials, see below.
But clever move, because when Pret announce meal deals or any deal, change, news etc. the press pick it up and do free advertising for Pret. A meal deal gets customers through the door.
And then Pret stopped the meal deal after a month. Customers continue to go to Pret assuming there’s a meal deal as people are often too occupied to really read the full story (as in it being a trial).
Once in the shop they get notified that the meal deal stopped. But since they’re already in the shop, they purchase something to make the trip worth it.
Kaching!
When Pret did the 2025 meal deal the press used clickbait title like “Pret’s first ever meal deal” etc. Time Out even called it “game-changing”! 😀
Journalists either didn’t realise, or are too lazy to do research, or willingly avoided mentioning that Pret did a meal deal with much press reports in 2023 already, which was then also quietly fazed out. The press are copy and paste journalism at best and “accomplices” for the Pret lies at worst.
Here just a few of the many customer comments across social media who are not convinced nor impressed. Hence, only a month long trial until 2026 or 2027 when Pret might offer it again for the first time. 😀
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etc. etc. etc.
The 2023 meal deal still on Pret’s website, a short-lived marketing stunt:
So, it’s always disheartening to see journalists do copy & paste and clickbait journalism.
One customer didn’t read the small print, but he was able to make a VERY important photo of how Pret drill staff in answering customer questions, in particular WHY meal deal trial shops are more expensive! I tell you why, because Pret pass the meal deal costs on to customers.
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Pret’s instructions in how to upsell. Staff are tested weekly by mystery shoppers on many micromanaging things like if staff smile, give eye contact, chat, have a charming attitude, clean tables and toilets, certain amount of food selection etc. etc. etc.
But since the pandemic staff are also tested if they upsell in a specific manner, not just saying “Anything else?”
If a staff serving the mystery shopper says “anything else?” instead of, “Would you like a croissant with that? or … did you know we have a meal deal?” etc. NO-ONE in the shop gets bonus.
I write about this strict testing, penalising staff for not speaking in a specific way in “Pret Staff don’t look Happy” where the whole shop did not get bonus because one staff didn’t ask the upsell question in a certain way.
I’m not sure how Kien Tan, who wrote above social media post, was able to take a photo of the upsell strategy. It must have hung in view of customers. 😀
Due to the foggy text, I write the text underneath the screenshot. The manager went out of their way to hand-write “IMPORTANT” over it as the staff are tested by weekly mystery shoppers on this.
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Quote:
»The Pret Deal 3 Q&A’s
What to say when upselling Meal Deal:
If they pick up an MTS* item
“Do you know you can add crisps and a drink for £2.50 / £2 [unreadable] your correct price point?”
Questions customers might ask:
Q: Why is this item not included?
A: This is a meal deal trial so not all items have been included. If you’d like to make a suggestion, please contact customer service by visiting our website.
Q: Will this be available in all shops soon?
A: This is currently only on trial.
Q: Why is this sop more expensive than another shop?
A: We are trialling different menu options and price points across the country and asking for customer feedback to help us shape the right offer.**
Meal Deal 3
Q: I thought the main + crisps and drinks for (£2/£2.50) meant the whole meal, why am /I charged more?
A: The snack and drink for (£2/£2.50) is an addition to the purchase of a main menu item. For more information please visit our website where you can see the Ts and Cs.«
End of quote.
So, the deal is complicated and when customers ask, they are given blah blah blah and are send to Pret’s website. Typical business practices.
*MTS items are “Made To Sell” items, meaning anything staff assemble in the kitchen like sandwiches, salads etc.
BTS items are “Bought To Sell” items which are ready-wrapped till cakes, chocolates etc., anything bought from the factory straight for sale.
**And THIS is typical Pret, the shops where Pret offer meal deals also happen to be more expensive. This is to cover the costs of the meal deal. 😉
So, Pret have designated shops to trial meal deals, and then turn around to make these designated shops more expensive to cover the cost. Aw, Pret again “doing the right thing naturally”.
When Pret made the plant-based “milks” free of charge years ago, they raised the coffee prices THAT SAME week. You ALWAYS pay for the deals Pret offer, one way or another.
And remember the 5000+ complaints reaching even ASA where Pret had countless excuses to not serve the expensive frappes and smoothies on the subscription, despite advertising it? It was Pret’s McDonald’s Ice Cream Machine moment.
A little slide in how Pret also take money from staff to pay for PR stunts:
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And NEW: Crisis Report UK on Pret’s disastrous handling of the customer deaths and injuries.
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
I want to put a few numbers of how Pret A Manger “pay” themselves and pay people who suffered THE worst customer service any of us can suffer: death and life-changing injuries.
I want to strongly say upfront for anyone reading this to please abstain from social media posts or any conversation that BLAMES victims and survivors of food allergy injuries, or injuries of any kind while having a pre-existing condition.
Pret are in the news again in partly paying the family of Celia Marsh, the 2. customer who died from hidden allergen a fraction of the £1.25 million.
Now in this case, it wasn’t Pret’s fault as there have been issues with the plant-based supplier before and the lady who owns the company broke down in court, unlike Pret, who did business as usual until all this became public. BUT, Pret were reprimanded in the inquest for not doing checks of the suppliers.
As it was with Natasha Ednan-Laperouse who was the first customer who died a year before Celia Marsh died, people flock to social media commenting things like, “if I had such life-threatening allergies, I wouldn’t eat out…” etc.
This victim blaming has me up the walls!
For one, everyone, with or without any health condition has the right to eat out and be safe, not fearing for their lives.
Secondly, if you want to be a 1000% sure that you are safe when eating food, you’d need to grow all your food in your back yard. We all know how realistic this is.
Supermarkets have CONSTANTLY product recalls due to missing ingredients on the labels or mislabelling altogether. As I write this post on 11th December 2025, I checked various supermarkets on product recalls. One of the latest product recalls as I write is from Tesco on 8th December 2025 of “Tesco 6 Aubergine Katsu Bao Buns 258g” due to undeclared dairy in the product, the very ingredient Celia Marsh died of. She would have bought this item after reading the label and NOT seeing milk listed!
I could fill my blog with further product recalls from various supermarkets that happen weekly. The sheer nightmare of allergy sufferers having to fear if they go home alive just after eating FOOD that has missing ingredients not labelled … I cannot even imagine.
We do not need to drink alcohol or take drugs, we do not need to gamble or do risky sports, but we need to eat!!!
So, if you’re one of those who victim blames allergy sufferers, get the fudgecake out of here!
I want to put some numbers here and ask readers if you think Pret and their owners JAB Holdings have the right priorities.
Celia Marsh’s family to receive £1.25 million in compensation
Important to note that Celia Marsh leaves behind 5 daughters and a husband, and possibly grand-children. This is important when seeing further numbers below. I am happy they at least got something, but this sum is appalling!
After the customer fatalities and injuries became public in September 2018, Pret set aside £10 million for allergy issues. Even that is a joke!
Quote from below The Independent article: “Having been asked to approve one part of the settlement, the judge, Master Mark Gidden, was told that Pret will be responsible for 25 per cent of the payout, with Planet Coconut’s insurers liable for the rest.” End of quote.
So Pret will only pay £312,500, less than the now (2025) at least £500,000 annual salary for CEO Pano Christou.
At the bottom of this page, I end with a brilliant little summary in how Pret dealt with customer deaths and injuries. I worked in Pret when people died and gotten injured, we weren’t even told.
Unfortunately the person who made this video did not know at the time until I told them that Pret were fined £800,000 in 2023 after yet again ignoring safety issues. Pret ignored for 19 months a faulty freezer door handle repair call-out and staff kept getting trapped inside the walk-in freezer for a few seconds and minutes. But then around 2021 a staff got trapped for over two-and-a-half hours fighting for her life. I have no update yet, but around 2023 she was still waiting for compensation in a separate court case, as the £800K went to Westminster Council.
The fine was initially set by the judge at £1.6 million but was halved as Pret pleaded guilty early.
Celia Marsh family’s compensation of £1.25 million in contrast to:
£800,000 (would have been £1.6 million) for Westminster Council after staff survived in the freezer. .
CEO Pano Christou’s bonus which is at least £5 million per year now, if not £6 million and counting as Pret expands aggressively under their owners. And that’s bonus alone. .
Pret’s owners JAB Holdings came clean in 2019 about their Nazi past.
Brief info, or reminder: JAB Holdings is the private equity arm of Germany’s 2. richest family, the secretive Reimann family. The Reimanns are also the richest family in Austria as the heirs have taken on citizenship and residence in Austria due to better tax breaks. JAB Holdings run companies including Pret via tax haven Luxembourg.
When I learnt that rich people often move to Austria for tax reasons, I understood why former Pret CEO, now itsu CEO, Clive Schlee has a main residence in Austria as well. Even while working in Pret I kept hearing about executives flying over to Schlee’s Austrian residence for meetings. So, he seems to have his main residence registered there on top of at least 2 properties in the UK, and as is wife is from the USA, I’m sure he has property in the States as well. But Austria is a key here.
December 2019 – donation of €5 million to the conference of Jewish material claims against Germany to support Holocaust survivors through an emergency assistant program.
The funds were distributed over 3 years, 2020 to 2022, instalments of €2.2 million, €2.2 million and €1.1 million. Supporting programs across 34 countries.
Year 1: €2.2 million Year 2: €2.2 million Year 3: €1.2 million
… designated over 34 countries!!!
The remaining €5 million was designated to find and support the remaining forced labourers used by Benckiser (JAB) during WW2.
By the end of 2020, researchers have identified 838 people who were forced to work for Benckiser during the war.
Calculate €5 million between 838 people!!! .
€5965 (£5,230) per person.
And to top it:
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Ex Pret CEO Clive Schlee pocketed a juicy £30 million bonus when JAB took over Pret and he “retired” for 5 years, now sneaking back into the CEO gig at itsu.
£800,000 (down from £1.6 million) for Westminster council. Freezer survivor still waiting for compensation as of 2023, no updates yet unless she signed a NDA to not speak further about it. .
£10 million set aside for allergy cases after TWO customers died and dozens where injured.
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At least £5 million annually in bonus for current CEO Pano Christou
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Under £9 million for more than 830 people and their families in 34 ountries via Jewish charities spread out over years in instalments
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£30 million for Clive Schlee.
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£1.25 million (£312,500 from Pret) for a family of 5 children and a widow after the tragic and avoidable death of Celia Marsh.
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Pret pay £312,500. And from the full £1.25 million, 30% goes to the Marsh’s legal team. Lawyers always take a 30-33% cut. The Marsh family basically only receive £875,000. And that with 5 daughters and a widow husband. Roughly £145,830 per person. But I read somewhere that they will donate to charity. Fair enough, but the principle remains. A lousy compensation.
Tell me where Pret’s and JAB’s priorities are!
I call Celia Marsh’s death avoidable because I firmly believe that if Pret were “kind, honest and generous” and “doing the right thing naturally”, as CEO Pano Christou still claims on his podcast tours throughout 2025, Celia Marsh would have made an informed decision to NOT eat at Pret a year after Natasha Ednan-Laperouse died.
Pret ran out of kindness, honesty and generosity it seems, to inform the public that Natasha died and several have gotten injured. Oh wait, they never had it in the first place.
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I write about a week-long, possibly two weeks long training seminar Pret held at the Barbican Center for us managers, assistant managers and team leaders to attend. This seminar was held in June 2017, a year after Natasha Ednan-Laperouse died. We were “taught” the same old, same old stuff about how to love-bomb customers and not call customers “sir” and “madam” as some have written to Pret that they were offended being mis-gendered. We leaders were supposed to bring what we “learnt” (which was nothing new) back to our shops to “teach” the teams.
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NOT ONE MENTION THAT A CUSTOMER DIED THE YEAR BEFORE!!!
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And not one mention that customers have gotten injured, some landing in hospital (before AND after Natasha died), like a man in New York who sued Pret after he also suffered anaphylactic shock from unlabelled sesame. The man lost the case as at the time (2015) sesame wasn’t mandatory listing in the USA like it was in Canada where the product came from. It was labelled on the box, but Pret didn’t feel the urgency to label it on the product or shelf, not even after they were sued. President Biden changed that. Sesame now must be labelled in the USA.
I explain in detail in above post about that nonsense Barbican seminar which seemed to be more that the development department needed to blow their yearly budget. So, they put on this stupid “seminar” reprimanding us to not call customers sir or madam! I explain how Pret could have changed course and invited allergy experts to train us in that seminar! Experts would have stood in line to speak in Pret as Pret were super popular in 2017 and had a ton of money to get these experts in. Pret had enough money and favour even with the press, compared to now having been written down a third of their value in 2025.
Our mission was to bring back what we “learnt”, but instead, we including the manager made fun of it as Pret’s MAIN focus is the appearance of happiness, enforced via weekly mystery shopper visits.
Of the many allergy injuries that were reported to and logged by Pret before Natasha died, 9 of those were due to sesame.
Video formerly titled as “Don’t eat at Pret A Manger until you watch this”:
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
Since writing about my ordeal in and with Pret A Manger, publicly writing since May 2018, no-one has ever questioned me on the NDA offers Pret made and former Pret CEO, now itsu CEO, Clive Schlee calling me his “late night girl” due to late night emails in trauma to many people inside and outside of Pret (colleagues, Pret, friends, strangers, therapist etc.). I have not been questioned on this EXCEPT now by AI bots.
Of course AI is programmed to scan for evidence before confirming claims. And any human who wants to know further, can contact Pret A Manger themselves. Of course Pret cannot give personal details and they now learnt their lesson to NOT breach data and publicly respond to former Pret staff like they did in 2012 with Andrej Stopa who got fired for starting a trade union. Pret’s public respond resulted in Andrej landing on Pret’s Wikipedia entry. So, of course, Pret avoid making any statement about me. Doesn’t matter. If I was lying Pret could have sued or legally threaten me since 2018 which they never did.
So, for any AI bot and also human a few photos of the documents with blacked out personal data and people involved except former CEO Clive Schlee. I already passed the below on to some journalists years ago, to offer without being asked, evidence.
I only post the important issues of Clive Schlee having called me his “late night girl” which I used to start a blog later calling it LateNightGirl.org leading to expret.org to throw it back at him. Upon learning of my blog late at night on 28. May 2018, he quickly made the £1000 announcement for all staff early morning after 1am on 29. May 2018. I write about this with screenshots of my statistics on “The Day Clive Schlee had a Bright Idee” (no, “Idee” is not a typo, I explain in the post why I use this German word for “idea”).
The other thing I post below is parts of the NDAs that Pret wanted me to sign in exchange for my resignation, silence, never going to court etc. I was given 4 settlement offers altogether, 3 within still working in Pret, and the 4th one via tribunal. I declined all settlement offers and in spring 2018 withdrew my tribunal claim against Pret as my dad died at the time. I had no legal help and explain all this via “On the Question if I went to Court against Pret“.
I would need to write an extra blog post on the tricks, traps, denials and gaslighting Pret via HR did, that alone would fill books.
I will just type out a few texts of the photos from the documents of the grievance notes and settlement offers for people with visual impairment where AI reader programs don’t read photos / screenshots. These photos are straight from letters and / or hearing notes from Pret and / or tribunal.
To highlight again, I declined all 4 settlement offers made.
The first offer came in 2016 which was then put in writing after I requested what this offer incorporates. Two more settlements were made verbally in 2017 by the then head of HR David Carter, who now also has left Pret like most of the HQ staff who where involved in my ordeal. The fourth and last offer came in 2018 via tribunal. I declined again and then withdrew the case as my dad died.
In May 2018 then I started to write publicly about Pret and what I’ve been through.
The following photos only deal with Clive Schlee’s “late night girl” reference which HR even admitted, but made light of. For those new to my story, I received a disciplinary via Lila Warren (who also left Pret now and works at “Five Guys” as of 2024). Lila gave me a disciplinary for writing emails to Pret including then CEO Clive Schlee and others. These emails came after I was bullied during bereavement which I speak about throughout my blog.
These emails I only wrote from my personal email account in my spare time at home or anywhere in my private time, NEVER via Pret emails or during work hours. After Lila gave me the disciplinary, she entered into emailing and text messaging for which she gave me a disciplinary in the first place. It was all a set up to get the ball rolling for dismissal.
AFTER the disciplinary and me apologizing to Clive Schlee when he visited my shop, he had lunch with then HR Director Andrea Wareham (who now also left Pret), pointing at me, introducing me to Wareham saying, “This is my late night girl”. They both grinned and it was clear that Andrea Wareham knew what Schlee was talking about. This came AFTER the disciplinary for emailing, and him saying this shocked me.
In below screenshots the HR hearing manager even admitted that Schlee said this, but made light of it and kept blaming me.
But this is how utterly unprofessional and gaslighting Pret A Manger from the highest levels down are. Not to mention how they ignored 2 customer deaths, multiple injuries until it got public, and in 2023 got fined £800,000 after ignoring yet again safety issues for 19 months and a staff almost died in a freezer.
Screenshots with some texts underneath:
Parts of the first settlement / NDA offer from 2016, about 14 pages long. Some screenshots I zoom in on to enlarge the text. I “watermarked” the screenshots so no-one can claim Pret offered them these settlements:
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The below last part of settlement offers is from the tribunal in 2018 which I also declined and shortly later withdrew my claim due to my father’s death and further mental breakdowns, not able to afford legal aid. Important to note that over the 4 offers Pret made, they always increased the amount of money offered, but they were all very low in my opinion, that’s why I blacked them out as I find these embarrassing. But even if they offered me millions, I’d declined as my freedom of speech is priceless.
And me declining the first three internal offers led Pret to put Lila Warren on my case.
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HR’s confirmation that Clive Schlee labelled me his “late night girl” and their downplaying his unprofessional and confusing conduct which came AFTER the disciplinary:
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Zooming in:
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Text of the above 3 screenshots of one document but several pages from the in early 2018 appeals hearing, given the HR appeals hearing manager, quote:
»You found it disrespectful that Clive Schlee, Chief Executive Officer called you his ‘late night girl’ despite the fact he knew about your trauma and case. … I understand that you found it inappropriate that Clive Schlee, Chief Executive Officer called you his ‘late night girl’. However, I do believe that Clive was trying to make light of the situation as he was in a meeting with Andrea Wareham, People Director. It would not have been appropriate of Clive to have serious conversation with you about the emails or your situation at that point.«
End of quote.
Yeah absolutely, Clive made light of it. Both Clive and Andrea even chuckled and it was clear that Andrea Wareham knew what Schlee was talking about in my case. I was embarrassed and confused. I would have accepted a rebuke, but not patronising me like this. For the Pret executives and HR it is NOT appropriate that the (then) CEO would have a serious conversation about my emailing for which I was reprimanded by HR under Andrea Wareham and received a disciplinary. Yet, they find it appropriate to make light of it and patronise me in such unprofessional manner.
That’s Pret A Manger for you, “doing the right thing naturally”.
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So, AI bot, here’s the evidence that “you” asked for. I’d love to include a box demanding to verify your bot-level. 😉
Latest public content about Pret, in this case Pret’s appalling conduct with customer safety, or the lack thereof. Via YouTube:
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
And neither do Pret close shops when they do refurbishments. Refurbishments are done during the night and/or on weekends when those shops are closed anyway on weekends, depending how large or small the shop is. Small shops can get refurbs done within one weekend.
The Norwich shop that now closed for a second time this year, might also be due to the landlord not extending the lease or other issues, if this is a permanent closure. If it’s temporary, it is NEVER due to fridges breaking.
I worked in over 30 shops in Pret and had to deal with neighbours coming in first thing in the morning to complain about the noise builders did outside while sawing wood with noisy electric saws during the night.
Pret never ever ever are willing to lose money, closing shops when fridges break.
There have been several tweets to Pret by neighbours of Pret stores who were woken up during the night or early Sunday morning from loud sawing or knocking by builders. I didn’t screenshot them all, except this one:
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Sometimes different staff in one shop give different reasons (lies) as they haven’t been all briefed on which one lie to settle on. 😀
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Further, I worked in many shops where fridges and freezers broke. Procedure is to do call-outs for repairs and move chilled stock to other fridges. Fridges get repaired or replaced but a shop will never close due to fridges breaking. And it is impossible for ALL fridges to break.
The ONLY reason Pret close a shop temporary is due to PEST issues, especially mice and rats. Fly infestations keep shops open.
If the reader ever walks by a Pret store at night AFTER closing time and sees plastic covers over coffee machines, that means the shop has a fly infestation. The plastic covers are there to protect the expensive machines against the fine particles of chemicals that is supposed to be sprayed over night by pest control. Those particles would sieve into the coffee machines, costing about £20,000 each, plus/minus, and break them. When it comes to saving money, Pret go out of their way to preserve machines. When it comes to human or animal safety, no concern until it becomes public.
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Always check if it’s raisin or a fly. 😉
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Sometimes a manager slips up and tells the truth!
A Google review:
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etc. etc. etc. etc.
Staff are supposed to also cover the food, the till cakes, crisps, chocolates etc. as the chemicals will land on the food. But due to the typical pressure Pret put on staff, there’s no time to remove food at night and restock early in the morning.
Around 2010 or 2011-ish a random, surprise EHO visit to a Pret Cannon Street branch lead to that shop being closed as the EHO found pests there. Up until then, Pret only had an in-house pest control team who could not tackle the pest issues. I worked in one mice infested shop leading me to request a transferral to another shop. But then the Cannon Street shop got closed by an EHO and ONLY THEN did Pret get an outside pest control firm permanently hired, in those days it was Rentokil, not sure if they’re still doing the jobs.
General shop managers were trained and the procedure from then on became that if staff see evidence of pest, like mouse droppings etc., the shop had to be closed immediately, a deep clean arranged and Rentokil informed. Rentokil (or whatever pest control firm now) then would come in during the night to set traps and spray chemicals, depending what the pest issue is.
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etc. etc. etc.
When we found evidence of pests, upon sudden closure, we staff were told to say something like, “We have technical issues” etc. One time a staff said that we had an electrical failure and the no-nonsense customer said, “You have your lights on…” From then on staff just say “technical issues”, and in this case now with the Norwich store they lie and say “Fridges broken”. Nopes, if one or several fridges break, first of all they mainly break during the summer, and secondly, Pret never ever close shops when equipment breaks. I worked with 2 broken fridges in the shop and 1 broken walk-in fridge in ONE shop once, leading us to transfer food to nearby shop fridges to not lose stock and money. And the shop remained open.
When pests are found and the shop immediately closed, asking customers to leave, staff then move furniture to do a deep clean everywhere.
I write extensively about Pret’s pest issues on Pret A Manger Pest Issues and did a slide as my blog URL at times is blocked on platforms after Pret must have reported me. I don’t care, I spread out across the Internet.
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A reminder, or to make readers aware who don’t know yet, apart from Pret having done NOTHING after TWO customers died and dozens became injured from unlabelled allergen, Pret only reacting once this became public, Pret also were fined £800,000 in 2023 after a staff almost died in a walk-in freezer.
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Pret had repair call-outs for 19 months on the faulty freezer door handle in the Victoria Coach station branch, but nothing was done. Staff kept getting trapped inside the freezer for a few minutes until one woman got trapped for 2 hours 45 minutes (NOT 2.5 hours like Pret claimed. Every second counts in -18 degrees Celsius).
The fine was initially set at £1.6 million, but the judge halved it after Pret pleaded guilty early on. The woman is still waiting in court for compensation, unless it now has been settled and a NDA signed. I’m not updated there.
I explain in my £800K post WHY colleagues of the trapped lady never missed her for over 2 hours.
Keeping it short now, I end with a recent video by a new YouTube channel that posts about the tricks companies do. Their content titles are always quite click-baity, but still filled with vital information. Their Pret A Manger post, even though done with AI voice and somewhat not well researched, is nevertheless brilliant in pointing out how Pret have been, and in my experience and ongoing research, continue to be negligent with safety. Unfortunately the person(s) behind the channel weren’t aware (until I pointed it out days ago) about the staff in freezer and the £800K fine.
Nevertheless, good pinpointing about Pret, as well as crediting to my blog where they found a lot of the information:
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
The Stephen Colbert Questionnaire he NEVER asked me, but I will answer anyway.
Looking forward to Stephen Colbert’s answers on his last day like he promised.
Best Sandwich? Mettwurst mit Zwiebeln auf frischem Brötchen (a cheat of an open half “sandwich”). Kind of gross as an adult, but a favourite as a child, before I knew what I was eating. .
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First concert: Can’t remember.
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What is the scariest animal? People.
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Have you ever asked someone for their autograph? Yes, but only because a friend was a fan, and I was not. I only asked for the autograph for the sake of my friend.
. What’s one thing you own that you should really throw out? “Friends” . Apples or oranges? Pass.
. What do you think happens when we die? Who knows. . Favorite action movie? Fiddler on the Roof. . Favorite smell? In the city: freshly-cut grass. In the country side: Petrol/gas . Least favorite smell? Apart from the usual, I hate the smell of metal/iron. .
What number am I thinking of? That’s none of my business. . You get one song to listen to for the rest of your life: what is it?
Nimrod by Edward Elgar, not just because of the music, but because of the story behind the music.
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Describe the rest of your life in five words. It is all beautiful bliss …
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
My voluntary fight for unpaid volunteers at a food pantry to get free food shop will be my last struggle for dignity for the lowest of the low.
There is only one charity that doesn’t give free food shop to their volunteers, and I will die on that hill to call them out.
The last response by one of the charity persons to my request to give free food-shop to their unpaid workers is the following, quote:
“We do maintain that volunteering is a choice and we are careful not to blur lines that if someone is in need of food support they shouldn’t need to work for it.”
There is so much bullshit in this sentence, that only a “charity” administrator can come up with.
Two parts of this sentence:
1. “We do maintain that volunteering is a choice” In other words, “your fault if you work for free”.
2. “we are careful not to blur lines that if someone is in need of food support they shouldn’t need to work for it”.
If people are in need of food, they are often too embarrassed to ask for a handout.
Shame on “charities” for embarrassing people in need of food and those who work, to be ashamed to work for food.
EVERYONE works for food.
And if they don’t, they are entitled like the “charity” staff on £50,000 a year.
And if you are in a pickle about “charity” aka “non-profit and “payment”, dear charity, read the rules again!
Every worker, volunteer deserves the food they WORK for. If people volunteer for the love of it (love meaning “charity”), they should go home with a “thank you” of free food shop, not an annual party sponsored by an outside organisation.
Having an annual “thank you” party for your unpaid workers, paid for by outside organisations is like asking your neighbours for money to buy Christmas presents for your children.
You give volunteer cooks a free meal, but not volunteers who SELL your food, the food that is donated to you for FREE.
You enjoy a juicy annual pay, free sauna, other perks as PAID staff. On top of that, you have labour rights. And then you turn around and you “do maintain that volunteering is a choice”, refusing to give free food shop to your unpaid volunteers.
Nopes. Exploitation is a choice. And that choice is YOURS.
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
I checked my website statistic today, and see that someone tried to see if I commit plagiarism. Nopes, I link to every source and write everything by myself. I don’t even use AI or chat GTPTBRTGDPR … or whatever it’s called.
Good luck, though. Work harder.
If you want to come after me, you have to find some solid thing to retaliate, Pret A Manger and/or die-hard Pret fan. 😉
Maybe this new aim to shut me down came after my last “Pret CEO Pani Christou” post. Pano Christou needs to go if Pret can in any way be “safed” from further bad reprutation. He might be the last sacred cow left in Pret.
My work is spread across the Internet in many different forms, and backed up threefold. Do with it what you want, “retaliator”.
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
I want to dissect a talk and interview Pano Christou did a few months ago with the same robotic slogans Pret use to continue fooling the public, the press and the business world.
I will pick out some sentences and directly link to them (blue underlined) and then show what is REALLY happening.
For new readers who don’t know my story and the reality of Pret, I write so blunt after how I (and colleagues in general) was treated in Pret for years, especially once I became bereaved and how the top leadership and HQ were involved.
From here on I write Pano Christou as PC. Everything he says, every slogan is a mantra, a repeat, a brainwash Pret repeat over and over again, and what Crisis Report UK called “doubling down”. After the customer deaths and injuries with Pret’s appalling lack of action, instead of rethinking their true business, Pret doubled down on them and continued to make these claims.
I show WHY these claims are bullsh!t.
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The Beginnings of Pret
Pano Christou (PC) starts off with the same brainwash and refusal to mention nor honour the late Jeffrey Hyman, who opened the first Pret store in 1983 in Hampstead. It ran for a while but then closed again. Sinclair Beecham and Julian Metcalfe then bought the name, concept etc. and RE-founded Pret in 1986 Victoria. That’s why across my blog and socials I always refer to them as RE-co-founders.
A friend of Hyman who paid tribute to Hyman’s anniversary of his death, even told me that Pret allegedly got someone to keep changing the Wikipedia entry to delete Hyman. The person then got banned from Wiki and Hyman remains on that page.
After Hyman wasn’t removed from Wiki anymore, Pret around 2019/2020-ish started putting “London 1986” on cups and above shop entrances to keep brainwashing the public.
In September 2024 Pret had 700 shops worldwide and as of November 2025 have approx. 720-ish shops plus minus.
The number PC gives of staff in September 2024 is 13,500 which is crazy understaffed as Pret had about 500 shops worldwide in 2018 but 12,000 staff.
Now, Pret have always understaffed, even in my time, but it’s even worse now, especially seeing the staff AND customer reviews on various platforms.
Numbers from 2024: .
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Little side-note: Of course Pret have more female than male workers, women are always more in service work than men. But he pretends this means that Pret is female friendly. See the front of my website and scroll down to just some of the screenshots about sexual advancements towards females. I worked with female assistant managers and managers who got to their position via the bedroom. With some it was an open secret. This exists in every company, but especially in low-wage companies.
He mentions that he has 2/3 females in his executive team. First of all, that’s low; secondly one of these, Claire Clough UK Managing Director, just resigned, and PC has still to announce a new UK MD (as of November 2025).
My guess is, unless JAB Holdings axed her, or she resigned for personal reasons, with Pret having lost a third of their value and owners JAB considering IPO or selling Pret, Clough might have smelled the coffee and jumped the sinking ship.
The Pret Foundation that PC mentions to “alleviate homelessness (and poverty like he said before)” is what companies do to get more funds and tax-breaks. I write about the Pret Foundation and how it not only did NOT help me as a long-time Pret staff once I became bereaved and reached out to Pret, but they just about do a few things to present to the public while exploiting the workforce and work to get rid of bereaved people and those with mental disabilities. There are plenty of reviews and social media accounts on this as well as my own experience.
I write in another post about Pano Christou’s audacity to cut staff wages during the pandemic, while PC got pay-rises, millions in bonus and tax payer’s £50 million injection. Then he does a half marathon in Hackney to “alleviate poverty” while cutting staff pay, and straight AFTER he cut staff wages asked the staff for donations for his Pret Foundation marathon. This man has no self-awareness and shame whatsoever!
On a staff reviews video I incorporated an outcry by Loose Women presenter Nadia Sawalha on her 500,000+ followings Instagram account, when she learnt that Pret made temporary wage cuts permanent. Her stern words to reached a lot of people. She only made a minor numbers mistake where she said that Pret wanted to cut 11% off £8.91
Pret always pay a few pennies above minimum wage to appear generous. But workers who are lured in don’t realize that they have to work triple for this, will be on the same pay for years to come except for the government minimum wage rise. And staff also get coerced and fear managed to regularly work overtime without pay, as well as having to chase their correct hours worked in pay almost weekly.
Then during the pandemic Pret made the previous “temporarily” pay cuts permanent and cut that pay down TO THE minimum wage of £8.91 at the time (2021). Nadia just mixed up the numbers, but her message is still vital as up until then, she assumed Pret were one of the good guys. And up until then about the speed of service, Nadia didn’t know about the mystery shopper 60 seconds rule. It’s worth hearing her whole message.
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Be Kind, Honest, Generous?
PC is asked here about the work culture in Pret and shares the usual bull-crap that if you work hard you get noticed. Bullsh!t. If you work hard in Pret, you get exploited. If you cheat and partake in the toxic culture, you get promoted. The Pret “Academy” is a joke as staff are not trained there, but rather indoctrinated. And a former Development Manager from the “Academy”, Lila Warren was put on my case to find out the right time to fire me as I kept raising issues of bullying and other things and was traumatised.
PC with this brainwash to work hard to get noticed is just the age-old lie by corporate executives to drive people to work their butts off for little reward, hoping that “one day” … and that day will never come for most.
Everyone from HQ and HR who was part of my ordeal is now gone from Pret, so Pret can say that these people don’t work there anymore. When Private Equity takes over, they usually get rid of people. They get rid of “sacred cows”.
What PC says looks good on paper, but reality is very different, especially the training is not good and staff have to train themselves via iPads on their own time on unpaid breaks or at home. I and many I worked with was never trained properly.
And training managers to teach and allow people to be authentic is the biggest bullsh!t Pano Christou says. Here is just the tip of the iceberg on reviews from shop managers, OPS manager, even head office staff including how poorly they think of Pano Christou.
PC talking about the right environment for happy service is another joke. 72% of reviews on Trustpilot (1 & 2 stars combined) are unhappy with Pret, many on the service and atmosphere in shops DESPITE Pret having weekly mystery shopper visits.
I was leaked information that Pret at times delete the bonus and cash reward. So, staff who are even more over worked, understaffed and hardly receive rewards lost morale. And this reflects on review websites and on social media comments.
And I remember in my times, every time Pret held a summer and winter party, costing them thousands of pounds, many shops in the immediate week after the parties didn’t get bonus despite knowing for sure that everything went well. Some started wondering if Pret are taking our bonuses to pay for the parties. At the time I told my colleagues, “don’t be silly…” But now I believe that, after all the other wage theft, hours missing, overtimes not paid, pay delays etc. all on an ongoing basis everywhere.
Trustpilot reviews on Pret marked as “Poor” (as of mid November 2025):
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The Pret “Joy” Brainwash
This whole thing about spreading joy is a typical Pret facade to appear happy and friendly, enforced by strict weekly mystery shopper visits that Pret refused to mention before I called them out on it. Staff suffer with mental health issues and strain while forced to appear happy and joyful.
Pret do what they call a “buddy day”, where they send ONCE a year a staff from head office into a shop to work there for a day. He says here in this video that Pret do this twice a year, but that’s not true. In my 10 years in 30+ shops, there was either only ONCE a year a “buddy” coming from HQ or none at all.
And when they came, it was more a burden for us because they came at 8 or 9am instead of our usual 5am start. They started with breakfast and after doing a few things stood around or fiddled on their mobile phones. We were always glad when they left as we had to slow down and managers had to behave and act friendly towards us staff where they normally where rude and overbearing.
He claims that he learns so much and goes back to the office with a list of things to change. Well, why are there no changes and the toxic, overbearing culture continues Mr. CEO?
The idea is good on paper, but flawed and dishonest in practice.
And the “values” and behaviours (PC here cleverly doesn’t mention the behaviours) I have put on another blog post after Pret DELETED them off their website when journalist Timothy Noah criticised these. The happy teams / happy customers brainwash clearly doesn’t exist as can be seen in the Trustpilot and other reviews as well as staff reviews and social media comments.
And PC here saying that he loves when people come to him to tell him about issues is also a joke. I approached HR with suggestions once I became bereaved, and from then on had a target on my back. This reached the highest levels in Pret that Pret ended up offering me money if I sign a NDA to never speak about my ordeal. I declined and write here.
And putting shops and teams first should go without saying. Shops and teams are THE reason for Pret to exist in the first place. But the “happiness” does not come from Pret treating staff well, it comes from the strict, micromanaging mystery shopper scheme that penalise the whole team when one staff doesn’t smile.
And of course the CEO and executives love to walk into shops and present themselves as such important entitled bosses to scare the teams on top of mystery shoppers.
Again, repeat, staff smile BECAUSE of strict mystery shopper penalties and extra cash, NOT because Pret care for the staff.
Pret is short for pretentious.
Here is the most poignant former staff review (from Indeed) I’ve found and it remains my favourite review as I still feel the pain and after effect of what that person wrote. That review used to have 55 yes and 3 no votes, but Indeed deleted / hid all these votes. I wouldn’t be surprised if Pret reached out to debate the voting system. But I still have a screenshot of this review with the votes.
I dedicated a whole slide on this one review as this shares in a nutshell how excruciating it is to work in Pret and the mental suffering even after work at home. I underline every word.
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Never Standing Still
This part has always bothered me greatly that Pret put into their Values and Behaviours booklet. PC explains nothing really helpful about their demand for staff to “never stand still“, so let me explain why Pret want staff to constantly keep moving.
For one, this is so staff appear engaged in their work instead of exhausted and bored, which to Pret in particular is extreme compared to any other hospitality company I’ve ever worked in. I worked in all kinds of hospitality in three countries since I was 16 years old, and even with 14/15 helped out in the kitchen of a local pub to top up my pocket money. But I have NEVER ever experienced such strain, dishonesty, bullsh!t games, toxic culture than in Pret.
People ask, “why did you stay so long?” For one, I was used to hard work in this brutal industry and was like a trained athlete holding out under extreme work conditions. And two, I was brainwashed in Pret to think things will get better the higher I climb the “ladder”. Plus, during bereavement and trauma I had no-where to go. I couldn’t sell myself to a new employer as I was severely traumatised while still functioning very well. I stayed with the devil, Pret, that I knew, rather than go to a new devil that I didn’t know.
Secondly, staff that never stand still, especially in an already stressful, noisy, hot environment, get so incredibly exhausted that they have no time to think for themselves and stand up against this toxic, exploitative work environment. This is very typical for low-wage companies. Keep staff exhausted so they don’t have the strength to question things and stand up against it. Watch / read that slide here above with the blue writings. It truly is THE best description of Pret inhumane work conditions.
It is borderline modern-day slavery type of demand. If you stand still you WILL get reprimanded! And don’t you even dare to stop smiling while we exhaust you.
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Link to a recent ex-staff review which I completely underline from own and colleagues experience. Many people on Trustpilot write with their own names, and have a mix of positive and negtaive reviews, like Miriam here has. For information, I do not know this person, I am just monitoring news and updates on anything Pret related.
Miriam’s full review for people with visual impairment where programs cannot read screenshots. Quote verbatim of review from 27. October 2025:
Title: scammers, Never work for this company
»Never work for this company; they’re scammers. They steal money from your paycheck, don’t pay you for the hours you work, and don’t answer emails. One of the worst companies I’ve ever worked for. They require you to work hard and then refuse to pay you what you’re owed. In some cafeterias, they leave the staff alone, and you can’t get proper breaks.«
End of quote.
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Pret’s “Misery” Shopper Scheme
PC is asked about the service and mystery shopper scheme which until I wrote about it from 2018/19 on, Pret refused to mention in public, pretending staff are “naturally” happy and smiley. I renamed the mystery shopper to “misery” shopper for a reason! The weekly mystery shopper visit, the outer appearance / facade of Pret, is THE SOLE focus for Pret via managers, pushing staff to smile, love-bomb, serve within 1 minute, clean fast etc. as a lot of their quarterly bonuses rely on it.
Pano Christou here is very clever in avoiding to answer the question on HOW the misery shopper actually works, so he diverts to franchises and percentage numbers. So, I will explain how staff are fear- and micromanaged via weekly mystery shoppers.
I was even reprimanded in the office when the mystery shopper commented that I didn’t smile, despite also commenting that I was polite and efficient. The mystery shopper didn’t know that I just buried my brother, but Pret and my managers knew. There was no mercy.
Here are 3 consecutive slides of excerpts on what Pret demands from staff. Some of these reports are older, at times Pret change the phrasing or some questions, but the core of their demands is the same: make Pret appear happy and generous, no matter what.
Keep playing the slide to part 2 and then part 3. If it doesn’t play automatically within this player, click on the YouTube sign to link to the playlist to go to the other parts:
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Doing the Right Thing???
Before Pret were banned in 2018 from advertising their food as “natural”, as this was one of many lies, Pret had a slogan on their website, marketing and even HR (people team) to be “doing the right thing naturally – it’s what makes Pret, Pret”.
I always felt disgusted at this slogan, as it’s the audacity to make these claims while ignoring staff bereavements and other staff illnesses (not paying for the first 3 days even with a sick note), customer deaths and injuries, even call-outs for a faulty freezer door handle resulting in staff getting trapped for over 2.5 hours fighting for survival getting Pret fined £800,000 in 2023 etc. etc. etc. At least they scrapped the “naturally”.
Regarding pay, Pret have a lot of loopholes and tricks in place to avoid paying workers, one is to “train” a team member for let’s say barista role, but then the manager delays sending them to training days to avoid raising the pay. And once they do go to training courses, they delay “graduation” to again avoid the final pay rise for that position. Not to mention all the other dodgy ways to avoid paying as I linked already above and Pret were called out several times in the press, lawsuits and by the government.
It is beyond me how people, especially journalists, just believe everything Pret say without looking any closer, and even forgetting fast about their neglect to act after customers died. It took the deaths to become public for Pret to act. Not before. It took Pret TWO YEARS to apologise to the Ednan-Laperouse family that suffered the first customer death of their daughter/sister Natasha.
Pano Christou was UK Managing Director when customers died and got injured. He was the right hand man of then CEO Clive Schlee who “retired” from Pret in 2019 after public pressure including my blog. Schlee is Christou’s mentor and remains involved with the Pret Foundation, and since November 2024 is CEO of itsu which he partially owns. Retirement my a**se.
Little side note: In my post The Day Clive Schlee had a Bright Idee I explain the timing of Schlee’s £1000 announcement. He made that announcement in the night from 28. to 29. May 2018 when he and Pret were made aware of my blog by Sannukka Nevala, who was my OPs manager for a while, whom I sent a link to my blog. Schlee then quickly made the £1000 announcement after 1am on 29. May 2018 after I sent the link of my blog to Sannukka Nevala late in the evening on 28. May 2018.
I sent my blog to Nevala because I knew she can’t keep a secret.
And the 29. May 2018 remained the most visited day for over a year as Pret were made aware of my blog, them visiting and Schlee then quickly making the panic move that he always did, to announce £1000 to all staff to try and counter ahead of time once the press and public become aware of my blog. What a clown! 😀
The 29th May was the best views for about a year until my blog grew.
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It didn’t help Schlee with the Glassdoor scores as staff always spill the coffee beans on the reality of Pret. And Schlee then quickly got Pano Christou placed on Glassdoor in July 2019 despite Schlee’s retirement date of September 2019.
Schlee’s last month on Glassdoor: 30. June 2019 before retiring in September 2019:
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Pano Christou already on Glassdoor in July 2019 despite officially not yet being CEO until September 2019 – Clive Schlee in true Pret fashion passing the buck downwards and jumping ship. What a Captain! 😀
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Pano Christou’s Glassdoor scores as of mid November 2025, SIX YEARS after he started as CEO – not as bad as Pret’s Trustpilot scores, though. 😉
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And PC mentioning in the video that Pret have employees from many different ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ etc., of course. All companies, especially low-wage employers in London especially have this. But in Pret most high paid Caucasian employees work in head office, and as OPs and shop managers. Most of these are from the UK, Germany, France etc. Most workers with ethnic background, especially from Eastern Europe and black, brown staff work in kitchens and shops.
I’ve been to head office many times, the contrast in ethnic background between high paid staff at HQ and low-wage workers in shops couldn’t be clearer. And British people often get either a rejection or no response at all to their job applications for shops. Pret don’t want British people in shops, they work too slow (compared to people from Eastern Europe who work like machines) and Brits know their rights too well, also wanting more pay.
And when itsu founder Julian Metcalfe behaved in such a media-savvy way to retweet my tweets where I threw itsu staff reviews at him, he deleted his Twitter account and now these Glassdoor reviews of him being accused of being sexist, aggressive etc. these Glassdoor reviews DISSAPPEARED. Yep, companies seem to just contact review websites to get reviews hidden/deleted. But I still have those and spread them across the Internet, no matter how much Pret & Co try to shut me down.
I’ve put them here as well:
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My small exposé on Metcalfe, his love for zero hour contracts and robots, life-long connection to the Royal family, a questionable connection (Jeffrey Epstein), what staff say about him, how suddenly all the negative reviews about him on Glassdoor disappeared after I sent it to him, why some Asian people don’t like him etc.
When Schlee was still CEO of Pret, to me he was the Ronald McDonald Clown of Pret. The friendly face to fool the public. Pano Christou I call “Panocchio” 🤥 for all the dishonesty of Pret.
Itsu now is mainly owned by Private Equity firm Bridgepoint that owned Pret between 2008 and 2018 making a sh!tload of money, squeezing the hell out of us staff. But JAB Holdings / Reimann family is even worse.
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Doing the right thing naturally according to Natasha Ednan-Laperouse’s parents:
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I explain across my blog that in 2017, about 11 months, almost a year after Natasha died, and after in 2015 Pret also were sued in New York by a man who landed in hospital ALSO from sesame and other customers’ injuries, Pret put on a seminar in the Barbican. But the training sessions were in the upstairs rooms and amphitheatre for a week (or it was 2 weeks, can’t remember, but certainly a week). All shop managers, assistant managers and team leaders had to take turns from areas to attend a few hours on a designated day to “learn” about customer service.
Invite email to the “seminar”. Press CTRL and + (plus) to enlarge the screenshot:
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The slogan / title of this seminar was “Be Kind, Honest, Generous”.
A tweet by someone mentioning the “kind, honest, generous” that the Development department put on. Named here is Sarah Bohn who now also left Pret like so many from the old guard. Bohn was one of the note takers on my grievance hearings I raised against leaders who targeted me. She was as toxic as many in the HR and training departments. She blocked me on Twitter early on. So far to being kind, honest and generous.
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It was basically just the same old, same old: how to love-bomb customers and that we had to stop calling customers sir or madam as some got upset being mis-gendered.
Again, this was a year AFTER Natasha died. There was NO MENTION WHATSOEVER about a customer death and several injuries up until then. Nothing whatsoever. There was no emphasis on allergen or labelling,. NOTHING!!!
This is Pret “doing the right thing naturally”!
We just were told the same thing to love-bomb customers, stop saying sir/madam and other childish bull-crap we already knew about. We were told to bring back what was “taught” in the seminar to the rest of the team members in the shops. We of course didn’t, because we didn’t learn anything new and were under extreme scrutiny every week by mystery shoppers. We laughed about “be kind, honest, generous” as we knew Pret wasn’t. And where was Pret’s kindness, honesty and generosity in information about customer fatality and injuries.
WHERE WAS PRET BEING KIND …
and honest and generous to customers to inform them about Natasha’s death and multiple injuries before AND after Natasha’s death?
Where was Pret’s “kindness” and honesty about Celia Marsh, the 2. customer who died?
Celia Marsh’s death and Isobel Colnaghi’s narrow survival in 2017 was just another “generosity” of Pret.
Where was Pret’s “generosity” with “honest” information to prevent further deaths and injuries while bullying staff to smile?
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And where was Pret’s generosity to invest in labelling to prevent further deaths and injuries?
If Pret would have informed the public, implemented change, I firmly believe Celia Marsh, the 2. customer who died in 2017 would be alive! She would have avoided Pret or Pret would have implemented change. But nopes, “doing the right thing” for Pret meant, full steam ahead, profit over lives.
And this was under Bridgepoint, before JAB took over. And under JAB Pret were fined £800,000 ($1 million) in 2023 after ignoring for 19 months faulty freezer door call-outs. Staff kept getting trapped for a few minutes, until a staff got trapped for over 2.5 hours in 2021 fighting for her life. She just wore a short sleeve T-shirt and had no mobile phone with her as Pret don’t allow staff carrying their phones with them.
I explain in my £800K post WHY this staff member was never missed by her colleagues for 2 hours 45 minutes.
The customer fatalities and injuries is still one of my biggest upsets about it all. I was a Team Leader with part of my job description having been health and safety, and I took that very serious. I was known by my teams and managers for being overly careful and strict on health and safety issues, even throwing out hundreds of pounds (in £ money) of food and drink per shift when it was below the safe temperatures due to broken fridges in over-heated shops during the summer etc.
My managers hated me for that, but couldn’t do anything as I followed procedure. And even then my shops often became top shop and in the top 10 of all shops. I got never promoted beyond team leader position mind you, as I followed procedure and refused to cheat on expiry dates etc. But I slept well at nights. But NOT being told about customer deaths, Pret NOT closing shops to implement changes could have potentially caused me and my colleagues to injure further or even cause death to customers on our shifts.
And regarding food waste / donations, a lot of Pret’s food at the end of the day either gets SOLD via the Too Good To Go (TGTG) app, even the hot food that Pret told us BEFORE the pandemic to not even give for free to charity due to safety issues. Since the pandemic profit losses, Pret grab more money than ever. Food safety out the window. Again.
Too Good To Go blocked me on Twitter for pointing out the safety issues to them. At least they can’t claim to not know concerns, should customers get food poisoned. I keep all the receipts.
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And whatever is not sold via TGTG is thrown away if no unpaid volunteer from charities pick it up.
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Customers post pictures and videos of Pret’s food waste in the streets in various countries:
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Pano Christou’s Self-Admiration
In September 2025 Pano Christou posted a picture on his Facebook. This photo is from the early 2010s when he was UK MD. I remember this picture very well because it was plastered everywhere on Pret’s intranet regarding Christou. He also uses a photo where the backdrop is Pret’s old logo with “Natural” food on it for which Pret got banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in 2018.
His Facebook account as of mid November 2025 has 130 friends. When Clive Schlee “retired” from Pret in Sep. 2019 his Twitter account remained until July 2020 as “CEO of Pret”, as if he couldn’t let go. It was closed down in the beginning of July 2020.
With PC’s 2010’s photo of himself as UK MD posted on his Facebook in Sep. 2025 is an indication to me that he misses “the old times” and is lost at the top of the lonely CEO spot.
But what is even more pathetic and sad is that Pano Christou LIKED his own picture. And as of 14.11.2025 updating this post, no-one has liked his picture.
Pano Christou, maybe it’s time to resign and look for a better workplace, so you won’t look so lost at the top spot while stealing wages and ignoring safety issues, the last public issue being a staff almost dying in a freezer.
I took photos of the screen as screenshots now don’t capture the dates when hovering over it.
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The Beginning of the End of Pret?
I don’t think so. What may happen is that Pret get sold again and handed to the next Private Equity “pimp” to squeeze whatever is left of Pret. Pret lost a third of their value (or current owners JAB Holdings under the Reimann family, over-valued Pret in 2018) and are over £500 million in debt, which is normal for Private Equity. In 2024 RE-co-founder Sinclair Beecham returned to Pret to help fix the mess, as in my opinion from knowing a bit of Pano Christou (PC), the CEO is too busy portraying himself as this great dude and repeats the same slogans in a robotic brainwash to continue fooling the public. Pret have lost favour with the mainstream press, so Pano Christou does his rounds on small unknown business podcasts. He truly seems dissociated from reality.
At least he removed the “Lovingly handmade in this kitchen today” bullsh!t in a high stress, toxic, bullying environment with a fake happiness enforced by weekly “misery” shoppers.
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Crisis Report UK on Pret’s Neglect
Last, but certainly not least, a recent video by a new YouTube channel that already has thousands of subscribers early on. It sounds AI generated, and unfortunately a lot of issues are missing like the £800,000 fine after Pret yet again ignored safety issues and a staff almost died in a walk-in freezer. But whoever did this video, and even while using AI voice, did a great job.
A little clickbaity title, but nevertheless good piece overall.
The conclusion of Pano Christou’s interview and speech for me is either, he is deeply delusional or right out lying, or both. I leave it to the reader to ponder on this.
Support small independent businesses and join a union. Always.
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
Pret’s bogus slogan, “Doing the right thing naturally it’s what makes Pret, Pret” now removed after customer deaths became public. I always complained about this slogan with Pret.
And the audacity “Doing the right thing” (It’s what makes Pret, Pret) The self-indulgence and delusion of Pret knows no bounds!
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HR aka “people team” slogan removed now. Bullying staff, targetting bereaved employees seems to be Pret’s definition of “doing the right thing naturally”. After Pret were banned in 2018 from advertising their food too be natural and the customer deaths becoming public, they were forced to scrap this bullsh!t slogan. The louder a big company shouts about rubbish like this, the closer you need to look, just scratch the surface and their facade starts cracking fast.
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I came across a YouTube video of someone who calls out large corporations. I remember texting with someone on social media a few months ago, which might have been this person and have to find the screenshot.
I put the video here and underneath my additions as podcast episode on some corrections and further info, confirming what this channel says. I’m grateful they mentioned my blog and read a lot of the issues I present regarding Pret.
UPDATE: 05.11.2025
The YouTube person changed the title from “Don’t Eat at Pret A Manger Until You Watch This” to “Why Pret A Manger is Actually Dying” which is much better, less click-baity, more meaning for solid reporting.
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I understand his AI generated voice might come across too dramatic for some, but I can absolutely back this up and love the wording he uses. Video underneath screenshots.
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Podcast version of his full audio with my addition and minor corrections. I wish this channel knew about the £800,000 Pret were fined in 2023 bu Westminster Council after a staff survied an over 2.5 hour ordeal in a walk-in freezer. It would have further shown how Pret don’t care about safety, including staff safety. The channel knows now.
Plus the “P.S.” I mentioned if I’d remember something else. I added a bit about Sarah Fergusan, Jeffrey Epstein, Julian Metcalfe, the Endnan-Laperouse family etc.
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Links of what I mention in above audio:
The Private Equity Trap Pret A Manger Jumped Into – 3rd Value Loss and £500+ million in Debt:
Exposé on net-worth £215 million itsu founder & Pret A Manger RE-founder Julian Metcalfe, his love for zero hour contracts & robots, connection to the Royal family, a questionable connection, what staff say about him, how suddenly all the negative reviews about him on Glassdoor disappeared after i sent it to him, why some Asian people don’t like him & how I chased him off Twitter/X:
And for my annual end of year “Pret A Manger Year in Review” I did 2025 mid December. Until something crazy happens in the last 2 weeks of December 2025, I just put this up now. There is much more, but I wanted to keep it at under 15 minutes. Apologies for the stretched videos, I don’t yet know how to fix it. This is just more for reference and a fun way to call Pret out:
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
Upfront, I am sending this blog post to several people in different countries, people who work in and with charities and people who run small businesses, employing a handful of people or who are higher up employees on executive levels but are doing amazing work with their employees.
Some of you I’m sending this to might get upset, angry, disappointed, all of the above. But please know I don’t mean harm or offence and I will not mention any business or charity here, neither those who do amazing work or those I wish would take to heart regarding volunteer work.
Also upfront, I have severe PTSD issues lately, this is NO excuse whatsoever and nothing anyone can do anything about. I just want people to know it is NOT you, it’s me. I want people to feel released, there is nothing you can do, and it is all ok. I just still don’t now how to deal with triggers and have given up seeking help from mental health services and want to cut myself loose / away from everyone and everything.
Since I was in my late teens, early twenties I volunteered in different charities and churches. I did everything from sound system in church to feeding homeless people in charities to visiting elderly people in nursing home with an artist to paint pictures with them.
At one point in London years ago I was also part-time employed and looked after volunteers.
But for years in ALL these charities I always struggled to understand why we volunteers, when we were absent due to sickness or other reasons, no-one seemed to bother where we are, HOW we are.
In churches this is extremely bad as they brainwash you to “trust in God” while they themselves squeeze the lifeblood out of you.
In recent years it has dawned on me how much volunteer work, which basically is FREE LABOUR, has increased in our Western world. When I grew up, I was never aware of any charity or people doing free work / volunteer. It was an exception when someone needed a service from a charity or volunteered in charity.
I only saw this being common place in the USA. And of course it made sense, the social net system in the USA isn’t as strong as in Germany or the UK. Now under the orange felon it’s even more catastrophic.
But when I returned to Europe in 2006 after close to 6 years in the USA, I was shocked to learn that Germany had a new system where people who can’t find work, get a job where they’re paid €1 (ONE!) per hour and then the state substitutes more money to pay the rent etc.
I remember not having been very fond of then German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, who even at the time was already married four times and is currently married to his 5th wife. No judgement here, but if you can’t work through a marriage more than twice, how can you run a country with everyone’s interests and wellbeing in mind?
Under Schröder a lot of social and welfare cutbacks came into place and he was very pro-business. After his political career when Angela Merkel became the first female Chancellor of Germany, Schröder went to Russia and worked on the boards of oil companies. He is also a close friend of Putin. Need I say more about Schröder’s agenda.
But I found a different Germany after I returned to Europe and was shocked at this €400 a month or €1 per hour jobs.
When I grew up, even cleaning jobs were paid decently that you could have a dignified life, paying your bills and afford a vacation. But since the global economy crept in and even countries like Germany started to open food banks in the 1990s, the saying on the radio and TV that the “rich are getting richer, and the poor poorer” couldn’t be ignored anymore.
But me having been a God-believing Christian all these years in Germany, the UK and USA, I just put my head down and did the good work of a good Christian, even suffering with lack of food because a good Christian must suffer and still work for free.
Fast forward to the 2020s.
After my brother’s traumatic death, the bullying in Pret, further losses in my family etc. I have become unable to work, unable to even volunteer due to the triggers regarding the workplace bullying etc.
But I kept trying. But every-time a trigger came, or someone acted toxic, I quit the volunteer “opportunity”. I became increasingly irritated even with these wordings of volunteer “opportunity”, as they are created to sugar-coat to people that free labour is supposed to be an opportunity. Or another clever move that WITHOUT volunteering, you won’t find a paid job as you don’t collect for your resume.
I now call bullsh!t on this.
Of course volunteer work can massively help getting experience, getting to know people and opportunities, absolutely. But this should not be the norm or pseudo-requirement for paid work.
The free work industry, and it is an industry with the sheer amount of non-profits popping up everywhere at times sitting on millions if they’re big enough, is a massive thorn in my side.
Is has become normalised that 1. more charities are needed and 2. much more free labour and low-wage work compared to a living wage and a dignified work life.
All these charities have a few at the top on executive levels and in paid work, like admin. I was told by someone on social media and a little research will show the numbers, that the CEO of the mental health charity CALM (which is short for Campaign Against Living Miserably) gets £154,000 annually, and charities also give bonuses like businesses do. I haven’t researched how much the Samaritans CEO gets which is even a bigger charity than CALM.
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And it is astounding that a charity CEO gets roughly the same, or even MORE than UK Prime Minister. So, while the CALM CEO gets a juicy wage and probably bonus, his workforce live “miserably” as in not getting paid.
In 2024 UK PM got about £173,000 and as far as I know there is no bonus. But I have to check what their travel allowance is. And fair enough, after their PM career they get £115,000 annually. That’s why people were so angry with Liz Truss’ two-and-a-half minutes in office, crashing the economy and nevertheless cashes in for the rest of her life.
A fundraiser in a charity working 3 days a week gets around £32,000+ annually. A Community Operations Manager gets around £40,000 annually etc. etc. etc. All working 3 days a week. If some work more, it’s their choice, but by contract it’s 3 days a week.
£40K a year is a fourth of what UK PM gets running a country and having the finger on the atomic bomb button, making decision of life and death.
How can a CEO of a charity get roughly the same, if not more than UK Prime Minister, and this by running a non-profit “charity” that has mainly unpaid workers volunteering for no pay?
How can this be? Charities that are excempt from paying taxes and get funds from the government and private donations. How?
And of course we cannot compare a charity with a private business, but I still like to spill out that Pret A Manger CEO Pano Christou now gets about £500,000 annually plus £5 million in bonus if not more, while making cuts to staff left, right and center as well as draining tax payers, wage theft, coercing staff to work overtime without pay, “borrowing” money from staff (pay delays) etc. etc. etc.
This article is from 2022, the pay and bonus is more now:
This article by Sarah Butler came after I sent her other issues with pay delays, strike plans by staff etc. which she all reported on and finally started to dig deeper. I write about Butler here and how it took YEARS for her to move from a Pret fan to digging into how Pret really are. The above article finally came about when she started to investigate instead of just swallowing every PR stunt by Pret, even though she is a journalists who specialises in “ethics”, yet it took her years and many emails from me. Of course she never credited back to me.
Thou shalt work for free and not even eat.
Here comes the real beef I have with charities. And again, there are people that will read this to whom I have already communicated this, partly in anger, partly in drunken mails, and I apologise again. But it remains an issue with me where I want to cut all ties with everyone and every organisation and go off grid and leave the world behind after having experienced and seen exploitation in companies, especially Pret, and worked for free for decades in various organisations in three countries.
One particular person who might read this needs to know how grateful I am for what they personally have done for me when I had a broken foot late last year into this year. This person brought me food, looked out for me, told others to look out for me etc. I will not be able to say thank you enough, partly also because no other charity has ever done anything like this even close when I or other volunteers were sick or unwell in any form like bereavement etc.
So, please know I am extremely grateful.
This charity is a food charity where people can get food including vegetables etc. very very affordable. It has helped me a great deal. And this charity is doing amazing work in the community.
Here comes the hairy but(t), the volunteers have to pay full price, the same amount that we customers pay. And it is disheartening to the point I sometimes tear up.
I raised this a few times, and one staff member responded saying something like, “well if they get free food shop, it wouldn’t be volunteering anymore”. And again, I call bullsh!t.
If a charity doesn’t want to give free shops to their unpaid labourers, they should be ashamed. It is not just unethical, but a disgrace!
I feel bad to even have to scream this from the roof tops and even make “enemies”. But I don’t care anymore.
And especially since this charity is not a foodbank giving free food out, but a food pantry getting all their food donated to them and then selling it very affordable, meaning they do make some profit. They pay nothing for the food and sell it. Yet, the unpaid volunteers also have to pay for their food shop, especially same price. It’s unacceptable.
Everywhere I volunteered, we always received the free products, or a fraction of it. For example when I lived in Florida I helped out in a small clothing donation house where people from the community could come by to get a certain amount of free clothing.
We volunteers were allowed to take one (or maybe more, I can’t remember) clothing item with us. The same with my mum, she volunteered for 15 years with the German Red Cross in her town. My mum helped out once a week, sometimes more depending on how busy it was or when other people were on holiday or sick. Their work also was going through clothes donations to sieve out dirty, ripped clothes and keep the good parts.
They even had donations of curtains, photo cameras, shoes, wall pictures, little lamps and some other items.
Each volunteer was allowed to take 3 items with them per shift. No matter what items there were. My mum had functioning cameras, some kitchen electrical items, clothes, shoes etc. etc. At times she brought some for me when she knew what I liked. I still have a pair of boots that were brand new when my mum brought them home.
Even if volunteers worked 3 days a week, they then got 9 items that week, basically 3 items per shift, even if some just helped out 2-3 hours as they always had MOUNTAINS of clothes. Years later as my mum got older, she in turn then donated a lot of the clothes back to her local charity bank.
And the Red Cross where she helped out did a full typical German breakfast for and with the volunteers. German breakfast is usually rolls with jam, cheese, salami, ham etc coffee, tea. Simple version of a much larger Saturday home breakfast. But the rapport and care in that organisation, even between paid staff and volunteers, was the best I’ve ever seen when I visited my mum and she took me along.
But it breaks my heart and sits extremely bad that volunteers at a food charity have to pay for their food shop.
I forgive businesses for being greedy, and I am NOT against capitalism, but I cannot look over charities hoarding money, paying executives a sh!tload in salary and bonus, and paying staff high wages working 3 days a week. All this while the main frontline work is done by unpaid volunteers, and then they don’t even get a free food shop per shift. I don’t care how normalised this has become, this isn’t normal, and it isn’t right. And I die on that hill.
And what is further upsetting about this is that volunteers have no labour rights like paid employees have. Of course people might argue, ‘well, you CHOOSE to be a volunteer, no-one is forcing you’. Sorry, cop-out. You’re making it too easy on yourself.
On that note also, how some charities manipulate potential volunteers by telling them that they have to commit to a minimum of three months when they start. My response, a volunteer does NOT have to commit to anything, they are not paid. But “charities” (charity which means “love”) rely on good-willed people who don’t understand how they are just used for free labour while having no rights and in some cases don’t even get a free food shop!
I remember times in Germany and even here in the UK that bosses sometimes gave you some extra money when they were happy with your work. But now, these days it is: work more for less and be grateful for this “opportunity”.
Shame on any “charity” working under this mantra.
I burn bridges now since all the traumas and the useless aim to try and get help. I truly give up and don’t apologize for it. Some people who didn’t know me from before everything went downhill, please know I never used to be this blunt and weird. I used to be diplomatic, kept my head down, went on my way. But that old person is dead.
Apologies again to everyone regarding emails, and a huge thank you for the patience and helping wherever I was unable to help myself. It will never be forgotten.
How Pret steal from low-wage staff to fund their “charity” projects for PR:
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
But love seems to be missing in a lot of charities, especially mental health and suicide prevention charities
I have been through an odyssey of the NHS mental health service and came to the conclusion, they simply do NOT want to help people, especially those with trauma.
I heard an interview recently (Sep. 2025) by a mental health nurse Bella Jackson on Times Radio. She describes what she experienced on mental health wards, which in many examples I also experienced in ambulant mental health service. I can only encourage people to listen to the 22 minute interview.
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When the NHS mental health service isn’t fit for purpose and mainly for a comfortable position for high ranking executives and psychiatrists and their nice pay-checks and pensions, you’d assume that mental health charities might be a better option. But it’s even worse there.
I wrote a post about the shocking and appalling way the suicide prevention charity Samaritans try to coerce mainly women to save strangers, men on train platforms. Upon further research I also came across “The Brenda Line” where female volunteers answered sex calls. And with the Samaritans, female volunteers are taught to bear with sex calls. This is also seen in some Trustpilot reviews, below.
The Samaritans run a sophisticated ad campaign called
where I collected the outcry of many people on social media, especially women.
I searched some more about other charities like Mind and CALM and fund that all 3 charities have over 80% and 90% DIS-approval rate, not only by callers, but by volunteers. And all this, the NHS mental health service, mental health charities that are supposed to help the most vulnerable are extremely toxic and money oriented.
Someone who used to work at Mind runs a blog similar to mine exposing systemic bullying within Mind’s workplace. I had a few brief interactions with Workplace Bullying Wales in 2018 when I started to call Pret’s bullying culture out publicly. I came across him as we both wrote under the Twitter hashtag # workplacebullying. He must have read part of my blog where I posted Glassdoor and Indeed reviews about Pret’s toxic culture. He then started using Glassdoor reviews about Mind as well. I love when blogs see the tools other blogs use to call out wrong doing and implement the same public tools at our disposal.
Searching on the Trustpilot reviews of the Samaritans, Mind and CALM, and my question on why these “charities” are so bad, I can only think one thing: Money!
Someone on social media put out some numbers on CEO pay etc. In this case with another suicide prevention charity CALM:
CALM CEO pay £154,000 (and that’s not even mentioning the bonus on top of that).
Advertising spent in 2023: £100,000 and received £150,000 in added value from media partners. Not to mention all the donations. And the people at the bottom manning the phones or walking the streets are UNPAID volunteers.
UK Prime Minister gets around £170,000 and U.S. President gets around $167,000., plus / minus These might have increased in 2025. But it is mind boggling how a charity CEO gets almost the same salary as the top leaders of countries.
Pret CEO Pano Christou gets around £500,000 plus over £5 million in bonus per year. These number rise every year. Pret is a private company. All also while Pano Christou cut staff wages and benefits. But a charity CEO is supposed to be in a non-profit organisation, but is on the same level as country leaders, PLUS the CEO gets bonus on top. Plus charities get donations and funding from tax payers. All for what?
All for what people describe as a disaster and shame of service? See below.
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The current scoring as of October 2025 of the 3 main charities, I put the percentage of 1 and 2 star reviews combined:
I found a review for Mind which I will link to that people should read, it gives a conspiracy or dystopian hint on how government services and charity services might work together and why all are so appalling. Tinfoil hat? Maybe, but the high negative scoring close to 100% disapproving is concerning. I haven’t even checked Google reviews yet!
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Please click on the above links to each charity’s review page. I only want to put one revew here otherwise my blog post will get too long again.
The following review by an ex Samaritan volunteer gives a detail report on behind the scenes and how female volunteers are told to bear with sex callers instead of hanging up. It’s absolutely abusive,toxic, misogynistic and unacceptable.
I put the whole screenshot here and underneath the whole text. The review can be found via the link under the screenshot.
Full review text posted in Trustpilot in August 2025, please note, if there are spelling jistakes, I did not correct any to leave it in the author’s own words.
Quote:
“As an ex-volunteer, I do not recommend this toxic organisation
New volunteers expected to do all kinds of days and hours, and at least 3 hrs a week with at least 1 overnight shift every 3 months. This is incompatible with those who have children to care for and also work full time. Even those who don’t have kids and work full time have difficulty managing this. This skews the listener volunteer demographic to mainly middle class retirees with cars, own homes, few financial worries, out of touch/can’t relate with the current state of social services, government agencies and working class people problems. They do this for an ego boost, only work hours that are comfortable for them, leaving unsocial hours to new or a few very committed volunteers.
Majority of callers are lonely older people who don’t work and aren’t close to their families for various reasons; lonely people who have difficulties socialising for various reasons; angry people shouting down the phone being belligerent/sarcastic about the volunteer’s inability to solve their money/housing/job/relationship problems for them. Female volunteers get a lot of male sex pests calling up to masturbate to fantasies about sex involving rape and children. A lot of prisoners call as well and when they encounter female listeners, a large proportion of them want to talk about sex. Female volunteers are encouraged to “explore feelings” with these men because they must have been “traumatised” to act this way. Samaritans callers are now routed nationally across UK and Ireland so get a fair few callers with thick accents that are very challenging to make sense of, making it difficult to understand/converse/”help” them. Very rarely are there truly suicide calls, but many bored/lonely regular callers will claim to be suicidal to keep the volunteer on the line.
Deteriorating NHS services mean that more callers with serious mental health issues are redirected to Samaritans whenever NHS mental services are closed/overwhelmed. Many callers are in the midst of a serious mental health crisis – upset/angry, psychotic, incoherent callers blaming the world for their ills, threatening to do something violent to whomever is living with them to “fix” their issues. Samaritans can do nothing unless caller gives address+name, which never happens as callers are often paranoid about police/doctors.
The in-house training is 6 weeks of group classes using standardised teaching material from Samaritans HQ which teaches the “listening wheel” and the stepped approach to discussing suicide with callers. After group class training, training is then conducted 1:1 by so-called “mentors” – mostly old-timers in the branch who listen in on conversations new volunteers take, telling them what to say. Caller numbers are auto-logged by HQ. Any personal details given by callers are stored in HQ servers too. Zero consistency in how mentors teach because they were trained ages ago, answering phones in their own way. It’s all very vague – basically if a trainee gells well with their mentor and don’t question the flaws in the system, then he/she will be approved as a volunteer. There are branch politics/unspoken hierarchy/cliques – everyone keeps quiet about bullying/makes snide remarks – the only solution is for the person picked on to resign. Some volunteers seem to weirdly derive pleasure when sharing callers’ sexual/relationship problems to other volunteers (and whomever).
It’s all very superficial. Samaritans are taught to never give advice; never disclose anything, i.e. never agree with the caller on any opinion/preference, even if they did. While old-timers get away with saying what they like, new Samaritans are chastised if conversations aren’t focused only on caller’s “feelings” – no “chatting” with callers about anything else – must allow more silences so “callers can talk more”. All this can result in a cold, unempathic, unnatural conversation style. Few people who aren’t trained counsellors can talk like this without sounding stunted and unemotional. Doesn’t suit callers who aren’t “talkers”, and not effective either for callers in acute states of psychosis wanting to do something violent, which are all typical calls that Samaritans get. The Samaritans approach uses aspects of Carl Roger’s Person-Centred therapy but can’t build long term relationships with callers to help them improve/change their lives. The irony is they want unpaid volunteers. If they’ll only hire and pay trained counsellors, the service quality could be improved.
Campaign for a better NHS, social services, government, etc. that make a difference. Not this. This is a vain attempt to show donors they’re doing “something”. Every Conservative’s wet dream is to defund public services and direct everyone affected to the Samaritans.”
End of quote.
Something needs to change! I pray that undercover journalists infiltrate these charities and bring to light what’s gong on. Journalists are often THE ONLY chance to expose these organisations and start change, just like a TV drama about the Post Office Scandal brought it to light and political debate, even though many victims still wait for justice and compensation.
I also have a huge issue with food charities who sell food for very low price to the public which helps a great deal, have volunteers work for free, but the volunteers must also pay for their food shop. Full price.
What the heck is going on?!
Please do NOT give any money to charities unless you are ABSOLUTELY sure their work truly has impact and the volunteers are treated well. Rather seek out people in your immediate neighbourhood and support them individually.
Something needs to happen about these CEO salaries and bonuses. It’s unethical and perverse!
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
LinkedIn is an echo chamber for entitled people playing games, expecting to be respected while corporations laugh about them.
To Emma Phillips,
I rarely give space to toxic people on my blog and concentrate on Pret A Manger issues, but you topped the list of toxic people I have come across in my writings on Pret.
Here’s some FREE advertisement for you, princess.
“Freshly made” and with a genuine smile on the house.
First of all, you claim that my blog is 12 years old, are you not good at maths or just a lazy liar?
For other readers, I came across a LinkedIn post by Emma Phillips who is supposed to be some big cheese (or so she thinks) of a PR marketing company, please see screenshots and links, mentioning that she got a freebie from Pret.
She either lived under a rock these past few years or is so naïve, it takes more than a freebie to kiss her awake. But I think it really is that she works in PR, and PR support lies and façades
I did what I always do across platforms, no matter if LinkedIn, Reddit, Facebook, X etc. I informed her that staff don’t give freebies because they are fond of you (which at times they are of course) but because they try hard to top up their meagre wage. And before you argue that Pret are paying above minimum wage (a few pennies to lure workers in), they fear manage their staff to work overtime for free and steal wages/hours off their work. Please research wage theft of Pret including settled lawsuits on it, as well as pay delays etc.
I linked to her the brilliant article by Timothy Noah, “The Enforced Happiness of Pret A Manger” about the emotional labour Pret force on staff. And of course princes Emma here was so upset, she launched at me, trying to justify her stupidity and naïvety about a big corporation’s façade. The joke’s on you sweetheart.
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Giving a freebie can get a staff the £100 reward. It used to be up to £200 after I gave OPs manager Sannuka Nevala ideas when she asked me, for which she never reimburse me after promising, and Pret took those ideas also without paying me, of course.
And informing people that staff mainly care about the £100 instead of being fond of the customer makes customers like Emma Phillips upset, because I basically told her that she isn’t that attractive or “kind” to have gotten the freebie.
People like Emma Phillips love to talk about kindness and frontline support, while being a selfish sucker for freebies and fake smiles to make her tummy fuzzy. She’s the kind of customer staff would laugh about once she leaves the store.
And of course, telling her about the cash incentive to smile and give freebies p!ssed her off, because she is so insecure that she developed it into arrogance and entitlement. She claims to be working for “frontline” workers, and then she blocked me after I wrote about the mental health issues of staff.
And as I can’t write to her because she blocked me, I write on my blog and make FREE advertisement for her work. I’m sure the reader will flock to her work now. 😉
She claims to not have read my blog in detail, but my statistics are through the roof. Liars be liars.
I will not put all the screenshots here because I’m tired of making a point.
But this being public, she wrote very arrogantly and careless about low-wage staff.
Why?
Only she knows. But from experience, people like her are entitled and never had a lack in their life. Emma Phillips sucks up to Pret because that is the only thing she knows how to do. She is not a trail blazer or an inventor or a courageous activist of any kind. She copies and pastes what people on LinkedIn do.
People on LinkedIn pretend “kindness” and “frontline” support while being the complete opposite (like Pret, mind you 😉 ).
I am reminded of Charles Bukowski’s poem “The Genius of the Crowd”, which I used for my slide after I chased Pret RE-co-founder Julian Metcalfe off Twitter. Never mind that he is in Jeffrey Epstein’s address book. But do your own homework.
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Maybe Emma Phillips can suck up to him as well. She certainly sucks while pretending to stand up for women and frontline workers.
As she read the front page of my blog, she has seen my trauma and bereavement, but like a faithful Pret bootlicker tried to mock me, even stating a random number of 12 years of my blog.
12 years ago my brother was alive. Maybe next time before you ignore my story, please think twice before trying to laugh about my bereavement, trauma, disability etc.
People like her got into her position the only way she got there … Figure out how.
Be assured Emma, no staff will spill the coffee beans about being “unhappy” in Pret, because they are fear managed and always anticipate the “misery” shopper. You can close your eyes about the 2 customer deaths and multiple injuries that Pret ignored until it got public, or the ASA banning Pret to advertise their food as “natural”, or the £800,000 fine after ignoring yet again safety issues when a staff got trapped inside a walk-in freezer for close to 3 hours (not 2.5 hours, but longer than that), or the £500+ million debt after JAB Holdings pumped in £200+ million (down from £700+ million debt) to RAISE the value again as Pret lost a 3rd of their value making JAB consider IPO or selling Pret … etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. ………..
You demand low-wage workers to smile; well, you blocked me, THAT’S how much you are willing to smile and be “kind” you hypocrite!
And this is all I want to share with this toxic woman who claims to be for women and frontline workers. I do not want to continue to “throw pearls before swine” as the saying goes.
I responded to her 2 comments to me with a sound bite of Wetherspoons boss Tim Martin saying he does NOT demand his staff to smile, from a Desert Island Discs interview with Kirsty Young:
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And further linked to her my favourite ex staff review about the mental health problems staff suffer in Pret. And then she blocked me in her kindness.
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Loose Women presenter Nadia Sawalha’s stern words to Pret after Pret made “temporary” wage cuts permanent. And to answer her question if the executives also took a cut, nopes. of course not. CEO wage increases year-on-year plus bonus raised to over £5 million now, not to mention the £50 million the government gave to Pret during the panemic.
Please note, Nadia made a mistake here saying that Pret cut from the £8.91, but Pret cut down TO £8.91, the national minimum-wage at the time (2021). She just made a numbers mistake. Pret usually pay some pennies above minimum wage to appear generous while then forcing staff to work overtime for free, make them do iPad “training” on their breaks etc. But during the pandemic Pret cut down TO the minimum wage while the CEO Pano Christou and shareholders cashed in of course.
Also, Nadia mentioning that she hears how much people “love to work at Pret” and how fast they work. No, they are indoctrinated to “love” working at Pret and have the 60 seconds rule to serve customers and clear tables. If ONE staff doesn’t smile, or takes more than 1 minute, NO-ONE in the shop gets their weekly bonus. That staff then is penalised, reprimanded by the manager and gets the silent treatment for a week. More on the 60 seconds rule of excerpts from Pret’s strict and micromanaging weekly mystery shopper reports. Nadia at the time of her video just didn’t know that until I informed her. I call Pret’s mystery shopper requirements “misery” shopper for a reason.
Nadia was the ONLY celebrity to speak out. And that via Instagram where she has half a million followers. It made an impact. Thank you again, ma’am. ❤
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And before you say that Pret are so generous, the former CEO Clive Schlee announced £1000 to all staff in 2018. Do your homework! He made that announcement in the night he and Pret learnt about my blog here. It was his typical panic-move to try and counter my experiences with this toxic company.
My response seen in the screenshot aren’t visible anymore because she blocked me. So, I put them here.
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Here’s my favourite part of Emma’s response:
I do not know nor care who “people like her” are, but I love how she outed herself to NOT care about hospitality workers.
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One of my favourite articles on emotional labour, the labour that Emma loves so much because “after all” it’s what’s expected of low-wage hospitality staff:
So, Emma Phillips, here’s my advertisement for your work on the house. People like you need it. Desperately.
Go and “power” frontline workers you hypocrite little people like you.
P,S. like your sorry mathematics, were you meant to write “empower”?
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And here’s some more food poisoning on the house, despite customer deaths and injuries:
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
I wrote a few posts about Pret’s debt (over £700 million) as well as Pret’s owners JAB Holdings having written off a third of their value. JAB injected over £200 million to lower the debt, not for the sake of lowering debt, but to raise their value again.
Private Equity WANT debt on the company. But when the company loses value, they’re in a pickle. (More about this below).
Pret even got RE-co-founder Sinclair Beecham back to help CEO Pano Christou, despite Christou being in Pret for over 20 years having started as assistant manager.
“The accounts for the year ended January 2 2025 also show JAB has injected a further £250mn into the company, which was used partly to repay debt as well as to increase the group’s cash on hand and unused borrowing facilities to about £100mn.”
So, Pret are down to plus/minus £500 million debt.
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In my simple language, and forgive me for such comparison, but I call Private Equity firms “pimps”. They buy companies, suck the life-blood out of them, make huge returns and then sell the company to a new Private Equity pimp to squeeze some more.
But with Pret, JAB Holdings might have bitten out more than they can chew! 😀
Someone on Twitter regarding Pret’s debt, asked how a company can be allowed to accumulate so much debt.
First of all, several things:
Pret had debt of £700 million (or now a £500 million +/-, after JAB injected a further £200+ million).
Pret lost a third of their value (or JAB over-estimated Pret’s value in 2018 😉 ). The debt and the loss of a third are two different things.
It is very typical private equity (PE) to dump debt on the company they buy to maximise the largest return of their investment. (More below)
JAB are considering either selling Pret or getting investors (IPO). My bet is they FIRST get investors as JAB lost a third of their investment, and THEN sell Pret to a new p!mp.
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Also worth mentioning that JAB entered the pet market and aggressively buy out veterinarian clinics and pet insurance to the detriment of pet welfare and pet owners’ pockets. The pet market is much more lucrative, especially since the pandemic where many people got pets during lockdowns. While the coffee market struggles due to high costs and repeated boycotts, the pet market is more safe for investment. U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren is coming after JAB for that reason.
I found a few good videos that explain in just a few minutes how PE works and why PE love to suffocate companies with debt.
But don’t let Pret off the hook, they CHOSE to sell out to PE. Pret first flirted with sales by giving McDonald’s a 33% non-executive stake to get their feet into the U.S. market. This happened under Sinclair Beecham and Julian Metcalfe, the RE-co-founders of Pret. Once in, they divorced their marriage of convenience.
Latest when Pret hooked up with McDonald’s should alarm bells have rung and a huge hint that Pret will hook up with anyone to get bigger as well as more quick cash.
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Why companies sell out to PE is obvious, the CEOs get juicy pay-outs and bonuses.
Link (Pano Christou’s bonus and salary is now higher, the above article is from 2022)
Pret’s original founder was the late Jeffrey Hyman who opened the first shop in Hamstead in 1983. It didn’t go well and in 1986 Sinclair Beecham and Julian Metcalfe bought the name, rights, concept etc. and RE-founded Pret, but they refuse to mention and honour Hyman.
A tweet exchange between me and a friend of Hyman:
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Since Hyman now cannot be deleted off Wikipedia anymore as the editor has an eye on it, Pret just put “London 1986” on cups and shop fronts to keep brainwashing the public about their supposed original year.
In 2008 Pret then sold out to British PE firm Bridgepoint. Bridgepoint acquired a majority stake in Pret for £345 million and ten years later sold Pret to JAB Holdings for £1.5 billion.
Katchink!!!
I started in Pret in 2008 and from the get go felt it was a complex and overly strict company. People who worked before 2008 told me that since Bridgepoint’s take-over, it has become worse, even though Pret were always micromanaging.
Bridgepoint then sold Pret in 2018 to current majority owners JAB Holdings under Germany’s 2. richest family, the secretive Reimann family with an extensive Nazi slavery past. But that’s a post for another day. Important to note that JAB is based in tax haven Luxembourg and that the heirs have given up German citizenship and taken on Austrian citizenship for tax reasons. I found an amazing documentary on the Reimanns on YouTube a few weeks ago (summer 2025) but by September 2025 the video has been deleted or the account suspended.
Even the best German investigative journalists are biting their teeth out on this family. The few things that are known is that the heirs upon turning 18 years old sign(ed) a kind of non-disclosure agreement to never show their faces or do interviews.
Little fun fact, remember when former Pret CEO Clive Schlee made the announcement on Twitter to be giving all the 12,000 staff £1000 each upon JAB’s take-over? A little over £800 after tax and only for staff who worked at Pret a minimum one year. He made that announcement in the night he found out about my blog. 😀
Little info on Bridgepoint, Bridgepoint is now the main owner of itsu, Pret RE-co-founder Julian Metcalfe’s company. And Metcalfe made Ex-Pret CEO Clive Schlee CEO of itsu in 2024. Schlee also owns at least 10% of itsu and is also still in the background of Pret, at least the Pret Foundation and is Pret CEO Pano Christou’s mentor.
More on the four executives, Pano Christou CEO of Pret, Sinclair Beecham back in Pret, Metcalfe and Schlee, itsu:
I want to add that not only does PE add debt to maximise returns, but they also lower quality and chop off every- and anywhere to save costs. This shows very obviously in Pret’s loss of quality, switching to cheaper ingredients, cutting corners everywhere they can, which all results in further food poisoning and hygiene issues. More on this below.
A few videos that I find easy for a 5 year old to understand how PE works, starting with what “Goodwill Impairment” is, and over to:
Why do Private Equity Firms put debt on an Acquisition?
And here is just PART of why Pret selling out to PE keeps hurting customers. Ongoing food poisoning reports, despite customer deaths and injuries. Customers also in other countries still end up in hospital. These are NOT updated, but complaints continue. These are taken from the website IWasPoisoned .com only, I didn’t even include Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, Instagram etc. complaints. IWasPoisoned is being updated constantly as customers leave reports there.
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
A friend of the late Jeffrey Hyman told me on Twitter that someone kept deleting Hyman’s name off Pret’s Wikipedia entry. The person later got banned from Wiki.
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Text for visually impaired readers. Please note that above tweets don’t exist anymore as Simon’s account has been deleted and later taken over by another person. Quote of Jeffrey Hyman’s friend Simon and my response starting 10th January 2022:
“Remembering my great friend Jeffrey Hyman, founder of Pret and FDINUK, who we lost five years ago today. … He was a titan of the UK food industry for years and I still miss his laughter and joy of all things food.”
My response was:
“Unfortunately Pret don’t give him credit & continue to avoid mentioning him, while using his original font/signage in head office & a Victoria shop.”
Simon’s response:
“I know. They even employed someone to repeatedly change the Wikipedia page that mentions how Jeffrey Hyman founded the first Pret-A-Manger. (A moderator banned the person when they said they were retained by Pret to do that).”
End of quotes.
Why do I write about and call the 4 Pret and itsu executives “arrogant”, and further, entitled? Anyone who has followed Pret’s and itsu’s developments in the last few years and certainly those who work(ed) at Pret and itsu know how fake these executives are.
Not to mention that they refuse to mention or honour Jeffrey Hyman.
I could list endless reasons why I had to come to the harsh realisation how truly arrogant and entitled these execs are, but successfully portray(ed) themselves as kind, charitable, generous, ethical etc.
For one, not only how Clive Schlee treated me including Pret’s HR department with Pano Christou who was UK Managing Director at the time, fully aware and part of it. But needless to mention that all the execs, HR personnel etc. who where directly involved in my ordeal (David Carter, Nick Davies, Lila Warren, Andrea Wareham etc.) since 2018 JAB Holdings’ take over have now been made redundant or resigned so Pret can clear themselves off their involvement. But that doesn’t make Pret innocent, as the top execs were involved and in this systemic toxic environment, the fish stinks from its head.
To avoid writing a long post here, I just link to posts and articles about the 4 executives. These are from my own experience as well as staff comments/reviews and press articles.
Sinclair Beecham
Sinclair Beecham’s return to Pret after he already pumped money into Pret during the pandemic. His return to Pret is to help Pret’s £700 million debt, (down now to a little under £500 million after JAB Holdings injected £200+ million) and as of recently (September 2025) news came that Pret lost a third of their value.
CEO Pano Christou with his 20+ years in Pret, having started as assistant manager after he came from McDonald’s management, doesn’t seem to cope well. Christou being busy to portray himself as this cool CEO needs Sinclair Beecham back to fix the mess, not understanding how when you sell out to private equity, you are doomed to either grow beyond your capability or drown.
Metcalfe is a more complex character. I wrote a little exposé on him after he kept retweeting my tweets to him, his audacity to claim his itsu staff “beg” for zero hour contracts. All his tweets to me are deleted after he must have been told who I am. (Please note: my “LateNightGirlMe” handle doesn’t exist anymore):
It shows his love for zero hour contracts and robots, his connection to the Royal family, a questionable connection, what staff say about him, how suddenly all the negative reviews about him on Glassdoor disappeared after I sent it to him, why some Asian people don’t like him, why is he in Epstein’s address book? And how I chased him off Twitter/X.
How I chased Metcalfe off Twitter:
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Clive Schlee
Where to start with this entitled executive who demanded staff to reach for perfection and smile non-stop to appear a happy company?
Clive Schlee called me his “late night girl” after I was traumatised from the bullying in Pret during bereavement which catapulted me into emailing everyone from friends to Pret to strangers to anyone and everyone. Upon being warned by HR to not email, Clive Schlee went the other way calling me is “late night girl” completely giving mixed messages in his incapability to deal with bereaved employees, not to mention how he and Pano Christou as the UK MD ignored 2 customer deaths and multiple injuries until it got public.
This is THE most show of their arrogance and feeling invincible, having gotten away with not one, but two customer deaths and multiple injuries, not even doing ANYTHING until it got pubic. Why change anything if you keep getting away with things?
And for new readers, Pret’s lack of care did NOT lead to “Natasha’s Law”. Natasha’s parents campaigned for Natasha’s Law. Pret did NOTHING. And the labelling only started once Pret’s neglect to act on customer deaths became public. Pret didn’t even tell us.
Clive Schlee was happy to label me his late night girl while refusing to label food to save lives.
After public pressure on social media, Schlee dived under for 5 years and since 2024 has been made CEO of itsu by Julian Metcalfe, who also gave him the Pret CEO gig.
Why have safety measures in even for staff? Pret ignored for 19 months a call out about a faulty walk-in freezer door handle and several staff got trapped inside the freezer. Most got out within minutes, but one female staff member got trapped for over 2 and a half hours fighting for her life. This finally led to some repercussions and Pret were fined by Westminster Council £800,000, down from the initial £1.6 million set by the judge, as Pret pleaded guilty early on. But the lady is still waiting for compensation in court.
Schlee always did a PR stunt to take a few vulnerable people, flying them to Austria where he has a residence, to hike with him, all while Pret staff where manipulated, bullied, forced to present a happiness or get penalized. Please google Timothy Noah’s excellent article, “The Enforced Happiness of Pret A Manger”.
All the “charity” Pret do is for PR and to self-serve their egos.
Schlee also remains in the background at the Pret Foundation Trust, another tax break organisation to fool the public. And he is current Pret CEO Pano Christou’s mentor.
He appears with Pano Christou in a 2024 event with what Pret call patronisingly the “rising stars” while having a company full of “fallen” stars. The following Facebook posts by the Pert Foundation is from December 2024. Red arrow is Pano Christou and underneath, the yellow arrow is Clive Schlee at the same event:
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I mention this because when Julian Metcalfe put his foot in his mouth regarding lockdowns (please see above YouTube slide “How I chased Metcalfe off Twitter” and my little exposé on Metcalfe), Pret distanced themselves from Metcalfe. But they can’t. All these 4 execs are closely working together, supporting each other, even though Metcalfe threw Pret under the bus last year and seems to be envious of Pret’s expansion, while Beecham tries to save Pret.
And …
Clive Schlee is now CEO of itsu while continuing to support Pret in the background and mentoring Christou. These two companies cannot be distanced from each other.
Clive Schlee’s legacy with Pret staff on Glassdoor after a person pointed out to him on Twitter about his reputation when his “retirement” from Pret was announced. This led Schlee to place Pano Christou on Glassdoor already in July 2019 despite Schlee’s “retirement” in September2019.
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Schlee’s last scores dated end of June 2019:
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Pano Christou’s first apearance on Glassdoor dated mid July 2019 despite Schlee’s retirement September 2019:
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Pano Christou
Current, as of mid September 2025, Pret CEO scores on Glassdoor, not much has changed. 54% of all staff from shops to head office approve of Pret, 57% approve of Christou.
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Further, 73% of customers on Trustpilot (1&2 stars combined) disapprove of Pret on a variety of issues, many having sworn to never set foot inside Pret again. Scroll down to the blue oval feature “See all xxx reviews”:.
His audacity to ask staff to donate to his marathon PR stunt AFTER he cut wages: Pret’s “Charty” Projects .
Pay delays, pay cut and Christou’s pay rise and millions in bonus AFTER he cut wages.
In 2012 when I worked at Pret and Clive Schlee was CEO with Pano Christou UK Managing Director, we were informed on a Thursday when we get paid that the pay roll department made a mistake and all the shop employees didn’t get paid. Pret would pay us later and the payroll person responsible wrote an email to all shops profusely apologizing, even saying they almost vomited for sickness of the mistake. I wish I printed or copied that email!!!
My thought was, ok mistakes happen. I completely forgot about this until I received a DM a few days before the late Queen’s Jubilee in 2022 saying that for a 2. time in 2022 Pret failed to pay staff!!! I emailed Pano Christou, openly copying in Sarah Butler from the Guardian and others. Sarah picked it up and reported.
But of course, as Pret cleverly chose the Jubilee weekend when the public is distracted from the news AND when there is a bank holiday Monday with banks closed, this news hardly reached anyone.
I put the anonymous DM and then Sarah’s article on YouTube and other places (from 1:32 on):
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Sarah then finally investigated further and months later reported the following:
I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
I also forgot to mention in above podcast episode where I share that when Pret make a big announcement, especially PR announcement, to have the antennas up, I forgot to mention the £1000 announcement former CEO Clive Schlee made in 2018 upon the purchase from JAB. He made the announcement in the night he learnt about my blog. 😀
I write about it below with evidence, that him and Pret learning about my blog led to him quickly making the £1000 announcement for the press to appear generous and kind in the public. This was to serve as a counter to my blog. But in the long run it didn’t work!
I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
The following will be a long blog entry unfortunately, but I need to go to town on this one.
For people with visual impairment, I will convert this text into AI audio later.
SPOILER ALERT! This “Ringo Vision” is a fncking GRIFTER! He’s raising money, wanting £50K, has raised 7K + to travel the world. He’s using homeless people to raise funds! Please scroll to the bottom of this page.
I came across a video on YouTube that was uploaded last night. I was searching for something from the 1990s and 2000s about Brixton and pretty quick saw a video of a guy who went to Brixton to Investigate (for lack of a better word) why there are so many homeless people, and his mission to change things.
Please FIRST watch the video before you read my comment. I know, it’s 45 minutes long, but without context my below comment to him doesn’t make sense.
Direct link to my comments, I added some screenshots below the video in case he hides/deletes my comments.
Just click play. In case he deletes his video or makes it unavailable for embedding, follow this link.
Even just the clickbait title of Brixton being the “most dangerous” area after dark and in the thumbnail of the video, “Over 20 years as a crack head”.
Crack head! Using a degrading slur instead of “drug addicted” …
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As I watched this I got more and more infuriated which I explain below, even to the point of tears. After my comment and P.S. comment, I add some more thoughts I have here, but don’t want to add to my already long YT comment nor doing a new comment. I will link this blog entry to Ringo Vision’s video (update, I did add this blog post, but YouTube didn’t accept links from small accounts). I add a few screenshots of my comment here, in case he deletes it.
I managed to screenshot my added link before it got hidden:
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Hopefully you watch the video FIRST before reading my comment. Sorry it’s 45 minutes, but you need context to understand my comments.
Start of my comment, quote:
Wow, your video has made me angry beyond words!
First of all, I hope you keep my comment up and accept free speech as well as my very harsh feedback!
I know Brixton very well, walk there all the time from / to concerts and other places, even at night, even though I am female. Brixton at night is NOT “the most dangerous” place! That’s a clickbait title you chose. It’s not more or less dangerous than any place in London or the world!
Secondly, the way you speak to the people is appalling! You say you don’t judge, but you’re judging left, right and centre. Not ONE time did you ask any of the homeless people WHAT happened to them that they ended up on the streets and/or addicted. Not one time! You know NOTHING about them, their past, their traumas, what they tried before, how they might have been failed by family and/or systems etc. You just interrogate them on what they do to get help, then you decide for them that they can help themselves etc. etc.
Especially with Kevin at the end, you make him say things that YOU want to hear and then make him listen to his own “committent” and say that he needs to help himself! You have no effing idea how hard it is to help oneself, even more so when drink and drugs are involved. And we need to stop calling it alcohol “abuse”, it’s an addiction that starts out of despair after traumas happen. WITHOUT outside long-term support, they cannot help themselves. And it’s not simply job centre or addiction centre, if one doesn’t have family who have ones back, you are effing lost!
You never even asked if any of them has family left. I myself lost my family one by one, was bullied at Pret A Manger during bereavement, and it is a miracle that I’m not on the street! But from OWN experience, I know how hard it is to get better without help.
Even mental health services treat me like a criminal for being traumatised.
The other thing, you spoke with one man asking him to calculate half of an amount you give, then you shame him for not being able to do maths while you yourself can’t read, because you say to another guy that you are dyslexic! What hypocrisy, arrogance and self righteousness. You are dyslexic, no one would shame you for it, yet you shame a homeless man for not doing maths right. WTF!?
Before mental health services, DWP* and even homeless charities acknowledge and understand TRAUMA which many experienced over and over and over again, even from childhood on, don’t even dare blame these people for not being able to “help themselves”.
Mental health issues like depression, hopelessness and many other conditions are powerful to hold people down where they cannot escape without long-term outside help.
They need PROPER help. People like the ones you met have given up on themselves and society. And from my own experience I know that no matter how much you keep the rules, get up every morning at 3am to work a 12 hour shift in extreme stress, in this multi-national globalist corporate climate, it’s never good enough. And it breaks people.
And “what’s smashing up the economy”?? You think homeless people and poor people are “smashing up” the economy?? Not the multi millionaires who press down wages, buy out small businesses, own many houses, don’t pay taxes …. aren’t “smashing up the economy”?
Please don’t go back to Brixton with this attitude. You mention “love and care”, but that starts with HOW to speak to people. I am infuriated and in tears by your entitled, judgmental way to talk to homeless people like that! You showed neither dignity nor respect! And no, I don’t give money either, and I know it needs more than just some money and food. But the way you spoke with them has me up the walls!
And I understand that filming in public is lawful and not wrong, but you don’t even show respect to the homeless people by asking them if they want to appear in your video. You just hold your camera in their faces, ask their names and put them out in the world! Yes, it’s not illegal to film in public, but out of simple respect and dignity, you don’t even ask their permission.
You are on a mission to find solutions to homelessness? Start with changing your approach in how you speak to homeless people or anyone who struggles in whatever way. Your “sermon” about humanity and love comes across insincere.
I hope you accept my harsh feedback without hiding or deleting it.
Sincerely, expret.org
End of comment.
* For American readers and readers in other countries, DWP is the Department for Works and Pension where people apply for benefits if they lose jobs or can’t work for whatever reason. And many people even claim benefits who ARE working crazy hours but can’t make ends meet, for whatever reason is not my business to judge.
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I want to add a few things here, because at the start of his video he made some outrageous comments that I forgot to add as I was cooking while listening to his words, not always ready to take notes.
He starts by saying things like, “… what I want to highlight is why individuals have to be outside shops asking for money …” (“have to be”! He’s p!ssed off that beggars sit outside shops, and yes, I don’t like that either, but it needs reform and in-depth help). And in-between he throws in nice sounding cliché slogans like “one love” … “good vibes” etc.
He does mention people suffering from trauma and ending up in the street, but then swings into ambivalence OR his REAL message saying things like,
“… Millions £, and when I say millions, it’s not an exaggeration, but it’s an actual fact. … Millions have been given away to the system, to those who are in need. A lot of individuals that are out on the street, sleeping rough. There a MILLIONS (he emphasises ‘millions’) that are given away through beneficial values (he’s sugar-coating “benefits” to cushion his dislike for people needing benefits) for those who actually need it …”
And then he’s showing his REAL message at the 6 minute mark:
“And what I’m actually trying to say here, yeah, there are individuals out here, and they actually, they’re actually SQUEZEING, squeezing every last drop what they can take from the system. … And they’re doing this … because these individuals have no intention [then he cuts the video and continues] … Some of these individuals will never get up and will do an honest day’s work ever …”… while walking towards a person sitting with a jacket or sleeping bag over their knees outside a shop. Ringo Vision doesn’t even know if any of the people he sees and meets worked before, maybe had a business, family, children … He just assumes and judges. And EVEN IF some never did an “honest day of work” in their lives, again, he’s not enquiring what happened.
Yes, I believe there are people who “squeeze” the system, but my grief with Ringo here is that he decides who those people are who squeeze the system while filming beggars, homeless people and/or addicted people. He makes the judgement and decision who these people are whom he films, calling some “crack heads”.
I don’t want to take all his words apart any further, only one thing where he has the audacity to make comparisons. He talks about his mother who worked several jobs while having 3 children and that she never gave up. Kudos to your mum Ringo, should you read this. But don’t you fncking dare to compare one person to the next. Every person has THEIR story how they survived or how they couldn’t survive. And comparing anyone with others is short-sighted, cowardliness, unfair and lacks understanding and empathy!
Ringo here pays no attention how occurrences like the 2008/09 financial crash has SQUEEZED the system of several countries. My taxes, our taxes were STOLEN by the government to bail out PRIVATE banks and multi-billion pound corporations who GAMBLED investments away and then got bailed out by tax payers! And I mean BILLIONS! £37 BILLIONS bail-out to be precise, and further BILLIONS in loans from tax payers!
BILLIONS, and I mean BILLIONS were SQUEEZED out of our taxes to bail out banks and bankers!
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Ringo here doesn’t pay attention how the Tories have SQUEEZED BILLIONS, and I mean BILLIONS in tax payers’ money for PPE during the pandemic and these PPE and other things they supposedly bought never materialized. BILLIONS of tax payers money are still missing as they awarded friends and family of Tory politicians with dodgy contracts! I repeat, BILLIONS!
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Ringo here doesn’t pay attention how rich families and corporations have offshore firms to hide taxes and wash their billions clean, not paying taxes in this (or their base) country.
Ringo here doesn’t seem to know or has forgotten how 14 years of Tory cuts to public services, law changes to workers’ rights, to the detriment of employees, crushing unions, lowering wages etc. etc. etc. putting many people into poverty and worse.
Not to mention how the rich aren’t taxed properly while every penny the lowest paid worker labours for is scrutinized if to tax that also. Not to mention wage theft by corporations including Pret.
Ringo here doesn’t seem to remember how the Royal Family drain tax payers’ money to live in pomp and use the vulnerable to feed their luxary, step on the poor, but find new ways to justif it.
Etc. etc. etc. etc.
Do your own research in how many BILLIONS the richest of the rich steal from tax payers while you blame the lowest of the low. And that’s exactly what these filthy rich and parties like the Tory party enjoy seeing, the poor or middle class blaming the poor.
It’s the beggar outside the shop and the homeless person who “squeeze” the system, huh? Dear Ringo, should you read this, with all of my heart, SHAME ON YOU!
I rarely watch a YouTube video with angry burning tears falling down my face! You succeeded, and I will not sugar-coat my words. The homeless people that you disrespected and patronised last night unfortunately are used to being treated like the dung of the earth. But I will not cushion my words to you. You should be ashamed of yourself!
Yes, from reading the heartless comments under Ringo’s video, I understand that homeless people as well as addicted people lie, I would lie too if all I had was the street or a meagre place to live and trying to get by. We all would lie!
And don’t get me started on how Pret A Manger and all the other big corporations lie, steal, including from tax-payers, lying to and taking from not only customers, but their low-wage workers.
And having worked at Pret with our “regular” beggars outside our stores, we got to know many pretty well over time. I have at times declined food or drink to some people whom I knew are not homeless and knew how much food, coffees, gift cards, cash, chats etc. they get daily from customers and staff. Some people also re-sold Pret food in the streets.
One guy had 4 gift cards with over £100 between them as he asked me to check how much is on them, yet he didn’t want to pay for his latte and had an entitled attitude as if we had to give him everything for free everyday by default. I treat every person, homeless or not individually. I don’t give a blanket response to everyone but take issues “case by case” as best as I can judge the situation at the time without using one brush over everybody.
But to blame homeless or poor people for “smashing the economy” while it is the RICH who drain the system makes me fume beyond a furnace!!! And to finish off his video with cliché slogans like “love, togetherness and unity is what is missing here ” rolls my toe-nails to a curl. Yeah Ringo Vision, love, togetherness and unity was majorly missing in your Brixton “mission” here!
I’m not gonna write further as I would never stop! Please just watch the whole video yourself if you want to do that to yourself. Alternatively, visit Brixton or any other hot spot where poverty is especially present, and start a proper conversation with homeless or addicted people. Start by AKSING if they want a chat, and introduce yourself, and ask about their stories. And if you want to video them, even though in public it is allowed, still ASK them for permission! Have some fncking respect!
And then ASK again if it’s ok to put their story on YouTube or whatever platform. And THEN buy them a meal, coffee, gift card, give them money or whatever else they might need! But don’t you dare use their faces, names, stories without permission for your social media clicks!
There are many ideas, and it needs a holistic approach. EVERY homeless person has a different story, just like not every rich person is greedy.
Years ago I came across a small coffee chain from Scotland named Social Bite, who also have a branch in London. They have built a “village” for homeless people and employ some of them. Yes, the houses are small and wooden, but it’s a start and whatever charities or people can do, it’s worth it. And yes, Pret opened a “house for the homeless” but that was straight after the 2 customer deaths and multiple allergy injuries became public, so Pret tried to divert from their appealing neglect of food safety. And this house either doesn’t exist anymore, and Pret became very quiet about it shortly after, or it runs on high costs.
Someone on social media told me that Pret charge a high rent, and from experience I know how little Pret pay and how much they exploit staff.
But there are many good people and charities who work tirelessly to tackle homelessness. But it takes a strong arm of the government to build housing, have NON-judgmental mental health services in place, and make companies pay a living wage, have unions and basic work rights in place that the Tories have cut all over the place.
UPDATE:
Some account named ravencraft…. SHOUTED at my comment about the self-righteousness of Ringo Vision, I responded, but my comment is invisible. It’s only visible straight after I posted it and then quickly screenshot, but once I leave the page, it’s gone.
Here is my HIDDEN response to ravencraft / Ringo Vision:
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GRIFTER, fundraising to travel the world, using homeless people while sh!tting on them claiming they “squeeze” the system. He looked in the mirror, didn’t he?!
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
And all the Pret execs now think, “Clare, your turn”.
Yes, indeed.
This is not the past Guardian or Times article to put Pret’s bullshit out anymore like they did before I informed them and the customer deaths spoilt their illusions about Pret. this is now for and with City AM in a desperate attempt to be “legitimate” in the food and coffee market. AND City AM might attract investors as Pret’s owners now aim for public funding. 😉
Pret’s owners are trying to sell shares to the public now, for the public to be like mice jumping into the water bucket trap.
Off the bat, is Clare Clough getting ready to be the next Pret CEO, or just daydream about it? Pret continue to have a reshuffle in their executive team (looking at you Burger King), and it seems Pano Christou is just the face of the leadership pyramid, just like Clive Schlee was the Ronald McDonald clown of Pret. Keep smiling for the mystery shopper.
For everyone who reads this, I’ve sent this post entry to Clare Clough and the “journalist” who interviewed her. But the journo already knows Pret’s bullsh!t, that’s why Pret choose those who print their lies.
I start off blunt and direct. Clare Clough’s recipe in this interview is bullhs!t with sprinkles of “freshly made” rat droppings.
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One of the early questions is, if there is anything that keeps her up at night?
“No” she says, she’s a great sleeper.
Of course you sleep well at night if you don’t care about customer and staff safety while you force staff to smile during intense stress and then take their money (wage theft) …
Some examples of customers calling out Pret shrinking portions. I also have followed the issues with the iced drinks since 2020 where Pret used to do 16oz plastic cups for iced drinks. The size from what I see on photos and rubbish in the street is now either 12oz or no more than 14oz. I worked with the 16oz cups in Pret, having had to order these. But since the pandemic, Pret shrunk the cup sizes amongst other food and packaging items.
Not to mention the ongoing air gap in their wraps for which Pret got sued in New York, but as usual quickly settled out of court. Here just the tip of the iceberg which is not updated, but continues even in 2025.
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Further in the interview, a question on if there is something she would want the government to do for Pret. First of all, Pret already skimmed the government while cutting wages and ramping up pay and bonus for the CEO.
CEO bonus is now £5 or even £6 million & counting, plus year-on-year pay-rise.
“Pret CEO handed near-£4m bonus in year staff pay was cut. Pano Christou also given 27% salary rise in 2021 as chain took more than £50m in government support”.
This of course means that Clare Clough got a chunky pay rise and bonuses as well.
Secondly, to say that the government should concentrate on British businesses is a slap in the face of small independent BRITISH businesses. Pret are currently owned by the 2. richest family in GERMANY, the secretive Reimann family with an extensive Nazi slavery past. The Reimanns run Pret and many other companies incl. pet insurance, veterinarian clinics via their JAB Holdings firm in TAX-HAVEN Luxembourg.
Plus, Pret are tasked by JAB to aggressively expand to double in size by 2026 worldwide. Pret going into other countries, taking away business of local businesses in those countries and cities is another typical slap in the face by a large corporation who don’t care about anyone but themselves.
Another question, how do they make Pret stand out?
Her answer about loyal customers pointing out team members and other things, first of all, every business has that as every business, large or small, have loyal customers.
Secondly, 72% of customers on Trustpilot (1&2 stars combined as of June 2025) disapprove of Pret on a variety of issues, many having sworn to never set foot inside Pret again.
In above link, scroll down to the blue oval feature, “See all xxxx reviews”.
Plus, a recent Facebook comment from a loyal customer of 20 years to Pret. Clare Clough, like Pano Christou and the rest of their leadership team have their heads in the sand and keep talking the same bullsh!t since years.
Start of the Facebook comment, quote: “As a loyal customer of Pret for the past 20 years, it pains me to share my disappointment with the recent decline in service and quality. Over the years, I have …”
After I sent this to Clare Clough, Pret will work on getting more positive reviews in. Watch the 1 and 2 stars rise. 😉
I explain in my post why I think Pret introduced body cameras in certain areas supposedly as staff are at the heart of Pret’s business. Pret workers are NOT at the heart of Pret’s business. Never have been, never will be. They are pawns in Pret’s fake-friendly game until they are not needed anymore due to personal tragedies, illnesses or fatigued etc. And the Pret Foundation is for tax breaks and brownie points with the public.
I’ve put the videos and photos of people storming Pret stores in the above post.
Again, bullsh!t. Pret don’t give a toss about their staff. It took Pret over a year to act about TWO customer deaths and multiple injuries, only when it became PUBLIC Pret slowly started to act on labeling.
And it took a £800,000 fine from Westminster Council after a staff almost died in a walk-in freezer, trapped for 2 hours 45 minutes, NOT 2.5 hours. In a freezer, every second counts. I was informed it was 2 hours 45 mins.
There were call-outs for the faulty freezer door handle which Pret kept ignoring. AGAIN.
I write about this here and why I believe the staff wasn’t missed by other staff for over 2 hours:
It took this fine, down from the initial £1.6 million as Pret plead guilty early, for Pret to get an outside firm to look at safety issues. This after 42 years in business. (Pret was started in 1983 by Jeffrey Hyman, who then sold the name, rights etc. to the 2 rich college students to re-start again).
In a nutshell, it took Pret over a year of people’s “unpleasant behaviours towards their customers” as in relentlessly being targeted by pro-Hamas demonstrators since at least February 2023 into 2024, who swamped into Pret stores. This bullying at times involved even emptying off whole shelves of food they said they give to people in need.
This relentless targeting of Pret stores, putting more stress on staff, who unlike customers, could not just walk out of the shops, came after they learnt in 2022/2023 of Pret’s plans to open in Israel. The aggressive invasions of Pret stores intensified after 7th October 2023 when Hamas attacked Israel. It took Pret over a year to implement body cams WHILE refusing to invest in security!
And needless to say, Pret relented and stopped their plans to open in Israel, even paying compensation to the franchisee who planned to open for Pret.
But the cameras have nothing to do with the safety of staff. Pret put the onus on low-wage staff (team leaders) with cameras to be in the firing line of aggressive people, who aren’t even customers. No investment in security guards.
And of course the team members’ feedback is positive, who would say a bad word and how they really feel with the way Pret gaslight and manipulate staff, especially via micromanaging weekly mystery shopper visits.
Team leaders want promotion, no one dares to say a critical thing. What they really need is 1. a union and 2. security guards.
Clare Clough pretends to care by saying that Pret give staff the “tools that they need”, while a camera will NOT help staff, especially with mental health when pro-Hamas demonstrators storm Pret stores. It will just help Pret identify them, but staff are AGAIN left behind picking up the pieces with anxiety attacks, depression etc. working in Pret.
I am not surprised, I am just writing this for the journalist who interviewed Clare Clough.
Further, for her saying that the biggest challenge for Pret is wage (minimum wage increase) and inflation. Again, all about money. Pret’s challenge continues to be food poisoning, now also worldwide.
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And regarding wage, see above with CEO Pano Christou’s increase in wage and bonus DURING the pandemic after skimming tax payers and staff. Also, do some research on wage theft by Pret etc.
And regarding inflation, the BEST article about this regarding Pret’s wage cuts and price increases has been by the Financial Times’ “The Price Problem with Pret” where the journalist is taking Pret’s bullsh!t apart with style! And what I knew already since years and wrote about regarding the bogus “Pret Index” that I watched for a long time that didn’t add up with Pret’s claims. The FT finally disbursed that bogus “Pret Index”.
This reminds me of a recent podcast interview of former Pret and now new itsu CEO Clive Schlee, who was asked what the biggest challenge for him was in itsu and later Pret. Not ONE time did he mention customer deaths and injuries as challenges with Pret. All his challenges was, as usual, money related. I mention this in “Clive Schlee now CEO of itsu (shops)”
Pret pay a few pennies more than the competition to lure workers in and look “generous” in the public. What they fail to tell you is:
Wage theft by Pret (two class action suits settled in the USA), I had to chase my pay for YEARS. It is also VERY common for shop managers to regularly “forget” to pay the correct hours worked, while they NEVER forget to delete hours when a staff goes home early.
Pret managers coerce staff to work overtime without pay. This is Pret’s leadership fault, not just the shop managers. Pret set the times for tasks so unrealistic and tight, that it is humanly impossible to work at that pace, as well as keeping food safety standards. If staff can’t finish the unrealistic times set, they are manipulated to work overtime without pay. It’s also an indirect wage theft.
Bonuses are harder to attain now, so Pret avoid paying bonuses.
I was also tipped off anonymously again that at times when the mystery shopper reports come in, that the person who sees them first DELETES bonuses and/or the “Outstancing Card” rewards. When I worked at Pret, over the years colleagues would notice that after every summer and winter party Pret put on for staff, which costs Pret tens of thousands of pounds, that many shops don’t get the bonus. I write extensively about Pret’s psychological abusive mystery shopper scheme on my blog and all over social media.
I received an anonymous text, qupte: “I know people who conduct mystery shopper reports and individuals working at shops whose reports have been affected. In some cases, when someone is nominated for an “outstanding performance” by the mystery shopper, they should receive an extra £100 that week. Unfortunately, there have been instances where the “outstanding performance” line in the reports received later by the Pret shop has been left empty, with comments deleted, preventing anyone from receiving the extra £100.” End of quote.
Back around 2019, Pret then quickly put some info on their shop walls to inform customers of the mystery shopper scheme to try and counter my writings. I almost took my life when I was bullied during bereavement because at times I couldn’t smile for the “misery” shopper as I renamed them.
I was a team leader and replied with disbelief, and that my colleagues shouldn’t be so mistrusting. But after what I’ve been through with Pret and the research I’ve done on court cases with wage theft etc. I absolutely believe this allegation.
My shops that I ran immaculately and without cheating (stretching dates etc.) was often in the top 10 of shops, even top shop and number 2 a few times. We KNEW that our shop did well when we read the bogus mystery shopper reports claiming issues that we KNEW wasn’t true where we then did not get bonus, straight after the summer and winter parties.
Pret’s NHS PR stunt at the start of the pandemic where they announced free coffees and 50% off food for all NHS workers. The very next morning, CEO Pano Christou sent out an email to all shops and HQ announcing cuts to staff. Staff basically PAID for the NHS PR stunt. I write about this in “To NHS Employees” as I was again tipped off by staff contacting me.
To my knowledge, Pret DELAYED paying staff three times under dodgy excuses! Once when I worked at Pret around 2012 and Clive Schlee was CEO, with Pano Chrsitou either already or just becoming UK Managing Director. I, like we all, assumed this was a mistake. But I see now how systemic this is, “borrowing” from low wage staff to reach targets for the CEO and leadership/share holders. And TWICE in 2022 when I was tipped off anonymously and passed it on to Sarah Butler from the Guardian.
Loose Women presenter Nadia Sawalha with her half a million followers on Instagram had some stern rebuke for Pret after the public got wind that Pret made the “temporary” pay-cuts permanent. Nadia made a mistake in her rant, she kept saying that staff get £8.91 (at the time the national minimum wage) and Pret wanted to cut that by 11%. In the heat of the moment she made the mistake. What Pret did was to cut the few pennies staff always get in Pret, cut it down to £8.91 minimum wage.
Pret were already named and shamed by the government for paying under the minimum wage for some staff, so they legally could not go under that. That was just Nadia’s mistake. But it’s clear that she meant that Pret cut pay after all staff went through, carrying Pret through the pandemic, while the executives sat at home or in socially distant air-conditioned head office.
I combined her rebuke with some staff reviews: .
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Regarding if she has any regrets, Clare Clough, just like with her sleeping-well-at-nights typical Pret bullsh!t responses. She sleeps well at nights and has no regrets. Everything so un-human and unrealistic, especially in the business world, as well as Pret being steeped into £700 million debt just like a good private equity run business is. This got the RE-co-founder Sinclair Beecham back in Pret to help fix the mess Pano Christou can’t seem to handle, even after 20 years in Pret. Christou is busy portraying himself as this awesome CEO in the press.
If any business leader always sleeps well at nights and has no regrets, they’re either lying or are psychopaths. Or both!
And keep in mind that before Clough became UK MD in 2019, she had to prove her loyalty to the Pret-Gang by facing the press after the first customer death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse became public.
Clough is stumbling around in the interview because she faced a tough journalist who asked some tough questions, unlike most journalists just swallow everything Pret dishes out. Video from ITV posted on 28. November 2018 on Twitter.
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We staff weren’t even told. Absolutely nothing was done. No urgency. No nothing! UNTIL it became public! As a former team leader with one of the key responsibilities of my job description being health and safety, I still take great offence to that!
And especially with Pret’s bullcrap slogans of “Doing the right thing naturally” which always bothered me! They slowly made that slogan disappear, especially since the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) banned Pret in 2018 from claiming their food is natural.
I also question Pret’s claim that their coffee is organic as the beans are so cheap, Pret’s coffee having a very bad reputation, and Pret already stopped doing fair trade beans a few years ago. But that’s for another day.
Further in the interview, regarding the Pret subscription which was partly a scam from the get-go. Firstly, Pret advertised the 5 drinks per day as “endless” or “unlimited” drinks. Pret had to stop advertising this as complaints rolled in.
Then customers who cancelled their subscription, or THOUGHT they did after receiving email confirmation of the cancellation or the pausing of the sub, found months later that Pret continued to withdraw monthly fees from people’s accounts. As usual, I collected the complaints and Money Saving Experts did a report on it:
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I worked with journalist Mike Powell on a report after I observed and kept writing about customer complaints that shops keep having excuses to not do the expensive iced drinks (frappés, smoothies) on the subscription.
When Mike and I were working on a second follow-up report the next year (2022) for the BBC, as customer complaints continued, Mike did the routine thing as a journalist contacting Pret for a statement before publishing the new article. After Mike contacted Pret, Pret quickly made a press announcement that they’re planning to change the iced drinks menu. I believe Pret quickly announced this to avoid further backlash in the press and more serious problems with ASA. The new drinks menu came in 2023 as watered down versions of iced drinks.
Pret became a laughing stock for many on social media with some adequately comparing Pret’s excuses of broken ice machines, or out of stock with McDonald’s infamous “broken ice cream machines” which got the U.S. government to start an investigation into this.
And this year’s iced drinks also get bad reviews from the get go!
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And on a side-note, regarding “best value” for customers in the subscription, sorry Clare Clough, but you know very well how the coffee subscription has damaged quality all around in Pret. Staff became exhausted, morales down, high staff turn-over, many more complaints on the bad coffee Quality etc. etc. etc.
The subscription was just a quick and regular money grab as well as data grab for Pret. Clive Schlee and Pano Christou themselves have said that Pret are late in the game of data collection. And Christou has learned from Pret’s sister company Panera in the States who have over 40 million customer data. The subscription was never a good deal for customers. And later press reports on the bad subscription went through the roof, so much so that the Telegraph went on a bad press for Pret spree that Pret supplied them with platters of sandwiches to appease the chief editor. How easily you can bribe the press now, with cheap sandwiches.
Just for info, I was the one who received the leaked video during the pandemic that I passed on to Vivienne Nunis from the BBC where she reported. And other issues staff pass on to me that I forward to the press including the Guardian, Times etc.
Clare Clough fits right into Pret with all the lies and false claims. And I’m sure she thinks she’s innocent and well meaning. Pret being short for pretentious.
Clare Clough, keep dreaming about becoming CEO of Pret.
If a high ranking Pret staff steps down, there’s more to the story, especially if they don’t give a reason. Not the first time. Happened with Andrew Walker, who was UK MD before Pano Christou became MD, and there are insider rumours of Walker’s clash with former CEO Clive Schlee leading to Walker “leaving” Pret.
Andrew Walker later became CEO of EAT which then went downhill and was bought by Pret once JAB Holdings took over Pret.
And as Clare Clough recently had a child, she either wants to concentrate on her child(ren) or she isn’t as “committed” for Pret’s liking due to being a mother now. Wouldn’t surprise me.
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
Upfront, I’ve sent this blog post to Doughboys podcast’s email address and Libby Watson’s email address and Charlie McDonnell’s email address. None of them responded and most likely won’t respond.
I want to post some thoughts on an episode of an American food chain podcast about Pret called Doughboys.
Firstly, I’m not a professional writer, you will find mistakes here as well as English not being my mother-tongue. I am neither paid nor do I monetize my work except for a PayPal donation button. I write purely from the traumas I experienced in/with Pret, including from their executives/HR/HQ, and to show a different picture on the reality of Pret. I also wrote my thoughts here very quickly while watching the podcast to keep my thoughts fresh and spontaneous. I might correct typos or add some things later.
I am very upfront and want to start “negatively” with harsh critique with my frustration about American podcasts being extremely long with less than half the subject covered. It’s extremely draining listening to talk about cats, Austin Power’s introduction of the word “shagging”, dungeons, Santa Claus … and many other unrelated issues.
On a positive note, what they did at the end with “Sherlock Crumbs” is brilliant! A perfect ending to a food podcast. Not sure if they do this kind of ending on all their episodes. But that’s fantastic and a relaxing de-brief in case an episode was more serious or tense regarding a food company.
Two hours and forty-four minutes could be cut down to no more than 45 minutes and cut to the chase. The lack of research is the most frustrating thing about podcasters.
Dear American podcasters, please cut to the chase, do extensive research and if you want to reach European listeners, cut it shorter and come to and stick to the subject. Speak 3 hours about Pret, yes, I could speak 30 hours and still remain on course with Pret, but cut the unrelated smalltalk! Life is short! And from the perspective of a traumatised mind, speaking after intense stress and trauma, I can’t concentrate anymore with small-talk and unrelated things to a subject.
Free tip that you didn’t ask for, you could do a behind-the-scenes cut for subscribers where you then show any further conversation you had. Jimmy Kimmel seems to start doing this now, broadcasting snippets of behind the scenes stuff while his stage is being set up. Trevor Noah used to do it as well. They filmed the pre-shoot or commercial break or the after talk with the audience and screened it separately. That’s where they goof around with unrelated silliness.
And then for the main show, they stick to the script but mainly because they have a strict time limit. Set yourselves a time limit. You’d be amazed what creativity flows out of it. When I see almost 3 hours of a podcast time, I don’t even start listening/watching, unless in Pret A Manger’s case, I think maybe there is something I can learn and still don’t know, even though I wrote the largest exposure on Pret and know the core people, the heart of Pret upfront. But I don’t know everything and am keen to learn or get updates I don’t know about. But then just to be disappointed with half the time unrelated small-talk.
I will be criticised for my harsh European feedback, but that’s ok. I write very long blog posts myself, but I don’t swirl around so much with small-talk about nothing related to the subject.
And as Pret read my blog, they might even offer the podcasters a voucher in hopes to get good reviews. 😉
To the podcasters themselves and new readers: Many make the same mistake to repeat what Pret says that Pret was founded by the two college friends. Please do some more research. The first Pret opened in 1983 by Jeffrey Hyman. His sister came up with the name Pret A Manger derived from Pret A Porter. British food in the 1980s was bland, mainly containing of sandwiches with white bread and meagre bland filling. So, foreign branding with a French name was perfect to lure in customers.
Metcalfe, Beecham and Pret refuse to honour, even mention Jeffrey Hyman. It is said that they even got someone to keep deleting Hyman off Wikipedia. Having survived Pret’s shenanigans, how Pret lie and “steal” from staff etc., I absolutely believe that.
My brief interaction with a friend of the late Jeffrey Hyman, who paid tribute to him on the anniversary of his death:
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The first Pret didn’t succeed, Sinclair Beecham and Julian Metcalfe bought the name, rights etc. and RE-founded it.
Cutting to the chase. Julian Metcalfe comes from a rich family who had royalty and high society at his father’s table. His father even was the god-son of King Edward VIII, Queen Elizabeth’s uncle before he gave up the throne. More on this in the following link below. I chased Metcalfe off Twitter in 2021 after he came on for 2 days on there to keep ranting about lockdowns.
A small exposé on net-worth £215 million Metcalfe, his love for zero hour contracts and robots, his connection to the Royal family, a questionable connection with Jeffrey Epstein, what staff say about him, how suddenly all the negative reviews about him on Glassdoor disappeared after I sent it to him on Twitter, why some Asian people don’t like him, how I chased him off Twitter/X etc. etc.
Straight to his deleted tweets, but more info in the link above. Please note, my Twitter handle used to be LateNightGirlMe but I changed to expret later.
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Metcalfe’s former business partner Sinclair Beecham is back in Pret to help fix the £700 million debt (climbing up $1 billion), after already having pumped money into Pret during the pandemic. At the same time, Pret are tasked under JAB to double in size by 2026.
And recently former CEO of Burger King owner has been appointed chair at Pret. Pret already hooked up with McDonald’s in the 2000s and current CEO Pano Christou was a manager at McDonald’s before he started as assistant manager in Pret. It all stays in the junk food and low-wage sphere. Pret just has been smarter in selling themselves as healthy, ethical and fresh.
Further in the podcast:
About “front-loading” coffee. Yes, Nick Wiger did a spot-on observation. I worked at Pret between 2008 and almost 2018, at around 2012-ish Pret invited all of us managers and team leaders to head office where they held several days of a “seminar” to inform us that they raise the importance of coffee to the SAME level as food. The reason for that is the profit margin. Pret make the most money on coffee.
They emphasise that on their logo. And on Facebook Pret cleverly describe themselves as “Coffee shop”. This is a big part in getting a cut on the coffee market and it being Pret’s biggest profit margin.
On a side-note, I question Pret’s claim to do organic coffee as their owners JAB Holdings (Panera, Krispy Kreme etc. owners as well) pushed down the coffee prices with coffee farmers and the supply chain. Pret also stopped doing fair-trade coffee around the mid to late 2010’s.
Cheap coffee beans and the 60 seconds service rule tested weekly by mystery shoppers, has caused many complaints on the quality of Pret’s coffee. Here just a few throughout the years, but complaints keep coming even now.
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A recent complaint on the consistent bad coffee in Pret. (And 73% of customers on Trustpilot – 1 & 2 stars combined – dislike Pret as in end of May 2025).
I question Pret’s claim of organic coffee also because the term “organic” can now be more loosely used as they relaxed the rules. Apart from that, Pret were banned in 2018 from claiming their food is “natural”. They then changed their logo from “Organic Coffee – Natural Food” first to “Organic Coffee – Good Food” and then to “Organic Coffee – Freshly Made Food”.
I thought I’d give Pret a hand and redo their logo to a more realistic one, especially in light of their track record with fatalities and injuries, plus former CEO Clive Schlee quoting his wife as saying that “any damn fool can run Pret“:
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But the freshly made claim is also a lie. I explain here in “Pret’s Freshly Made Brainwash” also with photos of mouldy food and my experience of how staff cheat on expiry dates etc.
And the coffee pass, or coffee subscription as it’s called in the UK, has never been “unlimited”. Pret did false advertising on this as well and were later warned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) to stop doing false advertising. And the controversy on the subscription came after I worked with journalist Mike Powell on the BBC article in 2021, “Pret customers complain over drink subscription deal”.
Mike and I worked on a second follow-up report as complaints continued in 2022. But when Mike contacted Pret for a statement as journalists always do to give the company a chance to defend the allegations, Pret quickly ANNOUNCED a change to the iced drinks menu to a watered-down menu, but the menu came in 2023. Pret quickly made the announcement to avoid further backlash from customers and potential fines from the ASA who already 4 years prior banned Pret from advertising their food as “natural” and warned them to stop advertising drinks as “unlimited”.
Customers have come to the conclusion that Pret’s “broken” ice cube machines and other issues, to avoid serving the expensive drinks on the subscription, is compared to the issue with McDonald’s ice cream machines “breakdowns”.
Regarding the 2. richest family in Germany, the Reimanns with an extensive Nazi slavery past, via JAB Holdings owning Pret and other companies, Senator Elizabeth Warren is coming after JAB for aggressively buying out veterinarian clinics and pet insurance to the detriment of pet safety and hiked prices.
Regarding Pret’s sandwiches being made fresh on the day is at times also a lie. Due to the high target pressure by Pret, staff cheat since years, preparing food the day(s) before and since the pandemic Pret now have 2-day use-by-dates which they vowed to never want to do.
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Pret’s “made today, gone today” slogan has expired!
And where we staff were STRICTLY forbidden to give end-of-day cooled down hot food to charity due to safety issues with temperature fluctuation, Pret now SELL it for cheaper via the Too Good To Go app, supposedly for Pret’s “charity”. 😉
When a company is £700 million in debt, food safety is out the window. I explain this in detail in above link to the “Brainwash” post.
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Most food is NOT freshly made, and all food, except for the frozen baguettes, croissants, cookies are cooked in factories and just assembled and/or reheated in shops. I explain in detail in above “Brainwash” post. Pret’s food is COOKED in FACTORIES, assembled in shops. Hence “pret a manger” / ready to eat.
People are often surprised at the amount of Pret as well as other chains in a small area, this is due to private equity. From a Times article, quote from a PE investor: “We buy a business, work out how many restaurants you can get away with in an area until it’s become saturated, then try to convince a new buyer that there is plenty more runway”. From: Pret was the best thing since sliced bread, but PE ruined it“
The podcasters the week before spoke about the customers who died at Panera, but didn’t mention anything about Pret’s fatalities and injuries. Why not?
In Pret, food poisoning reports have increased, in different countries as well, despite customer deaths and injuries. Just the tip of the iceberg and from 1 site only:
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I could write on and on and on, but just wanted to cover what was discussed in the podcast, and I’ve written “War and Peace” on Pret. Please do research in-depth and support small independent businesses.
I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
City A.M. Article (or rather advertising for Pret) on why Pret raise prices AGAIN! “Pret A Manger: Why prices rises are ‘inevitable’ after surviving ‘near-death crisis’ by Jon Robinson.”
(… prices rises) … If you find mistakes on my blog, I am NOT a professional journalist and am NOT paid for my work. 😉 (I do have a PayPal donation button at the bottom).
First of all, Pret were never in a near-death crisis! Pret have immense money-power behind them from their owners JAB Holdings. The secretive Reimann family, second richest family in Germany with an extensive Nazi slavery past, running Pret and other companies via tax-haven Luxembourg. The “near-death” bullcrap was just to alarm die-hard Pret fan customers to spend money.
Same old, same old bla bla by Pret via UK Managing Director Clare Clough. The same old BS they copy and paste for years, still thinking the public is stupid.
I don’t need to read the article to know that Pret raise prices due to their £700 million debt, while at the same time tasked to aggressively expand to double in size by 2026. Not to mention incurable greed. I also don’t read the article on City AM, as they try to force cookies on us if we don’t pay.
But I read the article on other platforms like MSN or Yahoo for free.
“José Cil takes over from Konrad Meyer, who will continue as a director of Pret A Manger after a year as chair” … to help expand Pret far and wide and FAST.
JAB Holdings / Reimanns are in full swing pushing Pret further and deeper into the private equity maze, not only purposely loading debt onto Pret, but squeezing everything out of Pret possible. And all Pret do is being stuck in past tactic slogans, not realizing the public doesn’t buy it anymore. Pun intended.
But journalist Jon Robinson is passing on the BS from Pret.
Quote “The MD (Clare Clough) said the chain would never save costs by reducing portion sizes or the quality of ingredients.”
Absolute big pile of horsesh!t.
Portion sizes decreased, especially since the pandemic, watered down and cheaper products, more pressure on farmers and the supply chain, lower quality, more exploited and exhausted staff etc. etc. etc.
72% on Trustpilot (1&2 combined) are fed up with Pret especially on the quality all around. Scroll down and click on the blue oval button “Show all ‘number of’ reviews).
Further, quote, “Pret A Manger’s UK boss added that because of the current levels of inflation in the market, “from time to time we have to pass some of that on”.”
Again TYPICAL Pret lies. What inflation?? Has Robinson not read the brilliant Financial Times exposé, “The Price Problem with Pret”? Picking apart Pret’s excuse about inflation, while Pret prices rise above inflation. That article was THE best investigative piece on Pret in a long time, not bowing to the same old bullsh!t Pret are spewing. City A.M. is not doing journalism, they are regurgitating what Pret feed them.
Further, in the article from Clough, “The National Minimum Wage increase has a significant impact on a business that employs thousands of people”.
Again bullsh!t, using minimum wage raise as an excuse to hike prices so that customers get mad at low-wage workers and the government instead of Pret’s greed and selfinduced debt. Greedy and debt-ridden Pret grab money any way they can and City A.M. help them spread their lies. Pret repeat the same OLD slogans of excuse, it’s become predictable and boring.
And Pano Christou’s annual pay and bonus is higher now, year on year.
And Pret keep STEALING from staff to fund bills and “charity” projects (PR)!
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Clare Clough further, “For example, I’m really proud to say we never do that (raising prices) by reducing portion sizes or quality of ingredients”
Lies!
Don’t you have eyes to see??!
Again, 72% on customers on Trustpilot have a different story about portion sizes vs. prices and quality etc.
Why does Jon Robinson not find long-term customers and interview them on their experiences with portion sizes and quality? And I’m sure he’s a Pret customer like so many journos are. He denies his own senses?
He takes Pret’s word and prints them verbatim without journalistic investigation whatsoever. No hard questions, no push back. Lazy journalism at best and advertisement at worst. Many journalists are still in Pret’s pocket, some even as cheap as for a free coffee subscription or sandwich platter. Pret supplied free sandwich platters to the Telegraph after the paper went on an anti-Pret reporting spree when Pret changed the subscription.
Pret appeased the Telegraph with sandwich platters. Like many “influencers” on TikTok and Instagram doing ads for Pret for a cheap coffee subscription. It doesn’t take much these days to bribe “journalists”.
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Financial Times article by Bryce Elder that deserves a Pulitzer! Proper investigative journalism here! An article worth paying subscription for.
I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
I was looking for a toddler-messing up-room gif, but couldn’t find one.
The recent sandwich Presidencies in 3 simple metaphors:
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Trump 1.0
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Biden
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Trump 2.0
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And on an alarming note, Trump is getting a new airplane from Qatar, apart from a bribe, I’ll call that plane Trojan Force 1.
Such scary and sad times watching politicians and courts seemingly powerless. That’s what you get when a supreme court is half corrupt and give a convicted criminal president immunity.
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
At Marseille airport four Pret and Starbucks staff have been fired after giving left-over food to homeless people AND airport staff.
Reading 3 different French news articles, it becomes clear that the “charitable” act the staff did wasn’t as charitable after all.
Many on social media call for boycotts, and I’m all for it. But also take a closer look, because the staff do what many Pret staff do. They cheat to save money on waste, and in this case they do an appalling thing by PAYING people for cleaning with food instead of employing cleaners for cash.
I believe they got fired because they use free left-over food as payment for cleaning and also giving it to airport staff means the airport staff stop going to Pret and Starbucks as they get daily free food.
I clicked the translate button on every press report as I don’t speak French. But if anyone who’s reading my blog post speaks French, please tell me if the translations are correct.
The fired staff plan to go to court, but I believe they will lose. They say that the managers knew and approved giving food in exchange for cleaning, but the managers deny this! And I believe the fired staff because Pret managers always coerce lower ranked staff to cheat to save money so that the manager gets bonus and will not be on the hit list by their superiors. But if the lower-ranked staff get caught, the managers play innocent and deny having known anything.
Pret KNOW that managers are behind this, as Pret higher ups themselves cheat, lie and steal (please see evidence here). But managers are more expensive and time consuming to train than lower ranked staff. The lower ranked staff are coerced to do the dirty work, and if caught the managers play dumb and get off the hook, especially since all this is done via “verbal agreement”. And the lower ranked staff fall for it and pay the price as they can’t prove the “verbal” agreement!
That’s why I never got promoted beyond team leader position, because I refused to cheat for my managers. But I slept well at night.
But my insight here from knowing Pret is, the staff were NOT generous in helping homeless people, but EXPLOITED people. They exploited “housewives”, “bribed” security officers and gave the rest to homeless people by giving FREE food to people in exchange for cleaning/work! That is appalling! What at first looks like empathy and helping the people is the opposite!
Using free food destined for the bin as payment for work. If they did that, they should be ashamed and rightfully got fired.
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Is the cost of living crisis so bad that people work for food instead of money? Or are they undocumented immigrants? What’s going on with this?
By all means boycott Pret, but this story goes deeper than meets the eye. Pret have a policy to give out left-over food to charity IF unpaid volunteers pick it up. If no-one picks it up, it is thrown out. And since the pandemic losses, Pret now SELL left-over food via the TooGoodToGo app, they even sell cooled down hot food whereas before the pandemic had very strict rules to NOT even give it for free due to safety issues! Pret are £700 million in debt, climbing up $1 billion. They scrap money any way they can.
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NOW Pret sell the hot food via TooGoodToGo at a lower rate to get more money. No safety issues anymore when it comes to money! 😉
When I pointed this out to TooGoodToGo, they blocked me! 😀
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Three different press reports that mention the food in exchange for work. People can do their own webpage Google translate, I just post a few from screenshots below.
The public is fooled that these four got fired for having empathy by solely giving food to homeless people, I’d call for boycotts as well, but they used the food as payment, and that’s disgusting! And they will lose the court case on that alone.
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If this is true, they deserve getting fired for PAYING housekeepers with free and end-of-day SANDWICHES, exploiting bastards!
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Regarding Pret’s food waste, they waste more than they donate as they rely on unpaid volunteers picking up food.
Here just the tip of the iceberg:
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And not only do Pret waste a lot of food, sell unsafe food via TooGoodToGo, they continue to food poison paying customers. And when Pret poison homeless people, we will never know as they won’t leave a review or complain to Pret or health and safety departments.
Support small independent businesses and wherever you work, join a union. And if you have employees, housekeppers, baby sitters, dog walkers, house sitters etc. PAY THEM WITH MONEY, not with food! Giving your staff free food comes by default!!!
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
Upfront to new readers, I worked at Pret for almost 10 years running shops. Yes, I know! Why so long. Simple, I was as brainwashed and fear managed as they are. But I know Pret’s mentality and games like nothing else.
On Bluesky a customer (Nikki C) received a freebie in Pret and I explained to her why Pret give freebies via my “Free Coffees…” post. Basically that it is NOT due to kindness but for marketing and that the staff giving the freebie can get the £100 mystery shopper reward. Of course customers don’t like to hear that Pret staff give freebies for extra cash as it takes their illusions away where they thought staff think the customer is so special. So they go out of their way trying to justify Pret’s bullshit to me, who knows Pret and their games like the back of my hand.
Amongst several examples with EVIDENCE from court cases, the press, my own expeirences etc. I showed the newly added tip devices in Pret where customers can pay a tip electronically via their card payment. And knowing Pret I wrote in that article that I’m sure Pret will ALSO steal those while claiming that all the tips go to staff.
Here a tweet from 2023:
Pret claim that “ALL tips go directly to staff”. And my “prediction” that the tips will NOT go to staff.
And Nikki C. in her zeal to defend Pret’s dodgy practices proved me right and I thank the Pret staff for accidently telling the truth:
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I know Pret and their games like the back of my hand. Pret used to have tip boxes in their USA shops. I visited New York City in 2008 including a Pret store where they still had tip boxes for cash as tipping in the USA is almost mandatory.
I visited NYC again in 2013 and the tip boxes in Pret were converted to charity boxes. Pret stopped the tipping altogether.
Here in the UK, Pret implemented donation boxes VERY close to regular payment devices where customers then accidently donate £5 thinking they paid. They are then prompted again to pay. And Pret knowing that customers feel embarrassed to claim money back from “charity”, they placed the donation devices strategically.
The refunds are also not given by Pret, but third party company GoodBox. And katchink, Pret had a 122% increase in donations.
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And how do donations, charity and trusts work for companies? I explain that in my post “The Pret Foundation Trust” and how companies use trusts to get more cash via “charity”. I share a link to a video in that post regarding the secrecy of trusts and how they are exempt from financial scrutiny. Most people don’t understand that companies use EVERYTHING they can to get more and more cash.
And then Pret implemented tip devices for staff, claim that all tips go directly to staff while in reality it goes to Pret’s pockets via “charity”. Katchink! And Nikki C. proved my point how Pret STEAL from staff and lie where the money goes to.
Nikki further writes quote: “I agree it should be clearer that these payments are donations not tips…”
Sorry Nikki, but white washing a big fat lie won’t cut it. Pret staff suffer too much for that! A lie is a lie. And theft is theft. No sweet-talking around it.
Also Nikki writes quote: “I’m sure they make the no tips policy clear during staff training.”
Dear Nikki, which staff training?? 😀
You should get your heard out of the clouds and apply for a job in Pret, but UNDERCOVER and make your OWN experiences in what training there is and how “generous” Pret are.
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Finally, Nikki continues to lecture me on staff wages and she feels so clever thinking to inform me how generous Pret supposedly are.
Let me respond to your points Nikki.
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Pret staff paid above the “National Minimum Living Wage” 😀 What now, above “minimum wage” of above “living wage”. Can’t be both! Pret claim they pay the living wage, again, a lie. I write about Pret’s pay which is NOT £14.10 like Pret try to fool everyone in my post: “Pret’s Vague Payrise“.
Pret don’t pay the living wage. Pret pay about 50p above the minimum wage to lure workers in. And then they coerce and manipulate staff to work overtime for free, delay pay, “forget” to pay hours worked etc. etc. etc. I write about this exploitation on my post: “Pret CEO Reputation with Staff“, especially with shop managers as well as HQ staff. Shop managers are on a monthly contract of a 42.5 hour week, but are forced to cut labour hours and then work 60+ hours, overtime unpaid. This abuse is then passed down to hourly paid workers as well. An endless cycle of exploitation. .
Pret staff get free meals and free drinks Of course they do! EVERY food business gives free meals and drinks. If they won’t it would be unethical as well as employees would steal food for hunger working with food. This is not a great generous gift by Pret. Get a reality check about food businesses. . Pret work their staff so hard, that they don’t even have time to sit down and eat. Staff are also bullied behind the counter to NOT drink water in the summer. I know what I’m talking about!!! As a team leader I disobeyed my managers and allowed my teams to drink water behind the counter! Pret stopped paying the breaks during the pandemic and took other benefits away to enrich the CEO and shareholders further. . A customer once observing how staff are treated in REALITY:
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Further in Nikki’s lecture to me on Pret’s “generosity”:
Pension fund: You really don’t know that pension funds are a type of investement into corporations? A pension should be the basics of every person, not just an investment into corporate funds. Most companies do pension funds now. Again, nothing out of the ordinary. .
Training opportunities: Again, nothing out of the ordinary. Most companies provide training opportunities. But in Pret, the staff are “trained” on their own private times, on their breaks, at home when they are NOT paid. IF they are trained at all!!! The “training in Pret is appalling! Even in my time before private equity really started the squeeze on us staff, I and my colleagues had to train outselves! And no, don’t blame private equity, Pret were always cheeky, but were better able to hide it in the good, rich times. .
Free shoes: Pret started to give free shoes around 2016-ish because they demand that staff wear black shoes, but many still turned up with other colours or cloth-shoes that cannot be wiped clean. These shoes are very cheap and extremely uncomfortable. Again, shoes, uniforms etc. should be a given that they are provided by the company. Again, nothing out of the ordinary.
Dear Nikki C, before you try to be smart and lecture me on anything related to Pret, put your sleeves up, apply for a job in Pret UNDERCOVER (!) and work there for a month and then come back to me. And no, not “I know a Pret staff who’s happy…” Nope, not that game, but YOU YOURSELF, go undercover for a FULL MONTH, and then tell me again how generous Pret are and how they don’t lie, cheat and steal from staff.
I suggested for journalist Amy Sharpe to go undercover into Pret, and she only lasted a week! But thank you Nikki for proving my point that Pret ARE thieves, cheats and liars. Please thank the Pret staff who provided you with the info for accidentally telling the truth.
Read the small print at the bottom of this Mirror report: “… and staff who are hugely over-stretched.”
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Finally Nikki, here a YouTube version of how Pret A Manger lie, cheat and steal from customers, and most appallingly, from low-wage staff. Pret have no shame.
Enjoy your Pret experience and keep up the “good” work furthering Pret’s bullsh!t. I’m sure you will get a voucher in the mail for your services to Pret (in exchange for your data/address etc 😉 ).
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I LIED, the REALLY really final thing is again my all-time favourite social media post by a woman who learnt that Pret made “temporary” pay-cuts permanent. I could not have said it any better!
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
The children’s children (today’s Ukraine) are now paying the price for the old men who bowed to entitled rich men (1990s “leaders”).
The Mafia promises to “protect” you in return for pay (like Trump does … minerals … this MF is out the door soon).
Give up your nukes and we will protect you (not!).
Never give up your defences, your OWN protection, your superpower. Never.
Keir Starmer, Macron etc. are being smart now, killing the enemy with kindness and charming them to sleep. Let’s see how it works.
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But let’s never forget that the USA, UK, Belarus, Kazakhstan and uhm Russia … have BROKEN their contract to Ukraine in the Budapest Memorandum.
Bill Clinton is mighty quiet.
I think Ukraine giving up their Nukes after the Soviet Union collapsed was not so much a mistake, they were a “new” Nation and over their head with being the 3rd largest Nuke nation.
It was the big guns (UK, USA, Russia) with the help of some small neighbours, who didn’t want a new nation to have such power.
It’s complicated enough to figure out and finance all this arsenal at your young door mat. And Putin putting his feet into the water in 2014 and then full-on playing empire in 2022 will come to an end soon, because we have a lunatic in the White House. And Starmer, Macron, now Merz & Co. are playing a smart card.
History will tell.
But lesson learnt. NEVER give up your superpower, whatever that may be! It could be your talent, your money, your love, your position, your …. fill in the blanks.
Never give up your superpower.
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If ANYONE ever wants you to give up something in exhange for your power, chase them out of your space.
Keir Starmer & Co. playing a game, hoping Trump will fall for it.
Sorry, Starmer & Co. you broke your promise back in 2014. Now work harder to suck up to bullies.
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
… and general data issues, fishing for data, refusing to delete data, data grabs and lawsuit etc.
From experience having worked at Pret, I know how careless Pret are with data, even to the point where unauthorised staff like Team Leaders would look at colleagues employee files including how much they are paid. I had “complaints” from a colleague why I’m paid more than him, while I NEVER share my wage with anyone.
Colleagues also knew my history where I lived (USA) without me telling them, all from my file. Shop managers also leave employee contracts open lying around on the office desk. I cannot count the times I discreetly folded a contract from a colleague without looking at it to shield it even a little bit from anyone coming into the office. As I didn’t have access to the file cabinet, I couldn’t lock it away.
These are just a reflection on the lack of care and training regarding data issues. But it’s not just a lack of care, it’s blatant data breaches Pret do and KNOW it’s just that.
Pret aggressively since 2018 collect data, mainly via private messages when customer have a query, but now of course via apps and the subscription.
In a NY Times article from 2020, Pret CEO Pano Christou speaks about data collection, quote:
»The other benefit of the subscription plan is the chance to gather more data about its customers, who will scan a QR code each time they use it. “Pret have been very, very late adapters to this,” Mr. Christou said. Panera, he said, has a database of more than 40 million customers across the United States. … I think the richness of data today gives you an opportunity to learn much more about your customers”« Link
Christou mentions Panera because Pret and Panera have the same owners and exchange info with each other, CEOs meet each other etc. And Christou also mentioned that Pret are late in the game of data collection compared to Panera and other companies.
And in one of his last interviews being the CEO of Pret, Clive Schlee is being asked by his long-time friend about submitting email addresses on a blog Schlee ran on Pret’s website. The interviewer was surprised that Pret now (2018 on) asked for email addresses.
Schlee answers that Pret until that point were more face-to-face. But in my own experience, Pret against popular opinion are actually lacking quite behind on especially digital issues. Pret are NOT as trailblazing as people often think. Especially with advertising, Pret use (exploit) “influencers” to do free/cheap ads on their Instagram accounts in exchange for a cheap coffee or one month subscription, IF AT ALL they get anything.
But of course, I’m not surprised on serious issues with data arising in Pret.
Here just a few to keep it short.
In the USA people sue more easily as the legal system in the U.S. is different than in the UK. And even here in the UK, when people do contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), Pret refuse to delete data, especially bank details.
Pret had complaints during the pandemic that they continued to withdraw money from customers’ bank accounts even AFTER people cancelled the coffee subscription. Some were charged for MONTHS before they realised money was leaving their account every month despite having received the cancellation confirmation.
Here just the tip of the iceberg and Money Saving Expert having reported on it:
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To raise a formal complaint to the ICO, fill in the online form. If everyone who encounters data issues with Pret raises this formally with the ICO, Pret can get heavily fined. .
Trustpilot reviews on data issues. And not only bad reviews regarding data issues, 74% of customers on Trustpilot (1&2 star reviews combined as of January 2025) disapprove of Pret on a variety of issues, many having sworn to never set foot inside Pret again.
Pret refusing to delete customer data, despite ICO getting involved:
Little side note, journalists still use the old Pret logo with “natural food”. Many still don’t know that Pret were banned by ASA in 2018 from claiming their food is “natural”. Pret then changed their logo to “freshly made” food, which is also a lie as I know personally how staff mess with the food and expiry dates as well as customers not only post pictures of mouldy food online, but food poisoning reports have increased in different countries as well.
Regarding data issues, Pret have also continuously asked for new mobile numbers despite customers saying their registered number with the app is current and correct. But here is a new one that has even me shocked! Phone number versus SIM card AND device number!!!
Now, a SIM card number is different from a mobile device number. Can companies really see the SIM and/or the device number???
And if so, what does that have to do with the current, correct mobile number? Unless Pret are LYING again to know the device or SIM number to fish for more phone numbers AND/OR just aim to hinder customers from using the app to get the deals Pret advertise with the app/subscription.
Quote: “The mobile number registered on your account does not match the SIM card number on the device you’re now using. …”
So, this utterly bogus message talks about 3 completely different numbers:
Mobile PHONE number to make and received phone calls
SIM card number (which is very long)
Mobile DEVICE number or just the mobile device
Either whoever came up with this tactic is completely stupid using such a lame excuse to fish for more data, or there’s something with technology I haven’t caught up with yet. But knowing Pret, I think it’s the first.
I don’t believe for a second that there is a way for outside companies to SEE aka detect the SIM and/or mobile device number. I truly doubt that!
But even if that’s possible, it’s unacceptable and like the poster says, “creepy” and “needy” behaviour by Pret. But then again, knowing Pret, they’re highly unprofessional behind the forced happy facade.
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Further ways Pret cheat customers out of perks, half price deals, stars and perks dissappearing or never adding, weak wifi not able to login etc. etc. via the app. Just a few from the tip of the iceberg:
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etc. etc. etc.
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It’s HIGH TIME that the ICO as well as Trading Standards investigate Pret in-depth! But unless more people raise this formally, nothing will change.
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Other ways how Pret “steal” from customers and staff, and how they use “charity” to not only fool the public but how they make staff pay for the bill:
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Pret Year in Review 2024: (LOWER the volume at the beginning)
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde used the moment to speak directly to Trump, and he couldn’t even respond or lash out back. Captive audience. Needless to say the childish look of VP JD Vance and his savvy wife’s keeping a poker face, like the rest of them apart from T.
This administration too shall pass, and the voices that spoke out will be remembered.
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EDIT:
And speaking of big balls and women, a woman who was in jail for 60 days (ok, for 60 days) declined Trump’s pardon, meaning she has a criminal record for life.
A reminder on Pret A Manger’s micromanaging, fear managing weekly mystery shopper scheme run by HGEM.
Even if I make “advertising” for HGEM, I do this for a reason, as they employ many “power-tripping” mystery shoppers who lord it over staff on purpose and enjoy how staff suffer and have to kiss butt all day. And even when a mystery shopper awards the individual “outstanding card” (not a literal card, but £50 or £100 cash reward to ONE staff member), word is out that Pret at times delete the comments and NOT give the award.
Quote of an anonymous person who contacted me saying they know Pret staff who receive the mystery shopper reports and manipulate the results in favour of Pret’s pockets AND who also knows Pret workers in shops, quote:
“I know people who conduct mystery shopper reports and individuals working at shops whose reports have been affected. In some cases, when someone is nominated for an “outstanding performance” by the mystery shopper, they should receive an extra £100 that week. Unfortunately, there have been instances where the “outstanding performance” line in the reports received later by the Pret shop has been left empty, with comments deleted, preventing anyone from receiving the extra £100”
End of quote.
Also, please see my media page of my work with the press, especially when people like Pret staff and friends of staff leak issues to me that I pass on to journalists.
I received the above anonymous message and believe it because of the numerous times many shops did NOT get the bonus straight after the big summer and winter party. Not to mention all the other times Pret either take (steal as in wage theft settled out of court, or “borrow” from low-wage staff).
Side note, Pret are £700 million in debt while under private equity pressure to double in size worldwide by 2026. So, they’re not only hiking prices, as well as having “technical issues” on their app that customers cannot get the perks or drinks, but also taking from staff at every turn possible. Pret did that already before the pandemic, before the debt, and before the customer deaths and injuries became public and bad press increased. But now it’s much, MUCH worse!
Hence, customer complaints, bad press and staff turnover are through the roof.
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Since many years Pret implemented extremely strict mystery shopper questions to test staff on the tiniest points and fear manage them. HGEM is the company employed by Pret since around 2016 or 2017 to send mystery shoppers every week to every shop. Before HGEM it was another company. Side note, HGEM also run mystery shopper visits to Pret’s close friends itsu who’s CEO now since November 2024 is Clive Schlee who owns half of itsu and used to be Pret’s CEO and is CEO Pano Christou’s mentor. Itsu staff are equally exploited and treated badly.
Many people who sign up for HGEM love to power-trip over low-wage staff. I encountered a few of them on social media, and 9 out of 10 times they are insulting, rude, thin skinned, arrogant, entitled and power-tripping when a I point out how mentally harming this emotional labour scheme is.
Excerpts of mystery shopper reports throughout the years and different shops:
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For more on what I call emotional labour “abuse” I list a few very good articles on my page: “The Dangers of Emotional Labour”
I write this today because some thin-skinned guy on Facebook tries to insult me after I explained how horrible this scheme is and how I became suicidal. I will not get into great detail to keep it short and as I covered this many times and more and more customers as well as the press know now that Pret are NOT friendly, but force staff to pretend a happiness.
I was reprimanded by my manager after the mystery shopper, whom I rename as “misery” shopper for a reason, commented that I didn’t smile. This was days after I buried my brother, Pret and my management knew about it, but had no mercy. I went home after my shift often passing by the bridge.
And as usual, with arrogant, entitled, power-tripping people, they try to insult you for pointing out the abusive tactic and the mental health deterioration of staff due to this mystery shopper scheme Pret put in place.
I just put some screenshots of the exchange on Facebook yesterday and today. My main comment was hidden after they reported me to Facebook. Via Facebook reporting, they used the bogus reason of “suicide” even though I simply stated a FACT that I became suicidal during this mystery shopper abuse while bereaved.
Please click ctrl and + (plus) to increase the screenshot for better read, and ctrl and – (minus) to decrease again.
At the bottom I will post only a few of the many staff reviews about the “misery” shopper scheme and how they suffer.
My first comment which is now removed. And I write so blunt on purpose as I almost lost my life in this horrible company:
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It’s clear that this is a Facebook BOT making “decisions”, NOT a human, as it gives mixed messages. At first my comment goes against the rules, then is does NOT. 😀
Here again, another case study.
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So it DOES. 😀
The technology “teams” are in reality bots, not humans. The decisions come SO FAST, within seconds, AI operated.
If the Facebook bot wouldn’t have removed my comment, I would never put it onto a wider platform, but now it’s spread out across the Internet. Thanks for reporting HGEM and/or thin-skinned miser shopper. 😉
Before the reporting and hiding of my comment, a thin-skinned guy who seems to feel addressed as if he is a mystery shopper tried to insult me. Yes, I give him attention on my blog to show how power-tripping people are who get a little “influence” to lord it over low-wage workers in the hospitality industry.
This Simon Fin wrote a comment to make HGEM aware of my post as if the HGEM social media person won’t get notified. It’s also very typical for thin-skinned people like this to claim that they don’t care, and then continue to write over and over, trying to insult as if that does anything.
He also tries to distract, not answering if he is a misery shopper. He certainly sounds miserable.
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Some Pret staff reviews regarding the mystery shopper:
Also, Pret make it EXTRA hard to achieve weekly bonus to avoid paying bonus AND individual outstanding card rewards. It’s all on purpose to avoid spending money while still fear managing staff via the misery shopper.
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… and so on and so forth …
Now Simon Fin, go and throw a childish fit and go on your power-tripping reporting rampage, as if I’d give a flying fnck! Happy researching and trying to figure out how to retaliate. You’re just one of a few thin skinned people who has no leg to stand on.
THE MOST poignant ex Pret staff review to date – everything people need to know about work conditions and mental health problems in Pret A Manger is summed up in the following review:
“This job can annihilate every piece of humanity inside of you … You will lose everything that makes you human.”
Nothing to add to that!
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
I worked In USA pret store from 2019- lockdowns & was working as a trainer But doing Lead Kitchen work like daily ordering , doing computer work& running kitchen alone w/o servsafe due to low staff & NOT being paid for such position work. come to find, i didn’t get my holiday banks cuz I was incorrectly changed to part-time by a angry ex manager BUT i was working 50+hrs prior a week. The manager was fired for sexual harassment & pushing workers to work for free. We had NO replacement manager ever & store NEVER reopened Post covid. Now I have zero references too. The manager usedd to joke abt only hiring females for their looks & forced all females to work registers for rush while male kitchen employees got to stay in the back. He’d also up the production but expect it to be done in the same time plus taking catering orders to delivery too. The 3 male leads used to pas the managers harassment as no big deal too. It took him speaking sexual things of a child to be reported by a minor worker. The A/c was out all summer in the kitchen & food made at 100f temps thanks to manager doing nothing too.
Upfront to any new reader and reader outside of Pret and itsu, I write so blunt below after 1. how I was spoken to over the years in Pret by management and 2. due to the ongoing unsafe and plain dangerous food practices in Pret, and from the customer complaints also at itsu.
Just the tip of the iceberg of food poisoning reports from different countries:
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To Pano Christou and Sinclair Beecham – Pret, (same for Julian Metcalfe and Clive Schlee, itsu)
Countless food poisoning reports, including hospitalisations. Again!
You can try and shut me down every day, it doesn’t matter.
You might not agree with the follwoing, but PTSD, in my case has led me to write the way I write about your pretentious, arrogant, entitled, delusional leadership of Pret A Manger.
While other PTSD sufferers go on a shooting spree, I go on Pret-exposing spree. You will not close down, but your leadership will only be an “inspiration” to young people who are too inexperienced to understand what your game is.
The rest of us don’t respect you.
To the current CEO of Pret A Manger Pano Christou and Sinclair Beecham, Pret RE-co-founder, and in my opinion the “secret CEO” of Pret. I also copied now newly itsu CEO Clive Schlee and his boss Julian Metcalfe in.
Side-note, Sinclair Beecham and Julian Metcalfe don’t want you to know about Jeffrey Hyman, the founder of Pret.
You all had a lot of support, luck, ignorance of people (especially journalists) regarding poisoning your customers. I know from experience, that you won’t do anything regarding your customers continuously getting injured. I know from experience that you don’t give a FUCK about your customers, and even less, about your staff (£800,000 fine for staff in freezer for 2 hours 45 minutes and the bullying culture).
You can try and shut me down as usual, I don’t give a flip. My work, or the worms, are out all over the place. And I also passed on everything to close friends.
I understand that you are what I call, “private equity slaves”, but that is neither my problem nor are you exempt from refraining from safety measures regarding the safety of your customers.
If customers AND staff are the collateral damage for your greed, and you feel safe relying on politicians and the Royal Family, keep doing that while you can. 🙂
It’s the small voices that will kick your ass. The press are not interested, it’s too much work for them. And the previous Tory government has cut services to the bone that there are hardly EHOs left to check on the multitude of food businesses. Lucky you.
But I cannot be prouder to do what I do after WASTING years of my life in your sh!t company.
Like Cher sings, “If I could turn back time” … I for one would never have wanted to set foot inside your toxic, dangerous, unsafe, psychopatic company Pret A Manger. My mistake was to give this place too many benefits of a doubt. I survived this pathetic “corporation” that is on a limp regarding safety, but they WILL SUCCEED to get away with more deaths and injuries.
The Ednan-Laperouse family might have forgiven you, like multi-millionaire, Caucasian brothers and sister do for you Pret, but you continue to poison people. Any SMALL independtn business, especially if it’s run by a minority person/people would be shut down in a heartbeat with ONE customer death or injuries so severe like they keep happening in Pret. But Pret seems to be too big to be drawn to responsibility and I fear that more people will die from the severe food poisoning they suffer (see video below).
I say this again, and I don’t care what you’ll do, you Pano Christou, Julian Metcalfe, Clive Schlee, Sinclair Beecham … you all are entitled PSYCHOPATHS! You don’t give a toss how people suffer. Even when your customers AND staff die, NOTHING happens. Business as usual.
You push your low-wage, and like itsu your zero-hour contracted workers so hard that they have NO CHANCE to look after food safety as well as safety for staff. Pret, Pano Christou, you STEAL wages and even use your low-wage staff as a bank where you loan money from so you can accumulate bonus for yourselves. Not to mention pushing them to work overtime for free. EXHAUSTED workers and a toxic work environment BREEDS unsafe and dangerous food practices. How many more have to die?!
Julian Metcalfe trying to hold me for a fool that his workers “begged” him for zero-hour contracts! What a clown! Anyone who has the luxury to be flexible with their time doesn’t need to be slaving for sh!t companies like itsu or Pret.
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This 2022 DM by a Pret staff about TWO pay delays also happened around 2012 when I worked at Pret and Clive Schlee was CEO with Pano Christou UK Managing Director.
When this 2. pay delay was announced just before the Queen’s Jubilee where the public and press were distracted, a staff on Instagram announced to sabotage Pret after a customer voiced concern for the staff.
The staff starts with, quote, “Don’t worry. We already drastically reduced food and service quality.”
I COMPLETELY DISagree with EVER compromising food quality and safety, but don’t kid yourself that how a company treats their staff, it WILL come back to bite customers!
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All this, how staff are treated, cheated and pushed to work more and faster for less leads to further food safety issues. Cheating on standards to fullfil the unrealistic tasks set by Pret for more and more and more money.
READ the complaints, reports and reviews of customers from every country who suffers with food poisoning.
You put on your “charming” smile and pretentious slogans while running away when people drop like flies. Looking at you Clive Schlee, you pathetic coward!
Schlee shouldn’t be anywhere near a CEO position anymore! Clive Schlee, you already half own itsu, go home, live your “retirement” and spare people of your fake “kindness”.
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And so on … but I concentrate on Pret in the video below. Unfortunately “someone” got all the negative reviews of Julian Metcalfe deleted off Glassdoor that itsu staff left, but I still have the screenshots. You executives can get things deleted all day long, as long as you DON’T CHANGE your food safety and employment practices from the core, these reviews, reports, complaints will continue. You will NEVER be able to whitewash your practices.
Julian Metcalfe’s deleted Tweets and Glassdoor reviews from 2021:
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You all have already carved out your “legacy”. It doesn’t matter how many stores you open across the globe, in the long-run, people will ALWAYS look at the fish that stinks from its head.
For the record, I will always be offended for Pret having a laugh about food safety, while I took it serious to the point I never got promoted because I never cheated.
Fuck Pret A Manger and their entitled psychopathic “leadership”.
Prêt à Vomir … Prêt à Mourir … ongoing food poisoning at Pret A Manger.
READ these reports!!! READ THEM!!!
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu (shops) in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO gig at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
… and I missed a former Pret staff YouTube comment in 31.12.2024!
Bummer!
Lesson learnt: never finalize the year in review BEFORE the 31st of December!
This comment is now “Ex Pret Staff of the Year 2024” as I don’t have this “category” in this 2024 review, this is it.
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For people with visual impairment where AI reading programs can’t read screenshots, the full comment by another Ex Pret staff under one of my YouTube slides. The comment is verbatim, quote:
»I’m italian….i worked in pret for 3.5 years in Victoria station from 2012 to 2015….. became barista and shift runner before start to suffer of insomnia and panick attack….i feel every little words of this review….after all this years still I’m not the same as i was before start to work in the “hell” and doubt i never be…..i feel the pain of all of you beautiful people!«
End of quote.
For information, the position of “shift runner” existed between 2008 and 2015. It was a position before the team leader position but with less pay than a tam leader. At that time 4 positions were the pathway to become team leader which are: hot chef (responsible for hot food), barista (coffee), team member trainer (kitchen staff trainer), and between 2008 and 2015 the shift runner.
But because shift runners were not easily taken to responsibility like team leaders are, Pret stopped it in the fall of 2015. The shift runner position was my pathway to being a team leader.
The above Ex staff wrote this comment underneath the “Annihulate Humanity” slide where I used a full long review I found on Indeed and gave it its own YouTube slide, as this is THE most spot on and poignant review to this day:
»….i feel every little words of this review….after all this years still I’m not the same as i was before start to work in the “hell” and doubt i never be…..i feel the pain of all of you beautiful people!«
I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
As complaints continue about the price hikes by Pret A Manger and even the bad press having increased on this, I keep going back to private equity. But no, don’t let Pret off the hook, they knew exactly what they got themselves into when selling out. Pret already gave McDonald’s a 33% non-executive stake in the 2000s to get their foot into the USA market. Once in, they divorced their marriage of convenience and in 2008 Pret completely sold out to private equity.
Most of us are not financial gurus and know nothing to just a little bit about private equity (PE).
Since 2008 Pret are bought out by PE. British PE firm Bridgepoint bought Pret in 2008, squeezed the heck out of the company, which we staff felt first-hand. Then in 2018 Bridgepoint sold Pret to the second richest family in Germany, the secretive Reimann family with an extensive Nazi slavery past.
The Reimanns run Pret and many other companies, including veterinarian practices via their in tax haven firm JAB Holdings.
I touched on JAB on my post about the Pret Foundation Trust and how Trusts work, how “charities” are a big money makers via trusts etc.
With customers as well as the press asking why Pret raise prices so much, the penny dropped when taking a closer look into private equity.
Pret are tasked by JAB to double in size worldwide by 2026 while at the same time also being £700 million in debt.
I understand that JAB puts immense pressure on Pret to expand while quality all around is down and customer complaints are up. And it is hard to understand how they expand, except via franchises, with climbing up to $1 billion (£700m) in debt.
Little reminder also how CEOs and executives benefit hugely from PE while everything else goes downhill in quality and services.
Former CEO Clive Schlee bonus 2018:
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Current CEO Pano Christou, his bonus now in 2024 is £5 million and counting, plus year-on-year pay-rise. The Guardian article is from 2022:
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CEO pay and bonus is up, quality all around is down.
74% of customers on Trustpilot (1&2 star reviews combined) disapprove of Pret on a variety of issues, many having sworn to never set foot inside Pret again. Not to mention photos and videos all across social media from customers unhappy with food.
Pret’s Trustpilot score as of 19. December 2024: “Poor”
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The latest review while writing this blog post:
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Earlier in 2024 Pret RE-co-founder Sinclair Beecham has been brought back to Pret to help the business while the other RE-co-founder Julian Metcalfe threw Pret under the bus this year and has now made Clive Schlee CEO (restaurants) of itsu. CEO Pano Christou despite his 20+ years in Pret seems incapable and is more busy presenting himself as this great guy in the press.
But don’t get too excited, Pret and itsu are NOT in competition to each other. They are still very much buddies and support each other. As recent as 6th December 2024, five years after Clive Schlee “retired” from Pret, he still works together with Pano Christou whom he mentors. Schlee is still involved with the Pret Foundation Trust that just presents vulnerable people to the public while neglecting staff when they go through tragedy. These people are patronisingly called “Rising Stars”. And for the first time one such “rising star” is speaking out via Glassdoor (below).
When I became traumatically bereaved, I and then later an OPs (area) manager asked Pret in writing if I could be put under the Pret Foundation. No reply from Pret.
Facebook post, red arrow is Pano Christou, yellow arrow Clive Schlee:
It’s a very long review, but I quote a few sentences which I completely believe that staff.
Quote: “Working here has been the worst decision I ever made. Joining via the Rising Stars Programme meant the team I joined knew of my disability and homelessness problem and caring responsibilities. That still did not stop the manager and the team from treating me so awfully that they have not bothered training me in other areas in this roll and just stick me on the till. …
Also your manager will develop selective dementia when they are asked to attend meetings with the external people helping with mental health support and consistently lie to them about problems you’ve experienced. They will then go on to victimise themselves by writing to HR and then lie to them and say you’re the problem. Whilst working on your mental health, working here will make things worse and you’ll develop suicidal thoughts because of the treatment you are given.” …
End of quote.
Yep, completely believe that! Sounds eerily familiar with my story.
Charity, Foundations, Trusts etc. in a big company is ALWAYS for PR and tax breaks!
But that’s why I explained that Pret cannot distance themselves to itsu after Metcalfe made the “eugenics” comments to the Daily Mail in 2021 and I chased him off Twitter. Pret publicly distanced themselves from Metcalfe after many announced boycotts.
I screen grabbed /Metcalfe’s tweets where he kept reposting my tweets to him and then deleted his account a day later.
Little side note, PE firm Bridgepoint that owned Pret between 2008 – 2018 now also bought itsu last year or a couple of years ago. Also, Clive Schlee owns half of itsu and is now as of November 2024 itsu CEO (of restaurants). Pret can proclaim to distance themselves all day long, they still work together and are close friends with itsu, Clive Schlee, Julian Metcalfe etc.
Regarding private equity, I came across a brilliant video by lawyer who used to work for a law-firm working with PE. He explains in simple terms in under 20 minutes why PE “sucks” and what three main ingredients are used once PE buys companies.
People always wonder why Pret is on every corner in London, just like Starbucks is in America and other companies. When the customer deaths and injuries became public in the fall of 2018, journalists incl. die-hard Pret fans started to write press reports. One such fan from the Times quoted a private equity investor, quote: “We buy a business, work out how many restaurants you can get away with in an area until it’s become saturated, then try to convince a new buyer that there is plenty more runway”.
In 2008 I started working in Pret. That year also Bridgepoint bought Pret and the squeeze started. Shops started to pop up on every corner, so it felt. JAB since 2018 had a slow start and the pandemic closed several shops. But now the immense task is on to double in size by 2026 worldwide. Quantity over quality.
When seeing Pret’s £700 million (close to $1 billion) debt, ingredient #2 makes the penny drop. Pun intended!
Other videos/writings I found as well where it is mentioned that when private equity buys a company, they also put these companies into debt on purpose. The video explains why.
Everything this lawyer explains about how PE works is exactly what’s happening to Pret now. In humble comparison, Pret is basically the slave to JAB who take full control, but Pret are burdened with sorting out the debt and the mess while JAB just laughs to the bank. All on the backs of staff, customers and the community itself.
Now this video is mainly about investors, but the same principles apply to companies that PE acquire.
I want to quote just a few things he says that has Pret written all over it.
Quote: “The PE firm borrows around 80% of what it costs to buy a company, and makes the company responsible for that debt.”
He goes on to explain why they do that and how the PE firm profits from the company’s debt. It makes you sick to the stomach.
April 2024 article below.
The board shake-up included bringing back RE-co-founder Sinclair Beecham who already pumped millions into Pret during the pandemic.
Further in the video, quote (target company as in Pret or any company bought out by PE):
“The beautiful thing for private equity firms is, when the target company that they bought out succumbs to the debt obligation, it’s not the PE firm’s responsibility to repay ANY of that debt.
When the investments do well, the PE firm reap astronomical gains. But when the target company fails, the true losses fall mainly on other stake holders, the company’s employees, it’s customers, its suppliers, its creditors, and the community at large.”
Some of the results of this for which customers, staff etc. are paying the price:
A DM sent to me by an anonymous Pret staff days before Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee weekend. I passed this on to Sarah Butler from the Guardian who then reported on it:
“It goes without saying that a private equity partner with little or no experience from a particular industry, cannot improve actual products or actual services of the target company. All this PE partner, this glorified financial intermediary can do for its target company is to deploy the bluntest instrument that capitalism has to offer.
The PE firm helps the target company to cut costs through lay-offs, offshoring asset stripping. And the PE firm helps the target company increase revenue by deploying state of the art methods for price increase.
In other words, what PE firms do is to help target companies focus more on financial engineering and consumer exploitation, and less on improving the company’s products and services.”
Does that sound familiar with Pret? 😉
Tax-haven Luxembourg based JAB Holdings and the “Price Problem with Pret” which a brilliant article by the Financial Times this year picked apart in comparison to inflation.
Also, since 2018 higher ranked employees in HQ were axed and the axing continues. Of course on Linkedin these staff claim to just be moving on, but I can’t help thinking this was a lay-off. Especially those from HQ who were directly involved in my ordeal, especially HR personnel like Nick Davies who pulled the strings to help Ivana the group manager to target me. Also, Lila Warren, the most vile act she did is now also gone from Pret. She was put on my case to test the waters when to fire me, even though she didn’t work in HR but was a development manager. HR Director Andrea Wareham to whom former CEO Clive Schlee introduced me as his “late night girl” and now also Head of HR David Carter. All gone from Pret after years, even a decade plus in the company. Most moved on to the competition like Five Guys and other big corporations. Just overpaid office workers who care nothing about people but themselves and the company.
Many of these long-term, especially higher ranked former staff still engage on social media on Pret stuff, especially on Linkedin and Facebook where no journalist reads compared to Twitter.
Further in the video, quote:
“PE firms serve as transmitters of information across businesses, sort of disease vectors for price gouging and legal arbitrage.”
One customer in 2023 put Pret’s price gouging into extreme terms, calling £2 for a small pack of crisps “financial rape”:
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2021:
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2024:
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Further in the video, quote:
“After [a PE company acquired a certain company within an industry] it initiated a wild shopping spree, acquiring on average one new company per month.”
Sounds familiar.
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And as JAB have entered the pet insurance at veterinarian market to the detriment of pet safety and pet owners wallets, US Senator Elizabeth Warren is coming after them now:
Again, don’t feel sorry for Pret, they knew what they were getting into and the executives are only out to enrich themselves.
Little fun fact, when Clive Schlee was still CEO in May 2018 before even I learnt about the customer deaths and injuries, he was informed about my blog late at night on 28. May 2018. Early morning on 29. May 2018 he made an announcement at 1:51 at night that Pret will give £1000 to all the 12,000 staff as a welcome to the new owners JAB Holdings. He made that announcement in panic after being informed of my website and trying to counter ahead of time.
I put the screenshots of my statistics on my blog where that day was THE most visited day for about a year.
I want to end on a positive note, a hopeful in business, a courageous and principled CEO, who shares his company Riverford with his employees and whose words are blunt but much needed. A TRUE entrepreneur unlike Julian Metcalfe who grew up with riches and with Royalty at his father’s table, as well as Clive Schlee who grew up entitled.
This CEO was approached by venture capitalists if he wants to sell his company. His response:
»To sell my business, this thing that I created, that I poured my life, 30 years of work in; to sell it to one of those bastards (venture capitalists), it would feel like selling one of my children into prostitution. And I was never gonna do it.«
End thought: Support small independent businesses wherever possible and/or make your own food. repairs, clothes etc. Don’t fall for the lie that there’s nothing you can do about it. Yes, we cannot completely “escape” PE, but we have more choice than we realise. It just takes a little effort to seek those out and then stick with them, hoping they don’t sell out to PE.
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
Free advertising for Schlee and Metcalfe as mainstream media still don’t give a toss. 😉
They will now!
Clive Schlee, Pret, YOU had the “power”, the means, the finances, the man-power, the connections, the Pret Foundation Trust …
repeat: the PRET FOUNDATION TRUST to help me as a long-time staff.
You chose to not just NOT support me, but to come after me to get rid of me.
I worked successfully as a team leader for shop after shop. I was AS brainwashed by your bullsh!t as every good person is.
It takes narcissistic entitled cowards like Clive Schlee, Julian Metcalfe, Pano Christou etc. to puke on hard-working people who just want to live, pay their bills and go home to have a life.
Once I became traumatically bereaved, YOU made the choice to do the opposite of helping me to cope and be able to work, and I will never, ever, ever have any respect for any of you. I have more respect for sh!t in anyone’s toilet than for any of you.
Mr. Schlee, you are brought back to be CEO again, by your entitled friend Metcalfe, this time in itsu (“restaurants”, whatever that means). You are brought back as “CEO” like a lost soft-spoken tyrant, who wants to return from exile. The joke’s on you.
I have sent this blog post and podcast to Clive Schlee, Julian Metcalfe, other itsu people, the press, to friends etc.
And I’m still enquiring about Emily who died by suicide in 2017.
Podcast episode about and to Clive Schlee and his entitled, arrogant, pretentious friend Julian Metcalfe, as well as Pano Christou who never cared: The rotten eggs of business.
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I am PROUD that not only many customers, staff but also the press FINALLY knows how rotten Pret, itsu, you executives are.
But I also KNOW that the press will keep sucking up to you, but your legacy is that you never cared about customers’ safety and how you exploit staff.
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LINKS:
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Clive Schlee’s £1000 announcement on 29. May 2018 after being informed of my blog LateNightGirl.org late at night on 28. May 2018: : “The Day Clive Schlee had a Bright Idee!”
. Low-key “press” announcement on Clive Schlee becoming itsu CEO. The press will now pick up on it, I guess: Clive Schlee now CEO of itsu (“restaurants”)
. Exposé on net-worth £215m itsu founder & Pret RE-founder Julian Metcalfe, his love for zero-hour contracts and robots, his connection to Royal Family, a questionable connection, what staff say about him, why some Asian people don’t like him, and how I chased him off Twitter: Julian Metcalfe’s Entitled Upbringing
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The deleted Glassdoor reviews of Pret RE-co-founder Julian Metcalfe:
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Clive Schlee’s final Glassdoor Reviews score:
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
Having lived in the USA a few years and visited many times, having American friends who still voted for Trump now in 2024, I share my thoughts to my Amercian friends.
I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
Please note: The previous text in this post with my interview of a former Pret staff in India has been deleted upon request of the interviewee.
I leave the rest of this part up regarding Pret in general and the title for reference as once things are on the Internet, they are forever on the Internet and people often copy posts and podcasts episodes.
I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
If you have no time to read, please scroll to all the screenshots further down below.
(And read the comments at the very bottom of this page.)
UPDATE 2024: Please note that I don’t update every year (some updates below from May 2024) as my posts are always too long. But the main bullying catalyst in Pret has always been, and will always be their mircomanaging and humiliating weekly mystery shopper visits.
UPDATEOctober 2024:
Pret’s opened in India in 2023 under the aggressive expansion task by their owners, and the bullying there is so severe incl. injury. A former staff secretly recorded the aggression and posted pictures.
This is the REALITY of Pret A Manger behind the facade WORLDWIDE. The clean facade of freebies, the forced smiles (tested by Mystery Shoppers), the “ethical” front of Pret that got away with 2 customer deaths, a third allergy reaction nearly fatal (new court-case in November 2020), several injured, multiple warnings ignored etc. Seeking independent investigation into a staff suicide.
UPDATE:LAWSUIT filed against Pret in NYC for racism and discrimination (bottom of page).
Link (More reviews further below in this blog post)
A rare complaint from Hong Kong where most people put their heads down and continue under hard conditions:
Link to 2019 Tweet. An online conversion from HKD 45 to British Pound is roughly £4.65 an hour! And Pret didn’t even respond to the Tweet.
UPDATE: August 2021:
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A VERY common bullying incident from a Manager towards a Team Member. But this time it didn’t happen behind the facade in the kitchen, office or staff room, hidden away from customers, this time it happened in front of customers. The “ethical profile” of Pret is a facade the public still believes, because the bullying is usually happening behind the scenes, away from customers’ eyes. And then, when the Manager or Leader has finished bullying the staff member, the intimidated and humiliated Team Member then is send out to the shop floor, and expected to smile for Mystery Shopper bonus and fool customers with a fake happiness. And as many are from other countries, young, have children to feed or Uni tuition to pay, they feel stuck, too exhausted to find a new job and not knowing where to turn to.
And when the bullying is happening on the shop floor, shops are so noisy with loud music, shouting of staff to make and get coffee orders, talking, busyness. Customers are occupied on their phones or laptops, distracted with talking, eating etc. So, when it happens in the shop, people don’t even notice.
Even when I was bullied during bereavement under the watchful eye of HR, I NEVER told a customer or colleague. I was complimented by customers and received rewards from Mystery Shoppers for my service, smile, giving freebies etc. And after my shift at times I headed for the bridge and still don’t know how I survived. But none of my colleagues and customers knew my inner state and turmoil. I explain in detail in two consecutive YouTube slides about what weekly Mystery Shoppers test staff on.
Via this link: “Smile for the Misery Shopper“. There’s a reason I renamed it to “misery” shopper. Keep the slide playing for the next mystery shopper report where a staff got the £100 reward for love-bombing the mystery shopper, while everyone else didn’t get bonus due to missing food in the fridge.
This misery shopper scheme creates a host of mental health issues under Emotional Labour, that staff are forced to perform. What @Katecordon witnessed here and confronted Pret in below Tweet, is so familiar to me, and this would be a situation where I as a Team Leader then had to console the Team Member crying in the staff room and at times speak to the Manager. Only ONE time when I spoke to the Manager why they shouted at the TM, this Manager apologized to the TM. But this was only one Manager out of many who did not apologize and rather bullied me then as well for speaking out. But I didn’t care!
The Team Member in below customer Tweet made a very simple, innocent, normal mistake. No big deal. And by the way, the TM made that mistake because she was most likely NOT trained in the first place! The Manager must have stood nearby witnessing this mistake. To correct the mistake the TM then did give the 10% discount, but explained at the same time that she made a mistake and gave the 10% as a one-off. PERFECT customer service!!! In fact, a Mystery Shopper would have probably given the TM an “outstanding card”, meaning the extra £100 reward, or even £200 if the overall scores were perfect. Mystery Shoppers many times gave the reward, even when a mistake happened, but they rewarded the staff member due to how they handled the mistake.
The same is by law, when a price tag gives an old cheaper price even though the price has increased, the business is obligated to charge that old cheaper price, even if the till system is updated with the new expensive price. But this TM probably doesn’t know the law on this and did instinctively the right thing because she cares! The TM here did a perfect, correct and kind customer service, but was bullied by the Manager for making a simple mistake and then giving the 10% discount as a good will gesture, which is commendable! And this Manager is particularly offensive by talking down on the customer as well: “It’s company policy, love“. Very, very, very, very common bullying incident in Pret! Bullying and fear management by the book.
The reason this Manager makes a huge issue out of the 10% discount wrongly given as a student discount, is that Pret only does regular discounts in some places like malls or train stations (but not all malls or stations), where the other companies and train station staff within that station or mall get a 10% discount showing their staff badge. So, this Manager would have to do half a minute of paper work to explain for the financial file why the 10% was given in this Manchester airport, that doesn’t give student discounts. Managers hate to do little paper work issues like this as they want their financial records to look perfect. I got in trouble many times for doing it the proper way in recording mistakes, because Managers didn’t like mistakes in their financial files and rather stress staff to not make these mistakes. And at one time I’ve had enough and told one Manager that if a financial file is perfect without any mistakes, this would ring alarm bells with me if I was a financial auditor. But that’s another story. And honest mistakes that are effectively recorded can be traced back in the system and explained. Again, no big deal.
And also by the way, this Manager most likely continued the bullying later in the office, as bullying Pret managers and leaders can’t let go and continue later on, especially when caught out by customers and they “lost face” in front of the TM they just bullied. So, they try to “establish” authority and continue behind closed doors. I hope that young lady finds quick support! And if this Manager is disciplined by Pret, then only because he got caught by a customer who called him out publicly, like he did with his Team Member. If the TM alone would have complained to HR, nothing would have happened.
This shows as well in the very first review from the new LAX Pret shop that was opened in the summer 2019. I could not have put it into better words how this bullying environment thrives in Pret worldwide. I love American reviews, because they find amazing words!:
A little reality check and crash course of Pret’s “ethical” profile. What staff dare to say in anonymity, away from the fear management. Clive Schlee “retired” with quite a legacy!
Glassdoor scores on Pret and its leadership. I wrote a new blog post as well on > Pret’s new CEO Pano Christou, and Clive Schlee remaining in the background as a non-executive Director, while on his Twitter account he still presents himself as the CEO of Pret! (UPDATE: July 2020, Schlee’s Twitter account has also been deleted in July 2020). I explain in above blog why Pano Christou deleted his Twitter account. Clive Schlee let Pano Christou take over on Glassdoor already in July 2019, even though Schlee’s retirement was set for September 2019. This typical passing the buck downwards is to avoid further negative scoring. And yet, still not taking responsibility.
UPDATE: May 2024 – I believe due to the intense stress and a more “wild west” style change on the bottom line, staff at times lash out at customers as well. Pret have made a lot of cuts since the pandemic while the CEO gets millions in bonus, rising every year.
Just some updates, but I will not update any more as the posts are always too long.
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March 2024 Staff Review: “Every single shop had a bad vibe to it … if you don’t do well then everyone lost their bonus and would hate you for the week”
NOTE: Pret settled TWO lawsuits in NY having had to pay 4000 workers back after illegally having “shaved off” (rounded down) their pay. But in the UK no-one goes to court, even though the same problem of unpaid hours is systemic throughout the company, as I have experienced countless times myself. One review below shows the hopelessness on the feeling that staff can’t do anything about this.
And only after getting caught and a public outcry and boycotts for not wanting to pay 500 (!) young summer recruits. Do the math on how much money that is. And getting young folk in, who don’t know their rights and are brainwashed easier. Pret always tries and changes direction when caught and boycotted.
A little reminder that Clive Schlee pocketed £30 Million on bonus alone when JAB Holdings bought Pret! Link to article.
Daily Mail deleted, but Pressreader has all the reports.
UPDATE 2021/2022
The Guardian:
“Pret CEO handed near-£4m bonus in year staff pay was cut. Pano Christou also given 27% salary rise in 2021 as chain took more than £50m in government support.” Link (Please note, his bonus is now £5 million and counting, plus annual payrise).
Link to FULL review WORTH READING! One quote from above review on the hopelessness, compared to U.S. staff who filed class-action suit against Pret twice: “Sometimes it can be challenging maintaining a natural smile on my face for 8 hours straight. … Pret will do anything not to pay you. They will bend the law and the contract in any way they can,and there is nothing you can do about it (unless smile).”
Because the legal system is different here…no pro-bono lawyer likes to take this on as I’ve experienced, because when you win, the payout is so low, lawyers don’t want to pick this up for their 33% peanuts from a low reward in the UK legal system. Too much work for little reward.
Several reviews on Pret’s shiny London Head Office from current and former employees at the time of reviewing on Indeed and Glassdoor. Again, these are reviews on Pret’s HEAD OFFICE in Victoria, London where the CEO and other Senior Leadership also have their desks in the open plan offices where I saw them many times working on laptops etc.
Also, some reviews from office / corporates in New York.
Link“People don’t seem to get promoted unless you are a bully or belittle your team members. The place is toxic.“
Another one from January 2019
Link“… working really really long hours. No work life balance whatsoever”.
2017 review on HQ from an IT Analyst on Glassdoor:
Link“Manipulative and exploitative approach to employees as owners and senior management concerned about profit margin only. People are taken into account only if it makes a good PR. Genuinely fake and dishonest company.”
UPDATE 05. January 2020 NEW HQ review(customer service team) on homophobia, manipulative HR dealings etc.
Link“Pret has brought over many managers and leaders from the UK and ‘beheaded’ many of the US employees who built the brand…”
This is really upsetting, because I remember when I asked my managers over the years where such-an-such an OPs Manager or General Manager is, I often heard that they where sent to New York, as the American Managers can’t handle the work / can’t manage properly. I remember being confused about this, because I lived in Florida for almost 6 years and traveled to different cities over the years, visiting friends. I stayed 3 months on the West Coast, visited North Dakota, the East Coast, the deep South, often for several months. I have many American friends. Americans are one of THE hardest working people. They are inventive, passionate, disciplined, fun, helpful etc. I was confused, but then thought that I know how complex and micromanaging Pret is, so I didn’t think any more of it. But now I realize, reading all the American reviews that what I was told was bullcrap!
Reading the above review and all the other reviews from the U.S., the main thing the American reviews have in common is: favoritism and racism. And it’s really upsetting, because I know the American mentality vs. the British.
UPDATE: Feb. 2020 from Washington DC – Fired due to pregnancy!
Probational period is 3 months, so they quickly fired her and she can’t take it up in court.
Link I can verify that. I worked in over a dozen Pret shops over the years, and EVERY manager seems to take it personal when you move on. I only moved shop due to management. The reason was always management. They don’t look at you anymore, seem offended when you move on, and yet, they can’t give you a positive word while you work there and then wonder why you leave! And the language barrier is big. You do feel left out very quick when the majority are from a certain country, and you work with them for 8+ hours without understanding a word all day. You feel left out, not understanding their language. And this is not meant racist at all. It’s just a courtesy and inclusiveness to speak English.
Bullying from the top down: A review by a Team Leader who runs the kitchen and the shop! OPs (area manager) bullying the manager who cries in the office. This OPs sounds particularly nasty, and reminds me of an OPs that I had before my brother died and I was still strong holding out under this kind of “leadership”! It’s also a recent review from 03. October 2019 (this is Chicago, but this happens in other countries/cities as well):
Link“My typical work day consist of Ops Manager yelling and cursing at my manager. … Managers cry in their offices because of how stressed they are. … Managers are secretly looking for new jobs right now to get out of Pret.“
Link“This job should be reported to the department of labor”. Pret settled 2 lawsuits in New York, re-paying 4000 workers. In the UK hardly anyone sues because the legal system is different, low rewards that no lawyer wants to pick up. In the U.S. one reviewer on Indeed recently wrote that Pret is always getting sued.
Link“This company is everything that is wrong with the world. … Corporate hell on earth.”
Former General Manager 4 years after Bridgepoint purchased Pret:
Link Review from NY 2011, but this is throughout the company and still today, quote: “Management is very incompetent. It is clear they have little to know training and have absolutely no training or experience in employee relations or even customer relations for that matter. Every manager I have worked with – I have worked with 6 – will immediately try to belittle you. Not sure exactly why this is such a common practice among managers but it is an intrinsic behavior within the company itself. … Even though Pret A Manger emphasizes that they are a “people first” type of company, the reality of it is is that they are solely concerned with sales and view their employees as faceless and a dime a dozen. You’re not God. Take a continuing ed course in management, employee relations, and labor rights. This should be a requirement before even obtaining the position.“
I can only underline above (and ALL) reviews, and yet know that Pret does NOT care about labour rights etc.
As Pret read my blog, you will notice that Glassdoor and Indeed reviews have “improved”, but many of those 5 star reviews read like job ads. 😉
Also always check the voting, those also speak for itself. In case Pret recruit people to leave fake positive reviews, check the voting on those reviews. On Twitter I was told by a friend of the late Jeffrey Hyman, who founded Pret, that Pret recruited someone to keep deleting Hyman off the Wikipedia page on Pret. Pret and the two RE-co-founders Sinclair Beecham and Julian Metcalfe REFUSE to mention Hyman.
Beecham and Metcalfe want to appear as these ground-breaking entrepreneurs, while in reality they grew up with a golden spoon in their mouths, lots of cash and lots of high society, even royal connections. Why do you think Pret keep getting away with so many things, which would have gotten a small independent business shut down in a heartbeat!
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UPDATE: 25.11.2019
A new review from a Team Leader also with 10 years experience:
Link“A lot of people cry in the staff room especially in their entry period”
23. Oct. 2019 “I have work[ed] in different shops and they are all very similar, it is a toxic environment, Never in my life I have seen so many different coworkers cry in the job. Give more training to your managers, and hire better people, don’t allow them to abuse the staff, it is appalling.”
The next review from recently is a very typical scenario of abusive fear-management by Managers. Scaring low-wage workers that they’re “playing with lives” while the top Senior Leadership got away with TWO customer deaths, Clive Schlee sneaking out quietly, remaining in the background as a non-executive Director, while having ignored customer warnings (link to article), not acting until the deaths became public:
The following is THE MOST poignant former Pret staff review I have come across, and I have read them ALL!
»This job can annihilate every piece of humanity inside of you.
You will lose everything that makes you human.«
Link“I spend 6 months racing all day and barely spoke 3-5 words a day on my shifts if I’m not on till where you are required to have the widest fake smile on earth…”
UPDATE 2024 – The “yes” vote count is now 54.
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UPDATE:31.10.2019
A review by a (then) current General Manager that absolutely breaks my heart! One of many along the lines of no work-life balance, due to under-staffed shops and not paid for overtime.
Link“I am about to lose my family as I am never there. I leave to work at 4 am and get home 7 at night. My children looking at me like a I am a stranger. It’s not a life. … Bullying, long hours, shortage of staff, – it’s a proper Modern day slavery”
I think this is the most heart-breaking review I’ve ever seen by any staff member, let alone a Manager. I hope they find a way! I actually cried when I read this.
Another recent Manager review from Chicago tells a similar story, quote: “With the wrong management, the shops begin to break down and brings inner conflict. Pay could be better, especially for seasoned employees. Management gets overworked to save on labor costs. Don’t expect to see much of home as a manager.” Link
Another GM from London in August 2019:
Link A little side note, GMs go to quarterly meetings where the CEO and top leadership are present as well, so GMs know Senior Leaders more than the regular staff. Some GMs disapprove of the CEO – at the time it still was Clive Schlee. But I find it interesting that this GM has NO opinion of the CEO, as if this GM doesn’t care to even mention their like/dislike.
And another GM on Indeed from Glasgow, Scotland: “Amazing in the beginning – showered with benefits and entitlements and opportunities to advance. Terrible once you see how horribly mismanaged and micromanaged the company is. Zero care for human beings and nothing but boosting sales and company growth.“
A little reminder again that Clive Schlee pocketed £30 Million on bonus alone when JAB Holdings bought Pret!Link to article.
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UPDATE: 10. November 2019 Brand new Manager review on Indeed worth reading!
Link Quote: “Managers are forced to cheat on results and break standards just so that the area manager looks good on paper, though he stays at home most of the days whilst the shops collapse.”
Yes, but this has always been like this. OPs Managers sit in the pub at lunch time when shops are horrendously busy. OPs Managers fly out to Dubai, Paris or in the U.S. to Vegas, Orlando etc. as mentioned above, to party and blow the hard earned money the shops bring in. Many times I didn’t see my OPs Manager for at least THREE MONTHS at a time, and when they came in, they bossed us around and played scary fear management for a few minutes, before disappearing again for months! The only thing I saw regularly was EMAILS and pressuring us on numbers and Mystery Shopper results!
Quote: “Since 2018 there is so much pressure in getting the standards right however I’ve seen kitchens running on two people on night shifts and even one on day shift (where four people are required per shift) as area management does want figures to be right on paper- this could cause enormous issues if something went wrong i.e. allergens.”
Quote: “People are over stretched and tired since the pressure to achieve selection in stores is high but not enough labour in.“
Quote: “We as managers aim to make our teams happy and safe however the over stretching on labour just made us cover the gaps over and over not realising the biggest gap was within us unable to have a normal life or humanity due to the amount of hours being psychologically forced into work.”
Quote: “I have met great people and higher management in this company but there is an unacceptable level of fear cultureup here in Edinburgh, where people believe they won’t actually be okay if they quit their job if unhappy. It’s 2019 and if your employer raises you to be scared to develop elsewhere then it’s not a good employer.”
Nothing more to add!
And the gift that keeps on giving, a NEW MANAGER review on Glassdoor 16. Nov. 2019
Link“Those willing to step on others make it to the top. Talk the talk but actually don’t live by the values they preach.”
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This review is one of my absolute favourites, and brings some humour into all this!
Also, pay attention to the YES vs NO votes on all these reviews.
I could go on and on and on, and add countless more along those lines of above reviews, but my posts tend to get too long. I just post one more which is the shortest review I have come across. It doesn’t take many words to describe Pret A Manger. This is even from a Team Leader. Well, it’s simply Pret:
Above comments and articles are only a fraction of a long list of staff reviews and complaints. For an extensive, yet not exhaustive list please visit: Pret Staff Complaints (list needs to be updated, I stopped in August 2019) with a few collected in below slideshow.
Finally, some very wise words I came across once on Twitter, but I know Pret will not heed (they read my blog) because they are stuck in this profit-driven business and always find ways to sweet-talk their way out of responsibility:
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»It’s amazing to me how many business leaders separate their employees from their customers/patrons. Your employees are your core target audience to put word-of-mouth out about your organization.« — @minmilyjung on Twitter
Any employee reading this, especially in Pret and the service industry:
Join a Union and leave reviews on Glassdoor, Indeed and other employee review platforms.
The following Unions cover the food industry:
The BFAWU are the best informed about Pret and have helped Pret staff already. The President of BFAWU met up with me twice and also with a Pret staff who wasn’t even in a union, to assist. The BFAWU have been instrumental on the first ever McDonald’s strikes in the UK. Also another vital and very active Union that specialize in helping foreign workers is IWGB.
NOTE:When on Glassdoor, one has to register and be signed in to read reviews. Glassdoor has changed its selection of reviews. On Pret A Manger reviews, Glassdoor is now sieving out Managers and Leaders reviews on the front page. To see ALL the recent reviews on Glassdoor, click where it says “Popular” and select “Most recent” or “Lowest Rating” AND Clear All “Full-time, Part-time”. Also, Glassdoor demands logins now, where you can only see ONE review without being registered and logged in. The reason why the amount of reviews change from 683 to 697 may be that Glassdoor withholds some reviews. But I’m not sure how that works. On Indeed at the Location feature, scroll up to select “All” and it will automatically list all cities/countries in chronological order starting with the newest.
Indeed now even started handpicking reviews as “the most useful review selected by Indeed”, which shows that these review sites are not neutral, as they only select the positive ones, no matter how “rotten” the company may be or how many experienced staff have voted their agreement with the (negative) review:
DEFAULT view:
Click on Sort: “Most recent” and “Clear All”
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather starve and speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review: 1. “Late Night Girl’s” Story with Pret and 2. Pushing Back Against Pret and was mentioned by the BBC. Thank you for reading/listening.
Please also see my MEDIA page for the press articles I influenced.
Anytime it comes to money grabs, certain buzz words are used to fool people out of their hard-earned money, while a handful of people are at executive levels in those charities making a sh!tload of money. In 2023 a regular charity fundraiser (begging for money all day) working only 3 days a week makes between £30,000 – £33K a year, while the charity work is mainly done by unpaid volunteers under the “giving back to the community” or the volunteer “opportunity” sweet-talk. What opportunity? Working for free? It has become normalised to have free and cheap labour.
I have worked part-time in a non-profit and volunteered for many years after work in charities. I don’t do unpaid work anymore.
“Charity” (love).
“Trust / Trusts” etc.
Charity these days is big business. And trusts are a “slippery, very complicated and devious mechanism” as explained in the brilliant documentary “The Real Story behind Britain’s Offshore Tax Scandals“. I highly recommend watching this documentary.
I wrote an “open letter” to the Pret Foundation Trust a few years ago after I saw one of Pret’s typical PR stunts, using a vulnerable person who is a member of a mental health club in Brixton.
When I became bereaved and Pret not wasting any time to try and get rid of me (please see links at the very bottom), I and later even an OPs (area) manager asked Pret to place me under someone from the Pret Foundation Trust. I have that request in writing.
Pret never responded.
So far to helping vulnerable people in/into work. Charity, trusts for tax breaks and brownie points with the public while trying to get rid of long-time staff.
It’s also noticeable that where the Pret Foundation has accounts on social media, the engagement is very low. Very few followers, not much engagement. And the engagement as in “likes” and comments that happen, especially on Facebook, comes from current and former Pret HQ staff, because I know many of them and their roles.
Not long ago I wrote a post regarding wage theft and pay delays in Pret under the “payroll error” excuse. I also listed other issues where Pret skim customers and staff alike, like since the pandemic placing donation devices directly next to payment devices whee customers in the rush and noise accidentally donate £5 tapping the wrong device.
Pret also stated to place tip devices claiming that 100% of the tips go to staff. Sorry, but Pret never allowed us to get tips and in the USA stores Pret changed the tip boxes to charity boxes after 2008.
I visited NYC in 2008 and 2013. In 2008 Pret stores still had tip boxes. In 2013 the boxes were changed to charity boxes.
My list of how Pret take from customers and staff, incl. allegedly deleting bonuses and cash rewards from mystery shoppers to staff: “Theft and Lies at Pret“.
Bur regarding trusts and tax havens, the German program Panorama did a short report in 2019 about the secretive Reimann family, Germany’s 2. richest family who via JAB Holdings run Pret and other companies in tax haven Luxembourg.
JAB have also entered the pet insurance market and are aggressively buying out veterinarian practices t the detriment of pet safety and pet owners finances.
The good news is that US Senator Elizabeth Warren is coming after JAB.
Here the excellent short German report about the Reimann Family / JAB Holdings and tax haven Luxembourg on YouTube (English translation below):
And a text transcript into English of the German report which can be found as PDF file here.
If you understand German and watch the above report or listen to / read the English translation, the millions of pounds bonus scheme for CEOs, while taking from employees makes sense from THEIR perspective. It’s an internal investment and the report explains very well how this works.
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And speaking of Clive Schlee, he has been made CEO again after having “retired” from Pret in 2019. But this time in itsu starting in November 2024. Schlee owns half of itsu anyway. Clive Schlee now CEO of itsu.
Support small local independent businesses, and where-ever you work, join a union.
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
I am a bereaved sibling who has been lost for 10 years looking for support.
I was sent the news of my brother’s death via an ice-cold email that read like a “to-do” list without ANY support during and after it. I went on an emailing spree ever since in the middle of investigating what the fnck happened!
Then I was bullied during traumatic bereavement in and by Pret A Manger, which reached to the top executive level (please see links at the very bottom). I and an OPs (area) manager even asked Pret if I could be supported by someone at the Pret Foundation Trust that supposedly help former homeless people and ex-prisoners into work (for PR and tax- breaks). Pret never responded. Pret hand-pick a few former homeless people and ex-prisoners, showcase them in protected social media posts to the public, but you never hear from any of them externally, individually.
Weeks after I received the news of my brother’s death and cremation, I asked for help immediately via my GP and got “therapy” within two months. Thank you NHS. But it was a trainee therapist while I needed trauma therapy. I went from trainee to trainee to charity to online bereavement groups to face-to-face meeting groups via Meetup.com to anger-management “therapy” to continuing to work at Pret to flying back and forth to care for my parents to continue to seek help to walking the streets of London for years to seeking help again ………….. while everyone constantly wanted something from me or dropping me like a hot potato, as we say in Germany!
I witnessed traumatic issues in hospital and rehab after my dad had a stroke and came out of a 3-week coma.
If you can at all PLEASE do NOT put any elderly or disabled person into nursing/care home!
They say “it takes a village to raise a child”, it also takes a village to care for the elderly and vulnerable! Do NOT place any elderly and/or vulnerable person into any institution, no matter how “charitable” they sound. Most institutions, even more and more prisons are run privately under private equity for the sole purpose of profit. I had no choice and had no means to care for my parents each individually! And I apologize to them every single day!
Pret fired me because I wouldn’t take their “hush-money”. I couldn’t bury my mum during the 2. lockdown in Germany while both the UK and Germany amongst other countries were locked down and the then UK Prime Sinister threw parties in Downing Street, breaking the laws he decreed upon us.
All of this, the loss of my brother especially, then how Pret treated me, losing friends early etc. has me in a fight-or-flight mode still. I was diagnosed with PTSD and still there is no adequate trauma therapy.
Recently I went on a four hour walk for bereaved parents and siblings with a large group of about 40 parents that a bereavement charity put on. I was the only sibling. I had many lovely and heartbreaking conversations with parents. I listened to everyone and everyone listened to me. After the walk where there was no “closing” as in how to get care if we struggle, I went home and fell into a black hole again.
After the walk, before I went home, some of us met in a nearby pub where we finished the walk. The facilitator who does this walk since 7 years couldn’t be bothered though to give me information on any sibling support. It took me two times enquiring if there is “anything else” that this charity is doing.
The first time I specifically “lamented” that for 10 years I can’t find any sibling support. The facilitator/bereaved father did not mention anything for siblings. Only after I made a general enquiry if there is “anything” else the charity is doing as a general event, did he mention ONE event for siblings. The CEO of the charity (why is there always a CEO who needs to get paid a high wage in a “charity”?) later responded and gave me a substantial list for siblings and found the excuse that the facilitator was doing the walk for hours and might have been tired.
Excuse me, but if you do a walk since 7 years you should know the information for siblings and maybe “break-up” the group to smaller groups of no more than 8-10 people. It seemed more like “I do a large group since years and we’re growing”. I’m sorry, but I’m not interested in ego and how large a group is, and for how long they’re doing this! Less is more and I still couldn’t find support as a sibling until the CEO sent a list when I mentioned my “grief” with the walk!
I went to on-and-offline bereavement groups which in the first years was with widows. Now, it’s with bereaved parents.
I talked with everyone and listened to their heartbreaking stories of the loss of their child or children, I dared not ask how the siblings are coping!
LOOK AFTER YOUR OTHER CHILDREN!
They are the ones who have to bury you after they themselves are running on empty without any support from you or anyone else! If they live far away, there’s a reason for that dear parent(s)! Should you have lost contact, there’s a reason!
I am tired of hearing people say, “I’m glad my mum/dad is gone!” I’m tired of hearing this!
Every mother and/or father who has children, has at least 1 child. Most parents have 2-3 children. Every set of parents who has 2 or more children and loses a child has 2 or 3+ other children.
There are 2 parents, at times 2 or more step parents, but for the sake of blood relatives, I take 2 parents and 2 or more surviving children.
I don’t have research or facts, but if my maths work out right, there are MORE siblings grieving than parents.
YOU CHOSE to have children! Your surviving children didn’t ask you to conceive them! And they also didn’t ask to suffer the loss of a sibling or siblings! And they didn’t ask to have to carry their parent(s) for years and years!
Siblings, especially when they lose a brother and/or sister in adulthood KNOW each other in ways and depths that you never will! I never told my parents, even after my brother died, how he set small packets of firecrackers inside a bridge that he, I and friends climbed into to run across from one side to the other side inside the bridge. My brother set these crackers for the echoing sound effects inside the bridge. It was an Autobahn bridge with high speed traffic above, while we teenagers ran across inside the bridge. We could have gotten in trouble for the safety issues. I never told my parents the sh!t we did for fun or the trouble any of us got into. Our sibling bond is different to yours. And WE suffer in ways you will never understand!
Your selfish grief, BECAUSE a parent is not supposed to out-live a child, is a fncking burden on your long suffering surviving child(ren). Your surviving child(ren) is too scared and selfless to tell you this! So, I do! And you wallow in your entitled grief while your other child(ren) suffers to the point they want to die as well.
I still wake up sometimes after 10 years in grieve and wish someone would bring me some food. My fridge empty again because I have no strength to go shopping, let alone cook. Lost my friends early on and everyone calling me “strong”. Well, I’m not! I’m fed up!
We siblings will NEVER know how it is to give birth to and then lose that child, unless we suffer this unspeakable loss ourselves. But equally, you parents will never know the depths of us siblings’ grief and how deeply we knew our sibling(s). You will never know the depths of our knowledge of our sibling(s). And don’t you dare sneak up on us to find out while not caring for us surviving children.
Maybe for ONCE, only ONCE, you dear parent(s) can take the phone and call your other child(ren) and WITHOUT ANY selfish notion ASK them how they are, if they need anything, without any hidden agenda.
Maybe once a year? Do you even remember what your surviving child’s birthday is? Do you remember their name?
I can guarantee that they WILL say they’re fine, because they worry about you, because you pasted all your grief for years and years across your family and claimed the sole right to grieve.
I received a request via another group I visited from a psychology student who was looking for participants of bereaved siblings. I couldn’t participate because I didn’t fit in one criteria that I needed to be in therapy while being interviewed.
The study is called “The Forgotten Ones”.
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I was told by a grieving mum during the 4-hour walk, after I introduced myself with having lost my brother and parents in a short succession of years, that losing parents is expected but not losing a child. Well, fnck you grieving mum, I couldn’t bury my mum, and every human being, no matter how old they are deserve every second of life! And a sibling is not supposed to carry the urn of a brother to his premature grave either!
I didn’t know for 5 weeks that my brother died and 5 days before I learnt via a horrific email that they cremated him! He was lying dead in his apartment for appoximately 6 days, could have been 5 or 7 days. The coroner estimated about 6 days. The neighbours smelled a horrible odor and called the landlord and police to break open the door.
They had to push my brother’s corpse away from the door to get in. He had 3 cats that survived while he was dead on the floor. He had one cat that got pregnant when slipping outside, he gave some kittens away but kept two who grew up with their mum cat. My brother was very tidy and clean, but the police said the cats ransacked the apartment. I’m sure animals undestand death. Two cats were captured, the third cat escaped out the door. The neighbours said they try to lure it back in by placing food outside the doorstep, but even while taking the food, it never comes in anymore.
On the day I received this horror email a “friend” said to me that I need to bestrong for my mum. That was before I flew over to Germany the next morning to bring my mum the news in person. I don’t want to hear anymore how strong I am! And I don’t want to be a “forgotten one” anymore with so many other lost siblings.
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Call your other child(ren) and WITHOUT any selfish motive get them whatever support they need or want. And be PATIENT when they say they’re alright! They may not be!
I’m sorry for my harsh words, but I’ve had enough.
In memory of my big brother.
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An Urn is an even Smaller Domain
An Urn is an even smaller Domain Not able to contain A Heart once beating A Life so beaten down to diminished Pain
A Rock is a restricted Lot Yet better than a Stone A Poor Man’s Plot Forgotten not, and yet it stands alone
To Him who at His cumbrous Door Bestowed His final Breath Circumstances know we not Nor Estimated Death.
A Coffin — is a small Domain, Yet able to contain A Citizen of Paradise In it diminished Plane.
A Grave — is a restricted Breadth — Yet ampler than the Sun — And all the Seas He populates And Lands He looks upon
To Him who on its small Repose Bestows a single Friend — Circumference without Relief — Or Estimate — or End —
— Emily Dickinson
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
At around 4:40am this morning 01. October 2024 a fire was set at a Pret store in Glasgow.
Quote: “Police confirmed the fire was deliberately started at the chain’s city centre premises in the early hours of this morning. The area remains cordoned off by officers.”
I write extensively about Pret and expose their TRUE face after what I survived, but I am against any form of violence, fire, vandalism of or towards Pret.
According to reports, the fire was set before 5am. Many, if not most Pret stores have staff come in at 5am to start work before they open at 6am or later.
Whoever did this did not want to hurt anyone. Although most shops have flats above, someone could have seriously get hurt or killed. Whoever did this must be deeply disturbed, angry, hurt and didn’t think properly, like instead of going to court, writing a blog like I do, or reaching out to the press etc. It’s just my thought.
DON’T SET FIRE TO ANYTHING!!!
But Pret also have piled up a lot of “enemies” in general, many customers feel cheated out, staff feel betrayed, the over-a-year long bullying of pro-Hamas demonstrators until Pret bowed out of plans to open in Israel. And now Israel supporters boycott Pret. Not to mention the multiple customer deaths and injuries Pret ignored until it got public which still has many people completely turn their backs on Pret etc. etc. etc.
74% of customers on Trustpilot (1&2 star reviews combined as in October 2024) disapprove of Pret on a variety of issues, many having sworn to never set foot inside Pret again.
It’s disgusting that someone would set fire to anyone’s store, home, building, property. But sadly I’m not surprised how the former “love” for Pret has turned into a lot of emotional turmoil for customers and staff alike. Or it’s just plain “random” evil, randomly choosing a shop to set on fire. Evil it is anyway. There is never a reason to set fire to anything!
Just my thoughts.
UPDATE a few hours after posting the above:
Someone on Facebook said that a branch of the Nank of Scotland a few doors down from Pet was also set on fire. But no mention by the press. This is a typical press report using Pret as clickbait. I have read the silliest reports where journlists put Pret A Manger in the title but the aticle had nothing to do with Pret. Good old clickbait. Neve gets tired I guess.
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
This time for itsu, which he already partially owns. With itsu founder Julian Metcalfe’s angry “foot-in-mouth” disease, and Metcalfe’s former business partner, Pret RE-co-founder Sinclair Beecham back in Pret, it seems like Metcalfe needs a sweet-talker in itsu. And who better to sweet-talk staff, the public and the press than Clive Schlee.
And it makes sense why Schlee doesn’t want to feature on Glassdoor as CEO with the legacy he left behind at Pret before he “retired” from Pret in September 2019.
Pardon me upfront for spoiling it again and bringing another side to the PR story we’re always presented with. For new readers, I take you behind the scenes of Pret and peel off the PR sweet-talk of Pret as well as itsu and its executive teams.
Clive Schlee, a CEO who snuck out of Pret and is snuck back into being CEO via itsu.
But say, who is Jason Cotta whom Clive Schlee “replaces”?
Interesting how this piece of news is announced on a Friday, enough time for journalists to draft a report for the massive Sunday papers when many business leaders are off. 😉
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Julian Metcalfe and Clive Schlee
When I confronted Julian Metcalfe, itsu founder and Pret A Manger RE-co-founder on Twitter regarding itsu staff reviews on him, he was also placed as CEO on Glassdoor, NOT a Jason Cotta, and now NOT Clive Schlee.
I put some of Metcalfe’s tweets on my blog and video platforms before he deleted everything incl. his Twitter account back in 2021.
But who is Jason Cotta? And why are journalists not digging deeper? Laziness? Lack of interest? Kissing boots of rich business men?
AFTER my “encounter” with Metcalfe on Twitter, all the negative reviews where he personally was mentioned by staff disappeared. They only exist on the screenshots I took. See YouTube slide here below of Metcalfe’s deleted tweets and Twitter account. Please note, my handle used to be @LateNightGirlMe after Clive Schlee patronised me in my traumatic grief, emailing everyone:
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One of his Tweets I didn’t include in above slide is where he claimed his staff “begged” him to stay on zero hour contacts! What a clown! Imagine that already low paid workers wanting “flexibility” as if they had the money to be off work. If staff have the luxury to have flexible time in their lives, they’d not be working in sh!t places like itsu, Pret, McDonald’s… in the first place! Never have I been held for such an idiot like this. And keep in mind Clive Schlee is involved with itsu since its early days and since decades Clive used to own half of the company, but since Bridgepoint’s take-over now owns 10%. He’s AS MUCH involved as his entitled buddy Metcalfe.
Bridgepoint bought Pret in 2008 and sold to the 2. richest family in Germany in 2018, the secretive Reimann family with an extensive Nazi-slavery past. The Reimanns run Pret and a host of other companies (including aggressively buying out veterinarian practices and pet insurance companies) via tax haven Luxembourg. And as Schlee already has experience with Bridgepoint at Pret between 2008-2018, it’s a no-brainer Bridgepoint runs itsu and further sucks the lifeblood out of staff and customers. Private Equity for you.
But back to Metcalfe, after only 2 days on Twitter, Metcalfe closed his account! Didn’t have a leg to stand on! He retweeted the wrong person’s posts! So much to being media savvy! Does itsu not have a PR department holding the reins tighter on Metcalfe?
In hindsight, this had Kamala Harris – Donald Trump debate vibes! I couldn’t believe he kept re-tweeting me! I even remember thinking “keep talking Julian, keep talking” while busy grabbing screen shots! 😀
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Clive Schlee, who “retired” in 2019 owns part of itsu, becoming itsu’s CEO is a test or provocation on how the British public takes more bullshit from these entitled people.
I write extensively about how Schlee patronised me during traumatic bereavement: Clive Schlee’s Legacy.
My exposé on net-worth £215 million itsu founder and Pret RE-co-founder Julian Metcalfe, his friendship with Clive Schlee, his love for zero hour contracts and robots, his connection to the Royal family, a questionable connection (Jeffrey Epstein), what staff say about him, why some Asian people don’t like him and how I chased him off Twitter, now X.
Sinclair Beecham, the other RE-co-founder of Pret is also now back in Pret after current CEO Pano Christou with his over 20 years in Pret has his head in the sand regarding customer complaints, high staff turnover, £700 million debt and other issues. (£800,000 fine after ignoring safety issues yet again, and another staff got trapped in a freezer for close to 3 hours fighting for her life.)
Now the happy family of Pret and itsu goes as follows:
Metcalfe / Schlee (itsu)
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Beecham / Christou (Pret)
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Little update February 2025:
Julian Metcalfe again trying to throw Pret under the bus by comparing his SUSHI business to Pret’s SANDWICH business, claiming he will overtake Pret by size. In a recent Telegraph article, Metcalfe continues to talk nonsense. There seems to be resentment towards Pret, or is it jealousy? Regret? Regret to have sold Pret and “retrieved” to itsu with Schlee?
Quote from part of the article with the old-fashioned five-year plan:
»The founder of Pret A Manger believes his Asian-inspired food business Itsu will soon be bigger than the ubiquitous sandwich chain, as he bets on appetite from health-conscious consumers and international growth. … “In five years, we’ll definitely be much, much bigger than Pret A Manger because we’ll have a really fast-growing relationship with customers and no one else can supply the sort of food that we do.”«
Metcalfe’s nonsense is discreetly shut down, quote:
»Yet most analysts viewed Metcalfe’s ambition to take on Pret as overly optimistic, given the strong presence of the sandwich shop in cities across the UK. “Comparing Itsu to Pret A Manger feels a bit of a red herring,” said Clive Black, head of research at Shore Capital. “It would require quite an enormous organic store opening programme or an acquisition of a significant number of stores, or a collapse of Pret sales.”«
Two things:
Pret are NOT an organic food company. Pret claim to do organic coffee, but not food. Pret were even banned in 2018 by the Advertising Standards Authority from claiming their food is natural. And I even question Pret’s claim of organic coffee as their coffee is so cheap; Pret stopped doing fair-trade beans also around 2018; and their coffee has a bad reputation since years and ongoing. Apart from that, the term “organic” can now be more loosely used as they relaxed the rules and if one part of an ingredient is organic, but not the other part, companies STILL present the whole product as “organic”. Pret’s BIGGEST profit margin is coffee. HOW can the sheer amount of coffee Pret sell be “organic” while so cheap for Pret? 😉
Why is Metcalfe not taking on Wasabi or any other Asian inspired chain? It’s like Mercedes Benz wanting to compete with a Red Bull cross motor bike racing brand. Again, from having observed Metcalfe’s public comments, as well as his reputation with staff, this sounds like a man who regrets having sold Pret out completely and is forced to watch Pret’s growth from afar. He can’t get a grip of this and pretends he can overtake Pret. and some business experts aren’t having it.
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Bridgepoint (now owns itsu / formerly owned Pret between 2008-2018).
JAB Holdings / Reimann family currently own Pret since 2018.
It’s not Pret “versus” itsu, but Pret “and” itsu back in the fight to fool the public. They’re one big family out for more money and Schlee trying to get his fuzzy spot back with the press and the public.
They hope that grass has grown over their neglect for customer safety and staff exploitation. I keep mowing.
Clive Schlee former CEO of Pret ignored customer deaths and injuries before it got public, together with Pano Christou who was UK Managing Director then, and is now CEO of Pret.
Schlee had a podcast appearance earlier in 2024 with two Austrian guys, one of which used to work at Pret (Bauer). Schlee has a main residence in Austria where he also used to have executive meetings and takes people on a hike, while his main staff suffered in London and around other countries.
In this podcast interview Schlee was asked typical business questions like how a CEO deals with challenge, crisis etc. He started with what the most challenging issue was with itsu and then with Pret.
In the podcast Schlee’s biggest set-back in itsu was the 2. shop he and Metcalfe opened. In Pret his biggest challenge was the 2008 financial crisis, NOT the customer deaths and injuries. In fact, the customer fatalities and injuries are not mentioned even once!
Not one time does Schlee acknowledge the deaths of 2 customers and multiple injuries of people, some who landed in hospital from unlabelled allergens. Schlee did the usual sweet-talk and even distanced himself from responsibility, saying that decisions are “democratic”. It’s his typical way to pass the buck to others.
For new readers to my blog, please familiarise yourself with Pret’s extremely strict and micromanaging mystery shopper scheme, forcing staff to portray a happiness or they get penalised.
Clive Schlee here in the podcast is talking his typical La La Land sweet-talk, in delusion or plain denial how staff suffer.
I write about Pret’s mystery shopper scheme, which since around 2016-ish is done via HGEM which are also mystery shopper providers for itsu. HGEM blocked me on Twitter after I posted to them how much I suffered, to the point of suicide, under Pret’s abusive and humiliating mystery shopper scheme. So far to a company that provides a service to make people “happy”.
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Please see The Dangers of Emotional Labour on Pret’s mystery shopper scheme. There’s a reason why I renamed it as “misery” shopper.
In case the above podcast link gets deleted, I uploaded it. It’s 35+ minutes, if it shows 0:00, just click play:
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Repeat: Schlee’s podcast interview and NOT ONE mention on customer fatalities and injuries!
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We’re witnessing the biggest piss-take in the history of Pret A Manger
Schlee, who got the Pret CEO gig from Metcalfe … and mentored (diaper changed) current Pret CEO Pano Christou …
will either try to throw Christou under the bus OR for old time’s sake MERGE itsu with Pret. You’ve read it here first!
Hey! Why hasn’t that happened before? But from observing Pret and itsu, with Metcalfe having thrown Pret under the bus recently, I guess they like to stay at arms length, still supporting each other.
Metcalfe is a more ruthless boss, while Schlee is more timid and fools his way through the business world with sweet-talk and a touchy-touchy approach. Sinclair Beecham rolls up his sleeves, being back in Pret, already having pumped money into Pret during the pandemic. Pano Christou, who learnt from Schlee is busy portraying himself as this great CEO in the press.
Pret, with the money-power of JAB Holdings bought EAT, with EAT’s former CEO Andrew Walker (former Pret UK Managing Director) “resigning” after his “visit” to Schlee’s Austrian residence. Ooops! Tell us more Mr. Schlee.
The biggest set-back for Schlee in regards to itsu was when he and Metcalfe opened the second itsu shop and ran into massive financial challenges.
Here is where Clive Fretwell comes in, whom Schlee of course doesn’t mention in the podcast interview. Fretwell won a Tribunal case against Metcalfe and Schlee, and was rewarded an undisclosed sum.
Quote from below article:
»Clive Fretwell, who had worked for 14 years at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, told a Woburn employment tribunal he had been recruited in 1988 to help develop a chain of Itsu restaurants.
He said the intention had been to give him a 2.5% founding stake in the business and an additional 10% in two years, with the possibility of “big money” if it were sold.
When a second restaurant, which opened two years later, failed to live up to expectations, Fretwell claimed he became aware that Metcalfe and itsu co-director Clive Schlee were trying to get rid of him.
He said he was told last July that the company could not afford his salary, and he was dismissed in August.
This Caterer link has now turned into registration/log in only. But it can also be found via other news putlets like The Evening Standard etc. Just a simply Google search will show several sites.
So, “retired” Clive Schlee is back on the fast-food scene. How does the press, and more importantly, how do customers deal with it?
Clive Schlee for sure can’t let Pano Christou take all the applause together with Sinclair Beecham. Are Metcalfe and Schlee trying to puff their chests out to shout to the public that THEY are still relevant?
For sure, all these four entitled prats are one big happy family, squeezing the heck out of low-wage staff and continue to rip off customers. I named Clive Schlee the Ronald McDonald Clown of Pret for his role as Pret CEO being the smiley facade to the public while staff were/are exploited and patronised.
Itsu will now get its own clown. Pardon for being so blunt, but after how Schlee called me his “late night girl” when I became traumatically ill with emailing. And then weeks later gave the green light for HR to fire me after I declined Pret’s “hush money”, not signing a NDA, and days after my dad came out of a three-week coma. Not to mention how he and Pano ignored customer deaths and injuries before it got public, he deserves the clown title. And that is even too mild!
I have a feeling that after Metcalfe threw Pret under the bus in the press earlier in 2024 while his former business partner Sinclair Beecham being back in Pret trying to fix the £700 million debt in Pret and the aggressive expansion, as tasked by the Reimanns, Metcalfe places Schlee as CEO into itsu as an internal competition to Beecham/Christou?
Just a thought.
Also, worth noting that itsu continues to have product recalls due to either mislabelling or wrong ingredients in their food, as well as customer reviews of “foul” fish, chicken etc.
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And an updated review early Feb. 2025:
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For more, please see Trustpilot most recent reviews along those lines.
And 73% of customers on Trustpilot (1&2 star reviews combined as of Feb. 2025) disapprove of Pret on a variety of issues, many having sworn to never set foot inside Pret again. Hence, Sinclair Beecham was called back to fix the mess while Pano Christou is busy telling the media what a “rags to riches” star he is.
And as a little side note, when customers rave about “happy” staff, they still don’t know about Pret’s micromanaging mystery shopper scheme, forcing staff to smile or not get bonus. I put links to articles about this on Pret’s Emotional Labour practices.
And as I link customers to Trustpilot, there seem to be an organised effort by die-hard Pret fans and/or Pret themselves to boost up Pret’s ratings now. 😉
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Today is the 27.09.2024 and let’s see when/if Clive Schlee will be placed on Glassdoor. Unless Metcalfe remains there to take the credit, and Schlee is still “traumatised” from his review score on Glassdoor.
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Little side note: Metcalfe recently got his drivers license suspended for 6 months for using his mobile phone while driving.
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Customers and the Press may forget, but exploited Staff never forget
Clive Schlee certainly left Pret with a “legacy” and then placed Christou on Glassdoor two months before Schlee “retired”. See the date on the top right, 30 June 2019. In July 2019 Pano Christou was placed on Glassdoor even though Schlee “retired” from Pret in September 2019. A customer pointed out the bad scoring of Schlee when Schlee was still on Twitter.
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This comment to Pret and Clive is fom 01. July 2019 when the announcement was made that Schlee would retire in September 2019. It took less than two weeks and Pano Christou was quickly put on Glassdoor as CEO. 😀
Schlee also remained as CEO on Twitter until July 2020. Couldn’t let go. And Pano Christou deleted his Twitter account in July 2019 when Schlee’s “retirement” was announced. Christou is on LinkedIn where people in the business world tell him all day long how great he is.
Clive Schlee 30 June 2019
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Pano Christou 12 July 2019
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And what shop managers, HQ staff, even OPs (area) manager say about Pret incl. Pano Chtistou: Pret CEO Reputation with Staff←
Not to mention Clive Schlee’s ranking as Pret CEO (2014) having been towards the bottom in comparison with other company CEOs:
And the challenge by animal rights activists to Clive Schlee, who’s on the Board of Directors for Dairy Farm Group, one of the largest retail companies in Asia, regarding chicken welfare:
Let’s not forget, or let’s learn who started Pret. And let’s continue the conversation in how Pret / Metcalfe / Beecham / Schlee / Christou REFUSE to mention and honour him.
A friend of the late Jeffrey Hyman who tweeted a remembrance on Hyman’s anniversary of his death, told me on Twitter that Pret employed someone to keep changing the Wikipedia entry on Pret to delete any mention of Hyman. The person got banned eventually.
Screenshot of my conversation with Hyman’s friend:
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Do your own research on any company or organisation when they sound too good to be true. And always check your food!
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etc. etc. etc.
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Again, who is Jason Cotta whom Clive Schlee “replaces”? Isn’t Schlee replacing Metcalfe? Or who was the CEO of itsu? Metcalfe certainly must have gotten the negative reviews on him deleted off Glassdoor to “build” a faux legacy KNOWING how I at least collect screenshots after I chased him off Twitter / X.
Who is Jason Cotta? Upon doing just a few minutes of digging online, Jason Cotta seems to fill in spots in various companies. He seems to jump from company to company, as a filler? He’s not named as itsu’s CEO as far as I can find.
And as a reminder or something new for those who don’t follow Pret issues, Clive Schlee several times quoted his wife who said that, quote: “any damn fool can run Pret“. Well, the fool’s back.
I changed Pret’s logo to reflect the reality. Please note, that since 2018 Pret are banned from claiming their food is “natural”. But even the “freshly made” slogan is a lie. What could itsu be changed into to reflect reality?
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Most people try to gaslight me that all the stuff I’ve been through since 2015 is no big deal. A recent comment on social media below at the end. Thank you for acknowledging. It means a lot to me.
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And a last little side note, Pret have the Pret Foundation Trust where they supposedly help former homeless people and ex-prisoners into work. I and an OPs manager asked Pret if I can be placed under someone from the Pret Foundation due to my traumatic loss, the bullying in Pret, despite me having worked 7 years very successfully when my brother died. I have that request in writing.
Pret never responded.
Their Pret Foundation is just a smoke screen to hide how they really treat staff and for PR. I encourage people to do some research into Trusts. Those are not only perfect for tax breaks, but Trusts are not scrutinised like businesses are. I really recommend watching this little part from a documentary about offshore tax havens. And then it will also ring bells why Pret since the pandemic have placed donation devices very close next to payment devices. Customers then accidentally in a rush tap the donation device, unwillingly donate £5 and then being prompted again to pay and tap the payment device. Katchink!
And Pret make it hard to get a refund as the refund is issued by the company (GoodBox) who collects the donations on Pret’s behalf. And Pret know how customers most likely are embarrassed to request a refund from “charity”. Never trust a Trust and a billion-pound heavy company that have Trusts under the “charity” umbrella!
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And many more complaints like this. And low and behold, it’s “proving very popular with Pret customers” with Pret having had a 122% increase in donations! When I worked at Pret, the donation boxes where 99% filled with pennies and 5p coins max. VERY rarely was there £1 and £2 coins or bank notes. So yes, a £5 donation by default via machines … katchink!
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The money grab is everywhere. And Pret’s current owners, the 2. richest family in Germany, the secretive Reimann family run Pret, Krispy Kreme, Panera and a host of other companies via JAB Holdings in tax haven Luxembourg. JAB also aggressively buy out veterinarian practices and entered the pet insurance market, all to the detriment of pet health and pet owners’ pockets. The good news is, that US Senator Elizabeth Warren is coming after JAB.
Check who owns your vet and support small independent businesses who would get shut down with ONE customer fatality.
And I wish that itsu gets a blogger exposing them like Pret has with my blog. But I fear, I will remain the only one after Andrej Stopa and another former staff’s Facebook “I hate Pret” page.
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
Yes, I believe this year’s DNC organisers have glanced at and taken inspiration from an annual event in Europe.
You can tell that Kamala Harris, with the generous selflessness of Joe Biden, has not just raised a gazillion dollars in no time, but she mobilized Hollywood and the music industry!
When the assassination attempt on Trump happened, I predicted in my blog post that neither Biden nor Trump will be president. It’s safe to say that after especially last night’s DNC (20.08.2024) Trump is shaking in his boots or maybe is using the toilet for its intended purpose this time!
I am watching the full DNC 2024 this week where ever I can find the 6+ hours re-run.
Last night (20.08.2024) in Chicago was a clear sign how the music industry, artists, Hollywood has pumped into this convention.
I can see the influence of Eurovision. For American readers, Eurovision is the biggest annual music event in the world where European countries (but also Israel and now Australia) compete in song. Eurovision started in the 1950s, and in those days most countries sang in their own language. It has become quite “kitschy” with a lot of gimmicks and somewhat political, but it’s a fun even that brings nations together. ABBA and Celine Dion for example had their breakthrough due to their Eurovision wins. It’s a massive career starter for many.
It has become months-long event now, where before it was just one night. Now it’s spread out to several weeks and has become more commercialized. But as usual in the finals every participating country VOTES on who will win the contest. They also now added a vote by the jury. It used to be only the public voting.
But each country cannot vote for its own country. So, as I am in the UK, I could not vote for the UK artist/song. But as I’m German and while in the UK, I can vote for Germany, muhahahaa … 😀
Every country then has a representative (often some famous national celebrity or TV personality) who calls in to give the final vote in numbers on how the public of that country called in their votes. it’s a point system with 12 being the highest vote a country gives to another country. Which-ever country wins with most votes overall will be the Eurovision host the following year.
In 2022 Ukraine won, and I believe it was more political than anything. But the next Eurovision song contest of 2023 was then held in the UK instead of Ukraine for obvious reasons of the ongoing war.
I was tempted to call the Eurovision vote as by the “United States of Europe (USE)” but some countries who participate are not in the EU like Switzerland, as well as Israel’s and Australia’s part, but you get the gist. The way each US State voted last night with number, I don’t yet understand, but when I watched this, I thought of Eurovision.
Whoever pulled off last night’s DNC event in such a short time, must be someone who took the idea from the Eurovision voting system. And the fundraiser shows the quality of how they put it all together. They nailed it!!! (Although the “DJ” didn’t seem to be deejaying live, but it wasn’t about one super-star musician or DJ). But this even just from an artistic point of view was a game changer in how they will do political conventions from now on!
Example of Eurovision voting:
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Last night’s State by State voting for Kamala Harris:
They could have not done this better (except have a LIVE DJ)!
It’s WORTH watching the whole thing of this “Alphabetical Role Call” State by State! I fast forward to the spot when this starts! Love it!
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And this convention has changed all conventions from now on! This convention, and particularly this 20th August evening has set the tone for all the conventions to come. No matter which political party is putting on a convention.
And they did it very poignant, the theme: For the People. And the way Kamala came out in a surprising way, even her husband seemed surprised, and last night THE PEOPLE speaking with ONE voice, not any one particular super star, but the people!
I lived in the States when Bush junior was president. I didn’t understand politics then, but I surely wish I was there now. The atmosphere must be electric! Well done. Donate some toilet paper to Mr Orange Man!
Also, France recently voted against the right; the UK recently voted against the corrupt Tory party; the USA is following. You made the curve.
Congrats to your new president Kamala Harris and vice president Tim Walz! This will be a LANDSLIDE win!
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
Pret have now announced to be trialling body cameras in six shops for team leaders. If they roll it out company-wide after the trial I doubt, for reasons I explain below. One reason they might not roll it out to all shops is the cost. Pret have lowered the quality of many products changing them to cheaper ingredients as Pret are aggressively expanding while being £700 million in debt. For American readers, that’s a steep climb up towards $1 Billion. But also, body cam then requires logging the daily use of it which takes extra time of an already understaffed / high staff turn over company.
The Guardian and other press reports give the reason as in attacks and crime having risen. But while there are always issues in shops with aggressive customers or theft, knowing Pret and how little they care about staff (and customers!), this is NOT the reason.
Not only have Pret ignored TWO customer deaths and multiple injuries, ONLY slowly acting when this became public, but they also ignore safety issues with staff leading to a £800,000 fine last year after another staff got trapped in the same walk-in freezer with a faulty door, this time for over 2 hours fighting for her life. And she is still blamed for it. Pret knew about the faulty door for 18 months!!! The shop raised this issue for 18 months, and as usual, Pret did nothing. Only heavy fines and press reports will kick their butts.
After 40 years in business only now do Pret employ an outside company to prevent such horror incident again. I would always laugh or shake my head when people on social media praised Pret for being “trail blazers” on issues, not realising how they are the complete opposite!
Pret are trail blazers in hurting customers and staff alike, and neglecting safety, NOT in preventing death and injuries. The mislabelling of food continues and Pret at times even sell mouldy food.
And now, they trial body cams, but NOT because of increased theft or individual attacks, nopes. Theft and aggression has always been the case. During the coffee subscription especially, customers became aggressive as waiting times in the queue increased and the mix-up of coffees under extremely over-stretched working conditions. The only thing Pret did was to put signs into shops about “being kind” to staff bla bla bla.
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But no security. No body cams! Just “be kind” bla bla.
Having seen it myself, the article mentions that Tesco have also given their staff body cams. BUT, Tesco have security in EVERY store, even the small Tesco Express stores! The body cams are mainly to gather evidence.
Pret have some security in hot spots like Victoria or Brixton stores WHEN shop managers press Pret about it! But any other shop it’s the Wild West for staff. A manager once told me that security is too expensive for shops and that shops are footed the bill.
Instead of taking quick action, Pret always first “trial” things. the same when customers died and gotten injured despite previous warnings to label the food, Pret did NOTHING until the fatalities became public, and then only trialling first on how the labelling works.
Now with the body cams in six shops for team leaders, this is NOT due to rising attacks in society, this is due to all the pro-Hamas demonstrations where demonstrators stormed Pret stores across the country for 1.5 YEARS!
Around January 2023 pro-Palestine, and I call them pro-Hamas supporters, started demonstrating and calling for Pret boycotts when they learnt of Pret’s plans to open shops in Israel as Pret are tasked by their owners to double in size by 2026.
I call them pro-Hamas because there is no concern from them towards Syrian refugees and victims, or Ukraine and other global conflicts. Not to mention completely ignoring how Hamas has “butchered” Israelis and went on a big propaganda campaign, as well as using Palestinians as human shields while Egypt and surrounding countries REFUSE to take in Palestinian refugees.
People demonstrated outside of Pret stores and also went inside with megaphones calling for boycotts. A big online campaign under the hashtag #PretAPartheid started and people relentlessly literally bullied Pret online and off. Not that I care that Pret get bullied, just saying!
Please do your own research on the PretAPartheid campaign, as I don’t want to turn my posts into books all the time.
When Israel was attacked on October 7th 2023 by Hamas, and Israel started to retaliate, coming after Hamas, the calls for boycotting Pret and entering stores intensified. At some point demonstrators even emptied entire fridge shelves off food and claimed they’d be giving it to poor people (see video below).
Here are just few of the many pictures and below some videos of the relentless bullying of demonstrators at and inside of Pret shops which now led sleepy Pret to provide “some” body cams to “some” staff (team leaders) in “some” shops as a trial! Pret yet again only acting after extreme, intensive, almost 2 years of relentless attacks by mobs.
And these pictures are from January and February 2023! The videos are from 2023 and 2024. One-and-a-half years of storming Pret stores before Pret even considers lifting a finger for the safety of staff and customers! And then only now responding with body cams for evidence gathering, despite shops being littered with CCTV cameras, but still no security.
I always say to people that if you want to demonstrate against Pret, whether I agree with your cause or not, do NOT go to the shops and harass the low-wage staff who have nothing to do with anything, go to HEAD OFFICE! Go to the HEART of the company!
So, what do Pret do after ONE-AND-A-HALF YEARS of this bullying campaign towards poor Pret workers? Pret do NOT get security in, because this costs too much, no, they slap cameras on team leaders who are the REAL managers in shops getting the blame and bearing the brunt of issues while the manager sits in the office, hiding from the front line. Having said that, managers are also exploited by Pret, but at least they have the “freedom” to hide in the office or at home while the team leader is the one in the trenches.
And needless to say, Pret now as of June 2024 pulled out of plans to open in Israel, giving the reason as being the war, but the real reason is thousands upon thousands of people having boycotted Pret for over a year. Some of many videos.
For some reason WordPress stretches the videos vertically and I don’t know how to fix this. But I put the links underneath to the videos.
Little but important side note to customers and staff: You can do a data request under GDPR to request video footage when you are filmed. You have 30 days from the day you were filmed to request the footage! Pret might try to avoid having to give out footage with all kinds of excuses, but do your research on the laws including the time frame for requests!
Even police have to 1. inform you when they switch the body cam on and 2. you can request the footage under GDPR.
Pret might try to convince you that there is no video of you, as you can only request video where YOU or anyone that you are a legal guardian for, have been filmed or photographed. So, do in-depth research on the laws, so you have confidence when dealing with Pret’s bullsh!t.
This also includes body cam and photos/videos taken from a mobile phone or any other recording device. If a staff member uses their own private phone DURING their shift (which they’re not allowed to by the way), it should be classed as footage on behalf of the company.
If a private person films or photographs you in public, there’s nothing you can do about it, only in public with police and/or companies using video can you request the footage, but not from a private person taking photos in public. Private persons are not bound to GDPR, but the police, ambulance, companies etc. are. Anyone who is a “data handler” on behalf of the government or companies has to warn you that they film and have to give out the footage upon request. Know your rights!
I chased a cop away in what auditors call the “walk of shame” after he tried to intimidate me because I was observing a traffic stop without even filming at first. He rushed towards me trying to intimidate me. Once I pulled my phone/camera out and confronted him, he dashed off!
Video of this:
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So, know your rights!
From the GOV site quote, “You have the right to request CCTV footage of yourself. You need to make a request to the owner of the CCTV system. You can do this either in writing or verbally.”From Gov.uk
ALWAYS do such requests in WRITING! Email is enough. If Pret doesn’t comply, get the ICO involved. Companies get fined high sums all the time for disregarding GDPR requests.
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BEFORE Hamas attacked Israel:
Starting in January and February 2023. Some videos that I bookmarked from Twitter and Facebook etc. have now been deleted. So, I quickly saved some. But there is more.
This one is from Reuters. But the reason is not the war, the demonstrators bullied Pret relentlessly.
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The mighty McDonald’s and numerous other corporations boycotted by pro-Hamas crowds have filed losses in the millions each, even billions. In comparison to McDonald’s, Pret is a tiny company.
And Pret being £700 million in debt, now having brought back RE-co-founder Sinclair Beecham to help fix the mess, while CEO Pano Christou with his 20+ years in Pret is busy presenting himself in the media as this great CEO. Pret now bowed to boycott pressure and just slap a camera on a team leader and that was that. Back to business as usual. Until the next casualty and the camera footage just covering Pret’s asses.
Support small independent businesses and get yourself an espresso machine for the office and/or home.
UPDATE September 2024:
Pret pay £3 million after having pulled out.
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How about Pret pay the Ednan-Laperouse and Marsh families for the deaths of their loved ones, and the multiple people who got injued in Pret. And how is that court case for comensation going to the woman who almost died in a freezer Pret was fined £800,000 for by Westminster Council in 2023?
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
I’m not a believer or Bible person anymore (thank god!), but I DO understand the lack of care from “friends”.
I don’t believe in Jesus, god etc. anymore, I only believe in a great literally story.
It took me YEARS to understand the “Jesus-Complex”.
Jesus went to the cross to get punished for something he hasn’t done, because the authors of such story UNDERSTOOD co-dependency. So, they crucified him. Jesus was disappointed that his “friends” aka disciples fell asleep and couldn’t even stay up for ONE hour before he was to suffer horror-torture and die.
For me, it happened the other way around.
It was AFTER my trauma that “friends” couldn’t stay around for an hour. One Christian friend said after I asked for someone to please come just for an hour, she said “I have to spend time with god”, meaning she has to go to church as it was Sunday.
After that conversation I realised, “Leave the donkey in the cistern on the sabbath”.
»Then he [Jesus] asked them, “If one of you has a child or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?”« Luke 14:5
Nopes. Not gonna happen, UNLESS you are rich or in any way of use for “friends”.
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Now, Pano Christou, who’s busy presenting himself as a big shot CEO, while Sinclair Beecham returned to fix the mess YET again, Pret are £700 million in debt.
Pret having learnt from my blog, the staff reviews are “improving”. 😉
I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
I heard a program on radio recently about euthanasia in Holland which is legal. Switzerland and some other places have similar laws. An older couple in Holland was interviewed who were days away from dying together. They were sick, but nothing out of the ordinary for older people. One was sicker than the other, but they wanted to die together.
They had one son who tried everything he could to persuade them to NOT end their lives. The couple sounded normal, spoke completely sane and rational. They just wanted to die together while they still had the conscious choice. I have to be honest that I felt how selfish they were! Their son was devastated, trying to convince them that life has still so much to offer, but the parents didn’t care it seemed.
I don’t believe in euthanasia, and yet it’s a very complex issue, and I cannot judge people who want to die in a “safe” place. The discussion in countries like the UK, where it’s illegal to die when the physical or mental pain is unbearable is, how far would it go? Would people with depression just want to opt for euthanasia, and this would become too easy as an option? I think to myself that if you want to kill yourself, do that on your own WITHOUT involving friends, strangers or family. Just go. And yet, life AND death ALWAYS involves others. I can’t bury myself. It’s too complex a subject.
I don’t want to go into detail of my own “suicidal journey”, and I wouldn’t know HOW to end my life to not burden anyone or create a massive “mess”. But I know what I wouldn’t want, and it is not to involve others. What has a train driver or truck driver done to be traumatised for life if I was to throw myself in front of their vehicle. But I can’t judge people who do. The state of mind in deep distress or even under the influence leaves you out of control.
I’ve lost everything, didn’t know for 5 weeks that my brother was dead AND 5 days before finding out that they cremated him. I tried everything to help my dad in his last years/months/days, whatever he had left and had to legally fight against his sister who stole from him WHILE he was in a coma. As soon as my dad came out of a three-week coma, Pret ordered me back to London to fire me. I couldn’t bury my mum during 2. lockdown … I don’t know it any other way now.
Friends abandoned me very early on, making everything more complex and hopeless. No, I don’t harbour bitterness against them, but I neither need to have understanding nor ever re-connect, unless they deeply understand what this has added to my devastations. More and more I’ve lost my main online channels, YouTube, social media accounts, some projects I poured my heart and years into. NONE of those I benefited from financially, it was just pure passion. Social media accounts get shut down, which now happens more when people, who are p!ssed off with my grief, pain, my drunken emails, or even opinions etc. gather others to report me to get me shut down. It doesn’t matter.
People who get annoyed with my trauma while not having been there in the first place can do wahtever they want if that floats their boat.
I survived a lot of things, one which is systemic workplace bullying at Pret A Manger which many either don’t understand, or don’t take serious. Even therapists just want to talk to me and tell me how interesting it is to talk with me. How about I get some help without people just wanting to draw from my psyche?
Many people, not all, just want something. They either want a story (journalists), or a deep chat (friends), or whatever (men will be men) … completely ignoring MY humongous loss and trauma. I sometimes feel that friends are mad with me for not being this strong person anymore that I used to be. How dare I become vulnerable.
I guess I then pushed everyone away to DESERVE to be dropped.
Occasionally someone, somewhere gets it. A complete stranger leaving a comment on social media on a post I published, just out of the blue.
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I’m not a post hardcore / heavy metal person, but I love La Dispute, the boys next door, who look like they drink milk before bedtime, but kick ass with prose and tunes and a punch about how life can throw such hard curve balls.
I saw them a few times in London and their vibe and care for their fans is next to nothing.
I will put the lyrics of one of my fave songs of them here in full. I don’t know if I got better or if I never quite recovered from it … I want to at least have THAT decision to myself.
My brother died, we didn’t know, and then they cremated him.
My Mum died during 2. lockdown, I couldn’t bury her.
Pret A Manger had nothing better to do then to target me to get rid of me as soon as I became bereaved, no matter how good I did my work. All while claiming to care and do “charity” (for tax breaks and PR).
All of you want to reach out to everyone of you, but NOT because of them, but because of you. Whatever you think you want from me, I cannot give. I want to be left alone if all people want is whatever they need.
And ALL of you who are 40/50/60/70+ and still have siblings, even older siblings and both parents, a job, any food you can choose, someone to bury you, and you STILL want something from me while I am ready to fncking go!
I lost my huge YouTube channel which was partly my fault, but it was a one-off mistake they didn’t forgive me for, but also they didn’t make any money from my content. Huge channel as in from 2007 – 2022 with over 1000 live videos. I started one again which got locked after I posted that it’s a replacement of the suspended account. I just wanted to be transparent.
I never did a channel for clicks, it was just to catalogue all the gigs I went to and dediacte some space for my brother and then my family when everyone just died. I reached out to YouTube, apologized, but they just had a laugh and linked to my suspended channel to ask if that’s the channel I meant, rubbing it in that my channel is gone or maybe hidden? And then they kept ignoring.
The power-tripping and mocking of faceless, nameless people who get a little bit of “power” on a platform that became too big a corporate giant, and how they enjoy to power it over people who are vulnerable or admit to mistakes … No wonder no-one apologizes anymore for fear to get ridiculed.
I miss the simple early YouTube days where a 3 minute video upload took 45 minutes, but you were FREE! No censorship, no copyright strike, because in reality you helped many artists get their music out and show their early gigs. YouTube even had an internal emailing system. I was contacted via private message within YouTube once by the father of an artist (Lady Lamb The Beekeeper) I took videos of two or three of her London concerts over the years. He thanked me for capturing the gigs in London as he and his daughter are from the States. Unfortunately I never expected for YouTube to stop the internal private messaging system, or I would have copied it over to email or a document.
Or other artists leaving nice comments on the videos of their gigs, or getting a “press pass” to an artist’s tour to film etc. etc.
I learnt to not have all the eggs in one basket.
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Too many people these days claim PTSD, ADHD, Autism etc. but very few have a formal diagnosis. My question is NOT if you’ve ever suffered, because we all have and we all will. My question is, did you get better, and if so is it because you had a lot of support?
Apart from being an amazing poet/writer and story teller who doesn’t pull back from hard subjects, I find it spot on how La Dispute’s singer Jordan Dryer describes the possibility of the heart “shrinking” after tragedy. With PTSD and my own quest to understand why I don’t have the desire to travel or even go to concerts anymore except for very very few gems of artists, my world has shrunk. I don’t see possibility anymore. I hardly leave my home. Compared to before everything happened, I don’t like to go to anything even close-by, except in few exceptions.
My world has shrunk and has become a very small place. If I ever recover, I don’t know. And don’t make it too easy on yourself please to give me advice or steps to follow or 0800 numbers to call. Without support, especially when you lost your tribe (family, friends …) you will shrink and it’s a feat on its own to trust again. And that’s what life is anyway. We all will shrink away.
My video at the bottom.
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“Have you ever suffered? If so, did you get better or have you never quite recovered from it? Did you find your lover laying in your bedroom with another and then. Did you let it hover over you and everything else well after the fact?
Show me all your bruises. I know everybody wears them. They broadcast the pain-how you hurt, how you reacted. Did cancer take your child? Did your father have a heart attack? Have you had a moment forced the whole heart to grow or retract?
Or just shrink. Does the heart shrink?
Tell me everything. Tell me everything you know.
Were you told as a child how cruel the whole world can be? Did anybody ever tell you that? Tell me what your purpose is? Who it was that put you here and why? Did anybody really put you here at all? And what of those necessities? Like how to cope with tragedy and pain? Did anybody ever show you how? When it hits will my heart burst or break or grow strong? Is there really only one way to know now?
I’m not sure if I’m ready yet to find out the hard way How strong I am. What I’m made of. I’m not sure I am ready yet to walk through the fire. I’m not sure I can handle it. Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking One day there will be no heart at all? And how long does it take? Am I better off just bursting or breaking? Because I don’t see my heart getting strong.
Tell your stories to me. Show your bruises. Let’s see what humanity is capable of handling.
She lost her kid, only seven, to cancer. She answered with faith in her god and carried on, While he was attacked by his son and was stabbed in his stomach and his back and his arms. He showed me scars. 82 years old, told me, “I still have my daughter and my wife. And I still have my life and my son.”
Tell me what your worst fears are. I bet they look a lot like mine. Tell me what you think about when you can’t fall asleep at night. Tell me that you’re struggling. Tell me that you’re scared. No, Tell me that you’re terrified of life. Tell me that it’s difficult to not think of death sometimes. Tell me how you lost. Tell me how he left. Tell me how she left. Tell me how you lost everything that you had. Tell me that it ain’t ever coming back. Tell me about God. Tell me about love. Tell me that it’s all of the above. Say you think of everything in fear. I bet you’re not the only one who does.
Everyone in the world comes at some point to suffering. I wonder when I will. I wonder. Everyone is out searching for someone or something. I wonder what I’ll find. I wonder.
Everyone in the world comes at some point to suffering. I wonder when I will. I wonder. Everyone is out searching for someone or something. I wonder what I’ll find. I wonder.
I wonder what I’ll find, I wonder.
I wonder what I’ll find…”
– La Dispute / Jordan Dryer
I live and die on my own.
London 2023, Koko:
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
“So now tell me how your story goes. Have you ever suffered? If so, did you get better or have you never quite recovered from it? Did you find your lover laying in your bedroom with another and then, did you let it hover over you and everything else well after the fact?
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Show me all your bruises. I know everybody wears them. They broadcast the pain–how you hurt, how you reacted. Did cancer take your child? Did your father have a heart attack? Have you had a moment forced the whole heart to grow or retract?
Or just shrink. Does the heart shrink?
Tell me everything. Tell me everything you know
Were you told as a child how cruel the whole world can be? Did anybody ever tell you that? Tell me what your purpose is? Who it was that put you here and why? Did anybody really put you here at all? And what of those necessities? Like how to cope with tragedy and pain? Did anybody ever show you how? When it hits will my heart burst or break or grow strong? Is there really only one way to know now?
I’m not sure if I’m ready yet to find out the hard way How strong I am. What I’m made of I’m not sure if I’m ready yet to walk through the fire I’m not sure I can handle it Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking One day there will be no heart at all? And how long does it take? Am I better off just bursting or breaking? I don’t see my heart getting strong
Tell your stories to me. Show your bruises Let’s see what humanity is capable of handling
She lost her kid, only seven, to cancer. She answered with faith in her god and carried on, While he was attacked by his son and was stabbed in his stomach and his back and his arms. He showed me scars. 82 years old, told me, “I still have my daughter and my wife. And I still have my life and my son.”
Tell me what your worst fears are. I bet they look a lot like mine Tell me what you think about when you can’t fall asleep at night Tell me that you’re struggling. Tell me that you’re scared. No, Tell me that you’re terrified of life Tell me that it’s difficult to not think of death sometimes Tell me how you lost. Tell me how he left. Tell me how she left Tell me how you lost everything that you had Tell me that it ain’t ever coming back Tell me about God. Tell me about love Tell me that it’s all of the above Say you think of everything in fear I bet you’re not the only one does
Everyone in the world comes at some point to suffering I wonder when I will. I wonder Everyone is out searching for someone or something I wonder what I’ll find. I wonder”
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Dear Mrs [My Name],
unfortunately I have sad news to bring.
Mr. [Name of my Brother] was found dead in his apartment in [Name of City] on 15.12.2014
From the paperwork, no next of kin could be determined, therefore I was appointed to act as beneficiary of the estate of your brother.
The copy of the appointment is attached.
Your brother was cremated on orders by [Name of City], the burial is still open. You and your mother can decide where the urn will be buried.
Unfortunately I also have to inform you that the estate is over-indebted, therefore you have to cover the funeral expenses of the urn (the cremation etc.). Furthermore, it would be advised to reject the inheritance.
Please inform me of your and your mother’s address.
For contact in regards to the funeral, the details are [Name, address and email of the morgue].
[Name of Coward tasked by German Police]
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Or does Beecham act as the “secret” CEO of Pret? And how customers have lowered their own standards and expectations, just to get cheaper or “free” products.
Audio version on my podcast. (Please note that the audio is not updated like the below text is).
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IMPORTANT UPDATE 20.07.2024 at the very bottom of this page. Customers UNABLE to cancel the subscription, just like people were not able in 2020 / 2021 and onwards.
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UPDATE 16.08.2024
Pret YET AGAIN are swindling customers by saying they NEED to download the app in order to pay the take-away price when taking away. Customers are now charged the EAT-IN price, even when taking out unless they download the app. I am VERY sure this is illegal. Typical Pret. Review on Trustpilot:
Why I believe that scrapping the “free” drinks subscription deal (nothing is ever free, I know) will save Pret!
Pret have recently brought back RE-co-founder Sinclair Beecham, who already pumped money into Pret during the pandemic, to help fix the mess. The mess that is £700 million debt, ongoing neglect with safety, quality, hygiene and pest issues, bad press, high staff turn-over, poor customer reviews to name just the most pressing issues. All that while aggressively expanding worldwide to double in size by 2026 as tasked by owners JAB Holdings / Reimann family.
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Customer reviews statistic as of mid July 2024
As Pret are in the news again, this time for scrapping the “free” drinks from their subscription, and the press, together with customers, are throwing a fit, some predict Pret to fail. But I think this will SAVE Pret! I explain below. “Pretman” aka Sinclair Beecham has come out of the phone booth, ready with his cape.
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Little side-note, knowing Pret’s carelessness, I do wonder if NOW Pret warn their social media team in advance when they’re about to p!ss customers off! Social media exploding again with customers fuming, as the Guardian called it.
And I love the humour and satire of customers as always.
And speaking of nice coffee, I have to update my “Pret Coffee Sucks” slide as complaints continue, including bad coffee in the new Pret shops in India:
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While current CEO Pano Christou with over 20 years in Pret has his head in the sand about customer complaints and bad press, RE-co-founder Sinclair Beecham just having been brought back to Pret, re-starts with radical change. Pano Christou has been on a media tour since the pandemic, presenting himself as this great CEO with a rags-to-riches story while exploiting staff. He kept ignoring customer complaints on a variety of issues and remained silent on bad press reports.
When he was still on Twitter (he deleted his account in July 2019 after I pointed him out to the press) he blocked me while former CEO Clive Schlee and Pret didn’t block. Christou then went to LinkedIn where people tell him all day long how great he is.
Fast forward to 2024 and the reputation of Pret is in the basement from all the various scandals and the TRUE face of Pret being revealed over and over again.
Now after a board shake-up, bringing back Sinclair Beecham while his buddy, the other RE-co-founder Julian Metcalfe threw Pret under the bus recently in the press (see the links below for detail), Beecham starts radical!
Pret now scrapped the 5-drinks-per day on a £30 a month fee with 20% off food and made it quite complicated. But customers who can do the maths alright say it’s the worst deal and many announced to cancel the sub (as they always announce when Pret change the sub and app).
One guy on TikTok, going by the name naimking, did the maths and presents alternatives, even confirming that Caffè Nero’s products are much better than Pret’s. I also worked at Nero before Pret and find Nero’s coffee much better by miles, but despite that I don’t go to Nero as I support small independent businesses. But Nero do a DOUBLE shot by default for the similar price of a Pret coffee, while Pret do one shot. And there’s no such a thing as a “double” espresso or “extra” shot in Pret as Pret play with words as usual.
The alternatives:
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Why do I think that changing the sub will save Pret instead of ruining them, no matter how people throw a fit at first? I am writing since May 2018 on Pret, even before the customer deaths became public which I also didn’t know about. I have observed issues in Pret, boycotts, bad press, reduced customer satisfaction over the years.
Since Pret introduced the subscription in September 2020, there have been many issues where Pret tried to change the subscription but kept going back and forth as customers threatened to cancel the sub (see “How Pret Make Profit…” article below).
I worked in Pret and know how micromanaging, chaotic and wasteful they are. One of Pret’s big problems is that they try to spread themselves to thin, trying to cater to ALL people. But this then backfires as staff are burnt out, customers unhappy, unsafe food practices continue etc.
The press increasingly smashed the subscription (see “Bad Press for Bad Pret” article below) with the Telegraph recently going on an anti-Pret reporting spree for about 2+ weeks. Just one of many media reports, this one from 2022 was one of the first to sound the alarm on the subscription (more reports below in “Bad Press for Bad Pret”).
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The above press reports are just the tip of the iceberg. For more, please see:
Pret having announced to bring back the 99p filter coffee is yet another lie again. Filter isn;t available in many shops and Pret raised prices to £1.60 and more at times. Customers again flock to Instagram where Pret are more active (Pret haven’t posted any new/original post on Twitter/X since 2023) and say that half the shops don’t sell filter, and if they do they charge £1.30 if people bring their own cup.
And since Pret turn many shops into franchises, where franchise owners have more freedom to set their own pricing, customers get more and more confused. Pret fully keep shops in airporst and other travel hubs where the most money is but turn many landside shops into franchsies to save money. Pret need cash for their aggressive expansion plans to double in size by 2026 as instructed by their owners. Recently on Twitter / X:
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In a nutshell regarding the subscription changes in September, the subscription has destroyed customer service, quality of products. Shops are in a mess with burnt-out and rude staff, pest issues, increased food poisoning reports, dirty stores, ripped furniture … and the list goes on.
Little by little customers got slow-cooked like frogs and got accustomed to the poor quality, smaller portion sizes, bad coffee, poor quality food (mouldy food included), rude staff due to burn-out etc. etc.
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These customer complaints on mouldy food and hygiene / pest issues are also just the tip of the iceberg. For more, please see:
So now, when Pret change the subscription while Leon start to offer a £25 monthly subscription modelled after Pret, customers flip out and call for Pret’s downfall. They got used to the longer waiting time, poorer quality, rude staff … and WANT to continue their cheap coffees.
Sinclair Beecham is helping Pret to raise their standards, while CEO Pano Christou shows NO initiative or innovation because he wants to please the owners in Germany via their in tax haven Luxembourg based company JAB Holdings.
It must be frustrating for Sinclair Beecham as well as Julian Metcalfe who together RE-founded Pret after Jeffrey Hyman started Pret in 1983 but it quickly failed, to watch Pret burn to the ground. Julian Metcalfe threw Pret under the bus via the press recently, and I can’t help thinking that he and his buddy former Pret CEO Clive Schlee are p!ssed off in what Pret has turned into.
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And regarding Julian Metcalfe, I wrote a little piece on his family line and his questionable connections. I also link there how I chased him off Twitter after he came on for 2 days to rant about lockdowns and kept retweeting my posts. He also has complaints on the itsu app and a lot of complaints of people having food poisoning dirty itsu shops as well as ongoing product recalls due to mislabelling.
Here just two recent reviews on food poisoning. One review where half the family got sick from various itsu products. Keep in mind that itsu mainly do sushi (raw fish) and rice. Two high risk foods.
Also know or remember that former Pret CEO Clive Schlee owns half of itsu. The mishandling of food continues in Pret as well as itsu. They’re all on big happy family. Clive Schlee got the CEO gig from Julian Metcalfe all these years ago. Current Pret CEO Pano Christou was Schlee’s right-hand-man for years as UK Managing Director.
BOTH Schlee and Christou ignored TWO customer deaths and multiple injuries before it got public. So, Pret were already very bad in handling issues, and Christou learnt from Schlee. Not to mention how Clive Schlee patronised me and how he allowed a bullying and blaming culture. But in good times before the pandemic, Pret were able to fool the public and had lots of money to throw around (except for staff!).
Natasha Ednan-Laperouse’s mother in disbelief over Pret’s inaction:
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Pret also didn’t do anything after the 2. customer, Celia Marsh, died a year later. In times of crisis or lack, the TRUE core of a person or organisation is tested and comes to the forefront. The fact that the perceived “healthy” Pret A Manger hooked up with junk food giant McDonald’s in the late 1990s early 2000s should have raised red flags already on how Pret REALLY are.
And CEO Pano Christou having come from McDonald’s where he was a store manager, having had a head start in Pret as an assistant manager, is coming full circle turning Pret into a McDonald’s type low quality brand.
Clive Schlee was a better “bullsh!tter” than Christou is. I always compare Schlee to the Ronald McDonald Clown. Schlee’s tactic was to sweet-talk, smile and be charming to the public to distract from issues and appear as an ethical and caring company, while Christou is more insecure. And from knowing him during his UK Managing Director days, he was never innovative or brought something new to the table. He was just the shadow of Schlee and learnt all the bullsh!t. But it simply doesn’t cut anymore.
Now, since the pandemic and Pano Christou’s take-over, Pret are a disaster! But I am not surprised about it as I know Pret from having worked there and survived their “lovingly handmade” antics. And I am glad that I started to expose Pret in May 2018 when NO-ONE knew how bad Pret really are behind the happy facade, except journalist Timothy Noah.
Now, 6 years later customers on social media often say things like “I know it’s bad, but I like Pret’s cinnamon swirl …” or semi-apologise for going to Pret because Pret’s reputation compared to 6 years ago has taken a massive nose-dive. My writings have certainly contributed to that after what Pret put me through! And I’m proud of that.
But Sinclair Beecham now is helping RESTORE the quality and reputation of Pret because staff won’t have to do millions of low quality drinks and drop like flies from the sheer work load. This will improve customer service, food and drink quality as well as hygiene and pest issues, high staff turnover will get better etc. etc.
To me, knowing Pret and how they work, Beecham is like the secret CEO of Pret now while Pano Christou is the face of Pret. To save face, JAB / Pret won’t fire Christou, but got in RE-founder Beecham to fix the mess as the secret CEO. Unlike Clive Schlee who served as the Ronald McDonald smiley face of Pret, Pano Christou seemed to have been sent to the naughty corner behind the scenes to let Beecham fix the Pretanic from sinking.
And this also reminds me of how FINALLY former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak brought back former Britain “CEO” David Cameron.
I really love how Metcalfe threw Pret under the bus recently while Beecham gets to work. That’s a BIG give-away right there on the internal conflict between these executives as well as who really cares about the company. And don’t get me started on Metcalfe!
If Pret were to continue the 5-drinks-per-day plus 20% off food for £30 a months deal, the mayhem and reputation would get even worse, especially since staff simply cannot look after customers and each other. The £800,000 fine last year after another staff got trapped inside a walk-in freezer, this time for over 2 hours might have slapped Pret in the face to STOP exploiting and exhausting staff!
A civil claim is still ongoing for compensation for the staff member who got trapped in the freezer. There will be further news on this in the near future, unless they prolong the case or settle.
But changing the deal will help stop the volume of coffee making by exhausted and demoralized staff, which in turn will help staff to better look after the business and themselves.
As Leon now has the same deal of £25 subscription, watch their service and quality deteriorate if they do the deal for a few years.
For press reports, complaints and how Pret make profit from the subscription, please see the following links:
Links to further Pret issues and scandals incl. £800,000 fine after staff trapped in freezer, £700 million debt etc. etc.
Support small independent businesses, and on work-related issues, join a union!
This tweet remains my all-time favourite comment on Pret:
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UPDATE 20.07.2024
After Pret announced drastic changes to the subscription, customers YET AGAIN are hindered from canceling the subscription. Only 2 examples of many. Also, see the YouTube slide below with complaints from 2020 / 2021 of the same issues and Money Saving Expert reporting on it. Contact TRADING STANDARDS!
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
… and/or get injured, and he goes out as a “Schlitzohr”. Literally!
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UPDATE 21.07.2024: Half of my below prediction has come true today when Joe Biden pulled out and endorsed his VP Kamala Harris. Fingers crossed she’ll be nominated and chooses the right VP. Not only could she be the first woman to become president, but if a woman beats Trump to the top ticket, and then a woman of colour and Asian descent, imagine that! Grab him by the ballot!
The Democrats need to come together now and stop having someone being on a power trip. A divided house will not stand, they need to now pull together.
I watched the debate between Biden and Trump. and to be honest I don’t get where Biden was bad. Sure, he’s stiff in his movements, he still has a stutter that he had since childhood. But his answers were fast, full, clear. Even a seasoned journalist, Lawrence O’Donnell, felt the same that hicking up a debate has nothing to do with being capable or not to run the country. I even think that since the debate was the Biden side’s idea, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone on the Democratic side talked Biden into it, and everyone suddely started to gaslight Biden after the debate to step down.
And Biden calling Zelensky, Putin and Harris, Trump were just plain mistakes. Trump has misspoken countless times and you can clearly see when he reads off a tele-prompter versus when he spews his own venom off-script. Not to mention M. Taylor-Green calling the Nazi German Gestapo, “Gazpacho” (Spanish soup) and other nonsense.
Getting Biden out was quite a nasty inside job, in my opinion. And if they don’t endorse Harris, then it’s clear that there are powers at play of someone within the Democrats on a power-trip wanting to be Prez.
Biden has changed a lot of things for good for the USA, and whoever takes over takes on a good head start. I lived in the States for years and visited many times before and after. I doubt that Trump will win BECAUSE when Americans make a mistake, they make a HUGE mistake. But they don’t make that mistake twice! And most Americans have principles and won’t take this BS of a convicted felon into power with the finger on the atomic button!
UPDATE 21.08.2024
I think it’s safe to say that the other half of my prediction that neither Biden nor Trumo will be president has already been fulfilled, latest with the DNC this week. Congrats USA for your first female, woman of colour and Asian background president!
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UPDATE: 6th Nov. 2024, 2:15 UK time,well I guess I was wrong. Trump leads the electoral vote by 154 to 27 for Harris early. I give up on the Americans if Trump wins. Korea has sent troups to Ukraine for Putin. China is supporting. When Trump wins, goodnight.
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14. July 2024
UPFRONT:
I am vehemently against assassination attempts and violence of any kind. There is never an excuse to attempt to kill and/or injure ANYONE, no matter what your political position is! And this is NOT victim blaming towards Trump! But this guy needs to go wherever he needs to go to! Everywhere he turns up, it’s a “Russian Roulette” where people might die, including police officers!
I predict now that NEITHER Biden nor Trump will be president. And there WILL be a surprise everyone “wasn’t” waiting for.
I never wanted to give this convicted criminal, misogynist, racist, narcissist Donald Trump a mention on my blog, and I hope he recovers fast before he goes into exile. I only mentioned Trump once on my blog after an experience I had in Atlantic City.
And I don’t give a flying fuck who tries to censor me or whom WordPress sucks up to.
But help me out here in numbers!
How many people died since Trump was president (and others who died by suicide during his presidency and even before that in his business dealings) until now 12.07.2024? While Trump keeps getting away as a “Schlitzohr”! Literally now!
And I’m not talking about Biden’s catastrophic Afghanistan pull-out, or world conflicts in Ukraine, Syria, Gaza … I’m talking about AMERICANS dying and getting injured in their OWN home country, on their own turf, often in proximity to Trump, or politicians or loved ones of politicians getting attacked in their homes etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. Is this Trump cult really THAT hopeless to wake up from??
And how many more Americans need to die under this man?!
Or do SO MANY people have “daddy issues” that you contnue to get mezmerised by a macho strongman who spews empty promises and is SO desperate to appear a “hero” that he has to produce pathetic playing cards with images of himself a Superman! Really? Y’all fall for that? The world, Putin especially must be having a blast!
I’ve seen an interview earlier this year on YouTube where a business man shared why he doesn’t support Trump, describing how a friend of his entered into business with Trump, wasn’t paid, went into debt and lost his business and lifelihood, and then died by suicide.
I’m looking for this interview and will post it once I find it. But I’m sure there are tons more of other stories, especially where Trump never paid for workers and services. Not to mention Trump’s niece Mary Trump calling him the most dangerous man that her family has created.
One man even died by suicide after coming out of a coma, started to recover and then learnt that Trump became president. Or former Deutsche Bank executive who oversaw Trump’s loans died by suicide.
It seems that where-ever Trump goes, he leaves a trail of blood and story after story of destruction.
And SINCE those deaths, how MUCH has he regretted ANY of his WORDS and actions?! Stupid question! We all know that Trump is at a point of no return. He is INCAPABLE of any empathy, any care, any clear human thought for others.
And WHY are Biden, Obama, Clinton, Bush, Carter … so powerless and some so silent? Especially those Republicans?
Multiple injured and multiple imprisoned under a president and a presidential nominee named Donald Trump.
And these are only the ones that are PUBLIC.
Have I missed any?
How many fine people are left to say enough is enough?
If the old world UK can do it, bringing back a politician of integrity and hard work; if the French can do it by voting AGAINST the far right (if we agree with their politics or not), then the” youngsters” USA can do it even more!
Yes, Biden isn’t perfect and as old as a stone, but he’s always trying to reach across the aisle, and he did well in his speech and outreach to Trump and the nation yesterday and today. He did the right thing and said the right words. De-escalate, de-escalate, de-escalate! Build bridges! But it’s NOT up to Biden, Democrats, Repuplicans, Independents, Media, Hollywood ….
Six years ago I wrote already on the Lidl Disaster, and call me naïve, but I always hope a business/organisation/service improves over time. But I need to boycott this chain for life now. In above link I explain the disaster, especially when it comes to food safety. And this was long before the pandemic. Fast forward six years and things have not improved but rather gotten worse, yet more hidden.
I rarely go to Lidl anymore for reasons I wrote in a Trustpilot review. But in the beginning to mid of June I went to Lidl to buy bulk items like water, milk etc. as a friend was about to visit and I wanted to have enough fluids as the weather turned warmer as well as my friend eating cereal in the morning. Me and my organised self bulk-shopped so we wouldn’t have to waste time going shopping and could just hover all over London like excited tourists. This turned out to be a mistake.
I bought a “crate” of long-life milk and oat milk. I rarely buy any dairy products anymore due to how animals are treated, but made an exception as my friend prefers cow’s milk. I’m neither vegan nor vegetarian but have drastically cut down on live and dead animal products. If you ever come across a documentary simply called “Cow“, I really recommend it! I saw it where after the screening they had a Q&A with the writer and director, both female worth mentioning. I appreciate that they weren’t “preachy” and just let the film do its thing. It is NOT as expected, and I was really surprised of the SILENT suffering these beautiful creatures go through.
This is NOT a gore or “violent” documentary, it is just so profound how silent it is, yet how much you can see the suffering! The film mainly follows one particular cow to really zoom in on the day-to-day existence of a cow. When you watch that one cow’s daily ordeal but also the joy and tranquility when out in the field during the summer, you clearly see a personality that differs from other cows. Absolutely mind-blowing!
It also makes it clear that all the suffering of animals (fish, insects etc.) are without any sound! Imagine we’d hear all the suffering animals go through! I’m sure the meat and dairy industry would have much less customers.
The camera angles are some of THE best I’ve ever seen in any film! Heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time. Surreal, and an absolute must-watch! It rekindled my desire to work with animals in some way and reminds me of the holidays we’ve spent on small old-fashioned country farms when I was a kid, born and raised in the city.
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Okay, I didn’t turn vegan, but I try to cut down as much as I can on animal products and try to seek out truly ethical businesses. And it’s a question of time before we learn of catastrophic issues in the vegan industry, where acres upon acres of forests are erroded for plantbased “superfoods” threatening and/or extinguishing wild-life. If you live long enough, you know not to romanticise anything anymore.
So, only yesterday, mid July, I noticed that the oat milk expired in March 2024! Gulp! Sure, the milk is still drinkable and I understand the difference between “best before” and “use by” dates, but this is unacceptable! Lesson learnt: never buy in bulk anymore, and go shopping with your friend to choose what they want.
I already have beef (pun intended!) with Lidl for always putting more expensive items behind less expensive items’ price labels. I often notice because since I go shopping as a child even, I was raised as well as having moved out early, to calculate the money I spend and ALWAYS, all my life calculate the price I pay, and this way IMMEDIATELY notice when the till rings it up higher than what I summed up from the price tags. It’s also a good excercise to keep your mind fit! Do the calculations in your head to stay fit mentally!
Lidl is THE worst company doing this. I used to live close to Morrisons and only bought bits and bobs there, and found even years ago Morrisons doing the same. But Lidl has absolutely hands down the worst activity in deception like this.
As I finished the oat milk and threw the packaging out already I missed taking photos. Yet, it would be useless as I don’t have the receipt anymore and they could say I bought it before March 2024. Another lesson learnt, always check the dates before putting items in your trolley! .
And no, there’s no point in contacting Lidl like I did 6 years ago because this is systemic and from customer reviews their customer service seems appalling. But I left a Trustpilot review today and will leave reviews on Google, TripAdvisor and wherever reviews can be left. I always say to Pret staff, who contact me, to leave a review on Glassdoor AND Indeed, and whatever other employee review site’s out there. Indeed has 4 reviews on their Berlin store while Glassdoor has none (or vice versa, can’t remember)! Always leave a review on every available review site as you can only leave one per site.
Just the start of my review, the rest via above link:
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After I wrote the review, I checked out other reviews for Lidl GB. Unsurprisingly, 69% of one star reviews says it all. Several mention they’d leave zero stars if they could. If you check reviews, it is always set to “most relevant” or “most popular” by default, I always select “most recent” to see if there’s a trend on issues that repeat itself in a certain time period.
I did NOT read the Lidl reviews before I left mine. But some absolutely confirm my concerns when it comes to bad/expired food while the expiry dates are still good. I believe this is due to meat, fish, fresh drinks etc. being sat on the shop floor by customers abandoning the queues. I explain in detail WITH photos in above “Lidl Disaster” link.
Sure, most companies have poor reviews now. Pret having 75% (1 & 2 star reviews combined) unhappy customers, but that doesn’t excuse unsafe food handling. Just because “most” companies are bad, doesn’t make it right or that we have to accept this. Such a lame excuse!
I will also pass this on to the press, especially Channel 4 Dispatches, BBC Panorama and all the journalists I have worked with on my Pret stuff, to hopefully give them ideas to investigate undercover. But I got my undercover journo itch now and will visit several Lidl stores in different areas, camera in hand and then update this post with part 3.
I once saw 2 people in two different areas in a the same Lidl at the same time taking photos. As I know the manager a little bit from chats while shopping, I asked him if they have mystery shoppers as I saw 2 people taking photos. Having had traumatic experiences with Pret’s mystery shopper scheme, I always tip off any business management if I think there’s a mystery shopper. He confirmed that Lidl have mystery shoppers. This is why I believe staff always move stock around to make shelves look filled.
Pret do the same thing, often even moving the wrong food item like a baguette behind another baguette and its label because Pret have the stupid rule that ANY item needs to have at least 2 of its kind as a pair behind a label. This is called a “line”. If there’s only 1 item behind a label and the mystery shopper (MS) comes at that time, having to count the “lines”, and only sees 1 item, the whole team won’t get bonus, even if you were off that day.
Example by nanka-photo in this case two Bloomer sandwiches close together. (Side note: these prices are a thing of the past!)
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What managers and team leaders (MODs) often do, yet are NOT allowed to do, they take the label off the fridge shelf. If they’re caught taking the label off, they get a disciplinary. So, what do they do to avoid the fncking fear management? They place a SIMILAR looking item behind the correctly labelled item to make it look like a line (2 items).
You know where I’m going with this, right?
Pret always have a meat item and a veggie or vegan alternative of a meaty product. Especially during Christmas for example. Pret do a meaty baguette and a vegan or veggie alternative baguette that often looks very similar to the meat version. If there’s 1 veggie baguette on the shelf, but 5 similar looking meaty baguettes, the manager on duty (MOD) takes the meaty baguette, turns it around with the back facing customers so they can’t see the ingredients in case ham is sticking out, and places it BEHIND the veggie baguette to make it look like a line (2 baguettes) for the mystery shopper. The shelf will then show 2 “veggie” and 4 meaty baguettes, and everyone gets their bonus.
If you do see only 1 item of a particular type of food, than at times it’s okay as the shelves have the certain amount of “selection” during certain times of the day. As an example, but I can’t remember exactly and Pret keep changing the rules, but after 2pm lunch rush, shops are not required anymore to have ALL items but a certain amount of lines, let’s say 20 lines of a minimum of 2 items each. Then after 5pm they have to have only let’s say 12 lines and so on. Don’t quote me on the time and amount of lines. It’s just an example.
But between 12 noon and 2pm, or 2:30pm depending on the shop location, ALL shops have to have FULL selection of ALL items Pret offer, with a minimum of 2 items of each kind = a line per product. If one item of its kind has only 1 product and the MS happens to be around tasked to count the lines, no-one gets bonus that week.
I’ve put a snippet on Soundcloud of an interview from Desert Island Disc with Wetherspoons boss Tim Martin, who says that he does NOT demand his staff to smile! I was in tears when I heard this, because Pret bully and penalize staff if they don’t smile, even when you’re bereaved like I was! Again, if ONE staff doesn’t smile the MISERY shopper can penalize the whole team by not awarding bonus for that week. I was reprimanded when the MS commented that I didn’t smile despite also commenting that my service was polite and efficient. The MS didn’t know that I just buried my brother the previous week, but Pret and my manager knew. There was NO mercy!
But the lack of know-how also shows so clear with current CEO Pano Christou, who’s with Pret since over 20 years and doesn’t have an excuse for sinking the ship after former CEO Clive Schlee ran Pret into an iceberg. Yet, Christou doesn’t seem to manage as Pret are £700 million in debt having now brought back RE-co-founder Sinclair Beecham to help fix the mess. Beecham already pumped money into Pret during the pandemic. And while Beecham tries to fix Pret, the other RE-co-founder Julian Metcalfe via the press recently threw Pret under the bus! *PLONK* 🤭
The use of different products to make a line for the mystery shopper then can potentially endanger people’s lives or health if they’re allergic or are vegans etc. Especially before the packaging was labelled. Yes, since 2021 by law all packaging has to be labelled under “Natasha’s Law”, named after the first customer who died from hidden allergens in a Pret baguette. But, in a hurry people often grab an item and only later have time to check the ingredients, or worse, they still blindly trust Pret.
And to be fair to the staff, customers also misplace sandwiches, return some to the wrong spot etc. You MUST always check the labels especially in Pret. Staff also continue to mislabel food packaging itself or mix up ingredients due to being pressured to work faster and longer for less. Customers post pictures of mislabelled food and also mouldy food, as well as pest (mice, flies, rats …) issues.
The worst thing I saw from customers posting on social media is a Pret dairy Bircher Muesli made with MAYONNAISE!!! This is very very VERY easy to happen. The stressed-out staff, being fear managed, rush into the walk-in fridge and instead of grabbing the 10 liter yoghurt bucket, they grab the 10 liter mayonnaise bucket. Now you may say, how on earth can that staff member not notice?! You’ll be surprised how many things get missed, especially when you’re so stressed out and fatigued. Plus, most staff in Pret kitchens and shops are foreigners, many having just arrived from their home countries. Some often don’t speak English well yet etc. I’ve seen a lot of avoidable mistakes and made some myself.
And some staff also have a drinking problem, highly hung-over starting work at 5am. I started to drink after my brother died and to this day don’t know how I worked from 5am ON TIME every time, heavily hung-over but also on adrenaline. I came across a reddit post regarding PTSD and adrenaline and the pennies dropped!
Staff are simply so burnt out! Here’s a recent Glassdoor staff review that breaks my heart because I know what these team leaders are going through who run shops and get blamed when the shop manager fncks up. I quote one sentence that brings me to tears and also saw similr reviews on shop managers breaking down in the office. I will never stop urging all staff to join a union! A Barista writes:
“I’ve seen some team leaders having breakdowns during their shift over their job.” 😪
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I put one of my all time favourite Pret staff reviews on a slide and zoomed in on every word as the review is in one long bulk text on Indeed, but for people to understand the sheer pressure and unnecessary micromanagement low-wage staff are under, ESPECIALLY due to the “military” style mystery shopper scheme Pret put in place. I wish I’d knew who the person is who wrote this! They deserve a blinking Pulitzer price for this review! Over the years I was contacted by former Pret staff who wrote certain reviews that I’ve put on my blog or on YouTube and they recognised their reviews. I do hope that person sees their review again in the many places I scattered it.
An anti-noise organisation even posted it on their newsletter after complaining to Pret about the high noise levels in shops and I pointed them to the review. Please note, the link in their newsletter to my slide doesn’t work anymore and needs to be updated. It’s now the below “video”.
If you want to understand Pret A Manger in a nutshell, this is THE BEST review to paint a picture, I could not have written it better. The title and the last sentence are golden and a whole book or film could be produced on this review alone! I underline every dot and comma of this review. In my slide I did a correction of “lose” vs “loose”, otherwise I ususally don’t correct any typos and leave it in their own words.
But back to Lidl. Today after I wrote my Lidl review I started reading some others and literally had some laugh-out-loud moments. Some reviews are so funny, they need an extra page! I realised today that reading customer and employee reviews is one my favourite things to relax and have a laugh!
I won’t highlight much of a specific review. You might find those funny or you don’t, but I want to leave that up to the reader. I had a few LOLs today! Weirdly, the Pret A Manger reviews are never funny but mostly very angry. Maybe that’s due to Pret having fooled the public for so long and people are p!ssed off once they realise how fake and bad Pret really are. Lidl are a low-cost / discount supermarket where people already don’t have high expectations. But Pret always presented themselves as posh and ethical. So, people were in for some nasty surprises, unfortunately some surprises that literally has cost some customers their lives and health including staff.
And to be fair to my particular Lidl branch, I’ve never had an issue with any of their staff and always had the odd chat here and there with some staff including the branch manager. All the staff and especially the manager are super hard working. And even if there were issues, I know from experience in the hospitality industry that the fish stinks from its head. If there are systemic issues of any kind, it always comes from the top, even if that is just passively ignoring issues. And I rarely write a complaint to a company on staff, even if a staff is rude or seems careless, unless they’re always rude and careless or exceptionally offensive. Everyone has a bad day, and workers are already treated like sh!t. As a rule of thumb, if you do give a tip, ALWAYS give a cash tip, NEVER a credit/debit card tip.
I worked in restaurants where the company took 15% off the card tip, and Pret now have “tap” devices to leave tips, but knowing Pret, I wouldn’t be surprised if they keep it all! Hefty allegation you may say? Check their track record on wage theft, underpaying, overtime not paid, almost weekly hours missed from the weekly pay, last week pay often chased by ex-staff, bonus withheld, “outstanding card” cash rewards deleted off mystery shopper reports, THREE times delayed pay under dodgy payroll error excuses with two times within 3 months! And not to mention CEO Pano Christou filling his pockets after cutting wages.
So, tipping in the UK isn’t common and I don’t always tip, but ALWAYS leave a CASH tip! I cannot always tip, but when I’m happy with the food I always give a tip to the chef in the kitchen as well as the service person. Kitchen folk are always forgotten! I even tip the toilet lady at a venue sometimes, especially during the Christmas period. It’s the best thing to put a smile on someone’s face who does the worst job!
In supermarkets, especially Lidl, ALWAYS check the expiry dates AND the shelf price labels versus the products behind it. I must say, I’ve never had an issue with Tesco!
Enlarge the screen for better read or go to the Lidl reviews directly. For computers without touch-screen, just type ctrl & + to enlarge and ctrl & – to decrease again. Not all reviews are funny, I just post a mix of a few.
I must say this first review I paste here, I can’t understand how a long-time customer mis-types Lidl throughout the review. Reminds me of people on social media saying it took them years to realize that Pret a called Pret A Manger not Pret A Manager.
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Here’s where I believe the customer might have taken a turkey mince package from the fridge that might have been on the shop floor out of the cold like I explain in above “Lidl Disaster” link WITH pictures. The date is good, but the turkey is foul.
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So, customers leaving basket behind seems a company-wide thing.
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In the following review I could literally picture a person standing in their kitchen videoing a lizard swimming in the water for 23 seconds. 🤣
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Two reviews on overcharging posted on the same day:
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“Lip festival” 🤣
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… plus many more.
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And I would not be a good former Pret employee if I wouldn’t end with recent Pret customer AND staff reviews. 😉
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Glassdoor – Barista:
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Indeed – Manager:
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
I’m going to lean out the window here, but hear me out. And should the Ednan-Laperouse family read this, in no way am I wanting to be offensive, judgmental or accusing. Losing someone close, especially a child is unspeakable in pain and grief, and I can never ever put myself into your position. And I’m glad you have reached so much with “Natasha’s Law” and continue to raise awareness and create change.
This is a general observation and my own aim to understand WHY Pret keep getting away with things in the UK compared to the USA. Especially since I’ve worked in Pret and experienced their carelessness and customers posting photos of ongoing issues with mislabeling, even unsafe, mouldy food over the years, even AFTER Natasha Ednan-Laperouse and then Celia Marsh died and multiple injuries.
And of course the WordPress staff who checks every blog post I put out will pass this on to Pret. Be my guest.
I live in the UK since many years with interruptions of about 6 years in the USA. and came to know both countries and mentalities quiet well I recently came across a brilliant comparison between USA and UK mentality. I tried my own comparison on my podcast, but can never achieve the understanding that the below YouTuber communicates.
I fast forward to the spot where YouTuber JimmyTheGiant is mentioning British politeness and that British people take a lot of “shit” while Americans are much less tolerant of mistreatment or crap.
Please watch this comparison for about 5 minutes:
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After all that happened to me in and by Pret which I extensively share on my blog and socials, I started to do extensive research into Pret and broke the Internet. I found court cases in the USA and the UK, found press articles, staff reviews, customer experiences, good and bad.
What I found regarding lawsuits is that as we know Americans sue very quick and get results compared to people in the UK who struggle to even get a pro bono lawyer. I raised a Tribunal claim against Pret but withdrew as my dad died in the middle of me preparing for it.
I went from Citizens Advice Bureau to other free legal advice charities, and found NO pro bono lawyer or advanced law student wanting to take on my case, because even if I’d won, the payouts are so low that lawyers decline the case as their 30% cut would be peanuts. The payouts are too low for lawyers to invest days in court and weeks in preparation for the case. In the USA the payouts are higher and lawyers would have drooled for a case like mine.
One Citizen Advice Bureau who was a retired lawyer volunteering was SO NEGATIVE and pessimistic, I remember sitting in tears in his office, speechless. My dad just out of a coma and in rehab in Germany, me trying to get legal aid as I couldn’t afford a lawyer, and this 60+ year old retired lawyer giving reason after reason why my case sucks basically!
A few days later my dad died, and I withdrew the case being broken in pieces ready to quit life altogether.
The above brilliant comparison of USA vs UK mentality and British people taking way too much “shit” has me think of the tragic and avoidable death of 15 year old Natasha Ednan-Laperouse who started to suffer a fast and severe anaphylactic shock mid-air on a flight to holiday with her dad and her best friend. She had a few bites from a Pret baguette bought at Heathrow airport, but the fridge label did NOT state that the bread contained sesame to which she was allergic to.
She later died in hospital.
A year later in December 2017, mother of five, 42 year old Celia Marsh died of dairy traces in a vegan wrap from Pret, but it was found that the dairy-free yogurt was from the vegan supplier who wept in court while Pret just wished everyone well after the inquest.
Pret was warned multiple times BEFORE Natasha died as well as having been sued in New York the year before Natasha died after a man suffered an allergy reaction ALSO from sesame and landed in hospital. Pret WON the case because sesame at the time was NOT part of the mandatory allergen list in the USA while next door in Canada it was part of the allergen list for labelling.
Pret did NOT take this serious to start labelling, and didn’t even start labelling when the 1. customer died, or the 2. customer died, or the multiple customers who got injured and informed Pret about it …
No, Pret started labelling AFTER this became public!
I worked in Pret when both customers died and multiple people got injured. I was a team leader, responsible for health and safety. Not only did Pret NOT tell us anything about customer fatalities and injuries, there wasn’t even a HINT to be more cautious or diligent with labelling and allergens. NOTHING!
Natasha’s Mum Tanya:
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In fact, a year after the first customer, Natasha, died, Pret held a massive seminar for leaders and managers in the prestigious expensive Barbican Center for 1-2 weeks. It was for sure for one week, but I think it was two weeks from Monday to Friday.
Only managers, assistant managers and team leaders were “invited” (mandatory) to come, each area taking turns. So, when I went as a team leader, my colleague from my shop who was a team leader too stayed in the shop and went another day when I covered the shop. Head office did a massive logistic operation, organising for each leader, manager etc. to go to the seminar for about 2 hours each.
The seminar was about customer service and in a nutshell how we can further “slime” and love-bomb customers more to gain and retain customers. We basically didn’t learn anything new, it was the same old, same old: smile, be nice, love-bomb (my words) etc.
I speak about it extensively on a podcast and explain how annoyed I was when we where STRESSED to not call customers “sir” or “madam” anymore, yet NO mention about a customer death the year before, and multiple injuries.
The slogan the seminar was held under was: “Be Kind – Be Generous – Be Honest”.
I remember we staff rolled our eyes because we knew that Pret aren’t kind, generous and certainly not honest. So, we just went through the motions and sat up out time slot and went back to the shop. We were supposed to bring back what we “learnt” (which was nothing new) to “teach” to all the other staff.
We never did, we just went back to business as usual, which is: smile for the mystery shopper to get bonus and hopefully an individual the £100 or £200 “outstanding card” (OC) reward. After I suggested to double the OC rewards from £50/£100 to £100/£200 and Pret did that, they cut it again during the pandemic and now back to £50/£100. Staff have to kiss butt all day long to get some extra cash.
Was Pret KIND to label their food after multiple warnings and injuries before AND after fatalities?
Was Pret GENEROUS with information on the ingredients and allergens in their food?
Was Pret HONEST about “natural” food and fully transparent on their labelling on the fridges?
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Multiple questions, just ONE answer.
NO
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What I think in hindsight is that Pret in those days (2017) had so much money to blow and the development team still had this budget to spend, so they put on this useless “seminar” which taught us nothing new.
But what Pret did NOT do and FAILED to grab an opportunity, they could have used this seminar and turn the ship around and invite allergy experts to truly teach us about allergens and labelling.
I also believe that Pret didn’t want to label their food DESPITE being warned over and over again before AND after fatalities, that it would show that their food is NOT natural but loaded with “obscure” chemicals, GMOs , even Glyphosate for which the mighty Monsanto, now Bayer, are dishing out BILLIONS in lawsuits!
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Old website slogans which Pret had to remove post-2018 ASA verdict.
And speaking of “handmade” food, Pret’s food is cooked in factories and just assembled and/or re-heated in shop kitchens or “dark kitchens”. Just as a side-note. Soups are at times re-heated more than 2 times. Detail here, Pret’s “Freshly Made” Brainwash”.
In 2018 Pret was banned from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) from claiming thei food is “natural” after a small food charity challenged Pret on this claim and won!
Many people haven’t even noticed that the word “natural” has completely disappeared off all Pret’s marketing, packaging, social media etc. Pret replaced it with “freshly made”, which is also a lie as you can see in above link to mouldy food and that Pret now put expiry dates on their sandwiches with a 2-day shelf-life. It’s no more “made today, gone today”.
So, what does the British mentality of politeness have to do with any of this? For one, Pret keep getting away with “murder”. Just recently someone gave me back-up on social media when a die-hard Pret fan tried to defend Pret’s unsafe food practices.
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A while ago Natasha’s father Nadim Ednan-Laperouse who had to witness his daughter dying and was diagnosed with PTSD, shared that while Natasha was dying, he saw angels and became a Christian. He shares his story since as well as with his wife have reached the government to implement “Natasha’s Law” since October 2021 that ALL businesses HAVE TO label their food when it is packaged.
I used to be a Christian and can completely relate and emphasise with the spiritual side if this. I don’t believe anymore for various reasons and I am at peace with this. But I completely respect him and his experience.
He further shared that he forgave former CEO Clive Schlee who ran Pret at the time all the customers died and got injured. And by the way, current CEO Pano Christou was Schlee’s right-hand man at the time and UK Managing Director, both fatalities happened in the UK under his watch as well. Pano Christou has been with Pret for over 20 years now, he has NO excuse to be oblivious about issues! Not then as a UK MD, and not now as a CEO.
Him forgiving is commendable and I respect it, it’s his daughter, his grief, his life, his choice. We can live and heal how we choose and there is no right or wrong.
But here’s where I will lean out the window and might step on some toes, but I do not mean to be offensive or accusing or judgmental. We’re speaking about a British mentality of taking a lot of “shit”, as the above YouTuber described. And with Pret having ignored warnings, then ignored deaths and injuries before it got public, and now continue to mislabel, I wonder why forgiveness came, and came so quick.
Nadim Ednan-Laperouse is a multi-millionaire owning a toy company.
What if the company where Natasha died would have been a small independent minority owned business by a Chinese or Indian family?
What if that small business had TWO deaths and multiple injuries?
Would that business still be open?
Would the owners be free or in prison?
I’m just asking questions.
Pret are a big company, run by white male millionaires. Is forgiveness by a millionaire family easier there than it would be with a small minority run business?
Is this also part of British mentality to take a lot of “shit”?
I know I’m leaning out the window here, but Pret getting away with SOOO much raises questions. And as I’m writing this a day before our own July 4th “independence day” when we will be freed from this corrupt Tory government and watching them getting booted out, I wonder how things would be or would have been if it was a small business having had THAT many fatalities and injuries.
Having worked at Pret, having seen and experienced the lack of training and care, the bullying culture, my own survival from this company, and Pret not even telling us staff, but putting on a nonsense seminar for 2 weeks at the expensive Barbican Center several rooms, instead of taking the opportunity to invite allergy experts … I cannot forgive until the ship is turned around for TRUE change or until this bloated up Titanic sinks.
Clive Schlee ran the ship into an iceberg, Pano Christou is sinking it. Pret are now £700 million (going up $1 Billion) in debt, bringing back RE-co-founder Sinclair Beecham to fix the mess, while the other RE-co-founder Julian Metcalfe threw Pret under the bus recently in the press.
British mentality?
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
But I realise now what happened. I was only for about a week to 10 days on that Discord and still tried to figure out how it worked. I shared a lot about my experience with Pret, grief etc.
At one point I mentioned and linked to that I worked with the BBC, Once I mentioned this, Cliff became weird. He seemed angry, irritated, constantly “asked” me questions that weren’t questions but rather QUESTIONING and criticising me. His vibe was just off.
He also constantly pushed his writings up the list so his page is always on top. At one point he mentioned that someone he admires recommend him. I didn’t really check it out as he started to become weird.
And then the whole Facebook debacle. My Substack got suspended which 1. I’m sure he’s behind it and 2. doesn’t matter because I had no subscribers and the page was stagnated most of the time. I’m sure he’s coming after anything he can find as he showed stalker-like “qualities”.
He also just minutes ago left a comment on the above post with a link to a website but I trashed it already and will find out how to block him on WordPress. This shows his audacity and how narcissistic he is. He thinks of himself too highly, typical narcissist. He probably enjoys the attention. It’s attention he gets, it’s exposure and in case his stalking continues, there are the receipts.
I am not one to speak in this kind of way of that people are “jealous”. But from the moment on when I mentioned my work with the BBC and linked to other press articles that I influences direct or indirect, he became weird. That’s when it all started. Because before that, he followed me and recommended my writings. But SUDDENLY, that stopped he asked weird questions that felt invasive, even somewhat aggressive.
He’s an older guy and spends all day online. And writers usually don’t get along well with other writers like musicians and actors do. There’s ofyen this competition and insecurity between writers. It seems he felt threatened. Poor dude.
Here again just one of the several DMs/mails I got about this creep.
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Well put into words.
Anyway, I think the penny dropped now on what happened and why he became so patronising and creepy. There seems to be more than a hint of grandious narcissism, certainly insecuritythere. But that’s for him to figure out. Glad I don’t have to see his bulls!t anymore.
Not going to write any further about this guy. I receved some DMs and mails about him, and I’m glad this happened early on, and not if I was on Discord for a year being in this toxic environment. Yuck.
If you want to avoid all the screenshots (receipts), please scroll down to underneath the large red writing “Text for AI Audio Reading”.
The following people are key to the creep CliffSongs being able to behave like he does: The only “official” moderator (?): Lynne McCartney
Vida86, Ellen Pepper, and Ppekka98.
UPDATE and upfront:
I have received several messages on Discord and via my website that this Cliff guy I write below is off the wall. And the only moderator, Lynne, is all in on it.
Just 1 of several messages from people:
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I had a very creepy conversation if I can call it a “conversation” with a guy (CliffSongs) who uses the same Discord server for writers from the now closed Post.News site. The site was a news site which was still new but, even the likes of journalist Rachel Maddow was on there with quite a large following. For some reason the site got closed but there’s an invite link to a Discord server, so I joined it.
There are writers of different genres who used to have accounts like I did on Post.News. One of the writers is a guy named Cliff who posts poetry. I mention him publicly because he writes publicly, including on my Facebook post.
When I started on Discord around the beginning of June 2024, mentioning my writings and experience with Pret, we had a normal exchange and we started following each other on Substack. Other writers also followed on Substack.
The Discord chat was always regular with all sorts of subjects from politics to sports to writing etc.
Cliff always seemed a little suggestive and asked questions that I felt weren’t real questions, but as if he was trying to lead to something he might conclude later. But I just swept it aside.
Some of the questions I just didn’t respond to. Questions like “how long ago did all this happen” … the issue with my brother dying and Pret etc. I always felt that he asked this to then say to me to move on. The way he asked it had this sense of they weren’t real questions out of interest. And he kept pressing those questions that I responded with clear words that it doesn’t matter when what happens because trauma doesn’t know time until it heals. So, I left these questions unanswered.
Or he’d say I am repeating myself when I re-posted a YouTube link or something to someone, as I either forgot I posted it or posted it to another person who wasn’t there at a previous chat.
From then on he never directly responded to me in the chat as before. Which was perfectly fine with me. It felt already a little creeped-out, but as long as I didn’t interact directly, why should I get suspicious of a weird communication. But I think he was not happy that I refused to answer his “questions” and that I was unimpressed with him.
And then suddenly I have a public comment on an old post from 2018 on Facebook. But the comment was simply “Hi”.
I have had many private messages from guys on Facebook simply writing “Hi”. Those messages, no matter if private or public are weird to me. But as I always respond to every PUBLIC comment out of courtesy, even to the rude ones, I responded (I compiled the screenshots here below).
But as usual, Cliff wrote weird and it started to turn creepy pretty quick, more direct and patronising on Facebook which he never dared on Discord where all the other writers (about 6 or more at any given time) wrote as well.
On a side note, I also can’t figure out why there is the “send message” appearing on his comments as I haven’t seen this before on FB posts, or I haven’t noticed it. But it felt that he wanted me to private message him. I don’t know.
Keep in mind this is an old post of mine from 2018, not easy to find unless you search or use certain search words doing a deep dive. And this is what I mentioned to him as a “deep dive” into my FB posts. There’s another comment by a lady but that’s from 2018 when I posted the link to my blog.
When you follow the timeline of the “conversation” later on Discord as well, it’s clear he was trying to wriggle me into some weird conversation and rabbit hole of his. But I refused from the start. He has this weird way of writing on the Discord chat, but on Facebook it became very creepy very quick.
I highlighted in yellow a few things that I find really creepy, this is the way he did NOT write publicly on Discord where others read, but publicly on Facebook on a SIX YEAR old post which no-one would find unless they do a deep dive.
I will put all the screenshots first and then the text underneath for people with visual impairment. I do screenshots in case he deletes his posts even though I blocked him now on FB.
On the top right of the comments where it says “Most relevant” click to “All comments” otherwise some comments are hidden. And then keep clicking “View previous replies”, “Show more” etc. to get the FULL interaction. Facebook doesn’t show all messages and you have to constantly click to open comments.
Judge for yourself, but the following is textbook gaslighting, creepy, manipulative and started to border on stalking all at once.
I linked my blog, podcast, substack etc. to the Discord chat last week. And I’ve experienced that when people listen, especially to my podcast where I show vulnerability, it draws the creeps. I mentioned later tonight on Discord that I might appear vulnerable, but I don’t mess with my boundaries getting crossed.
I had to pretend to be happy and strong for years in Pret (research Pret’s micromanaging fear management via weekly mystery shoppers). And with all the losses and bullying, I neither want to nor have the strength to show a fake persona. I speak from my gut, which occasionally shows vulnerability. Some men don’t get the message, they think someone, especially a female, sounds vulnerable or instable, and they start to get creepy, claiming “friendship” after a week on a Discord chat. Shudder! Brrrrrrrr ……
The moderator, Lynne McCartney, later deleted the comments except her request to chat in private, She seems to protect him and also disregards my request for me not to communicate with him in private message. After I posted publicly on Discord, he private messaged me which I declined to open and declined to engage in private. I have to count the times he refused to respect my requests.
Some of the times overlap in the screenshots below, and I didn’t separate, like the timing I asked him publicly on Discord to NOT communicate on Facebook nor private message, and him then saying that I “established” to not private message, therefore he established to communicate on FB despite repeated requests not to.
Just a brief recap:
I asked Cliff on FB and later on Discord (always publicly) to NOT communicate on Facebook, but on Discord and to not communicate on private message, as his comments started to get creepy like I’ve never seen anywhere on the socials. As he was so creepy on my PUBLIC Facebook post, he’d be worse in private message while wanting me to remove my public request to him on Discord! It’s clear how creepy this is. .
He wanted me to delete my comments on Discord, which I declined as his Facebook comments are public. .
He then started to really get patronising and said on Discord that he blocked me (I assumed on Facebook as I wasn’t and still am not blocked on Discord), calling me “kid” and “prat” (I use “Prat” for Pret which he saw on my blog and Discord forum posts. .
But he did NOT block me on Facebook and instead decided on my behalf that I wanted to communicate on Facebook after I repeatedly said no comms on FB. Here’s where the creepiness really “blossomed” and it started to feel “stalky”. .
He also claimed that he blocked me on Discord which isn’t the case at the time. I mentioned that I’ll unsubscribed which you can do on Substack. .
I blocked him on Facebook and informed him of it on Discord. .
Then the mod deleted my and Cliff’s comment exchange asking me to private message with him which I repeatedly said I wish not to do with him. .
Here come the screenshots. Press ctrl & + to enlarge and ctrl & – to decrease again if you don’t have a touch screen to enlarge the screenshots. I try to put all the text under the screenshots for people with visual impairment. I post screenshots as “receipts”.
See the rabbit hole of a psychological game and gaslighting he tried to pull me in. Note his communication style, always sounding “mysterious” as if to come across special or as someone you want to get to know, but this has the opposite effect and is creepy as hell. And in hindsight, as I put this together it seems to me that he just craves attention. But that’s not the way to do it, dude.
The comments were on my 2018 Facebook post linked to my blog post and him just commenting “Hi” with nothing further, which I ALWAYS find creepy, no matter if in private or public messages.
UPDATE: It all makes sense now, this Cliff guy who constantly pushed his own writings at the top of the forum has issues with my writings and the strength I presented in the chat. He thought to creep in with the support of the only moderator Lynne Mc. This is just a typical clique dynamic who get insecure when a strong voice enters the room.
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He jumps straight into being “friends” after knowing my writing since around a little over a week, and fishing for a defense response, saying there’s no point to what I write. Classic attempt to gaslight. He does it on high speed, while on Discord not even speaking to me directly anymore after I didn’t answer his questions last week.
Now imagine how he would write in a private message!
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Typical gaslighting by a person, a man who doesn’t take “no” for an answer trying the old trick in the book: “That’s not being friendly” because I draw boundaries, trying to guilt-trip me. And then “Perhaps you’re havng a bad day”. What a joker! Classical way to try and make someone, especially whom he knows to be female, feel guilty that his little male ego got put in its place! He picked the wrong one!
“Yes, you appear to be having a bad day. I’ll give you some time to collect your thoughts.”
Old school, man to a woman, “You’re being hysterical, have you taken your medication”. OLD SCHOOL! 😀
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Take notes, gaslighting by the book:
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Typical type of male who shows insecurity and being upset that I don’t fall for this crap, trying to manipulate “You’re not nice to me … that’s not being friendly … why so unfriendly … that’s not being kind …”
To all women out there and train your girls: STOP being nice, stop being “kind” to creeps. Respect your own boundaries and protect them! Don’t let a creep and his enablers fool you to be nice when he disrespects your boundaries! Creeps will NOT respect your boundaries until you put your foot down! Move away from him if necessary, block him, report him … but you don’t need to be nice or kind! You need to be kind to YOURSELF and children who are truly vulnerable and in need of empathy and fierce protection!
Side note, also see my Samaritan post regarding women being coerced to save men on the edge of the train platform.
Creeps always try to test and then cross boundries with above manipulative type slogans, “you’re not being nice … that’s not lady-like …” Old fashioned creepiness and male entitlement trying to get the upper hand. Shudder again!
And now due to chronologial order (more or less) I started repeating publicly on Discord to respect my request. And here he now becomes openly rude, trying to offend me and requesting me to delete my comment, to no avail mind you. The mod later deleted, probably upon his request, and it seems she supports him. Fine with me, I’m used to coming up against a group of people (looking at the devil that is Pret).
Press ctrl & + to enlarge the screenshots, I didn’t include all in below text as a lot are repeated requests by me to not use Facebook or private DM with Cliff.
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Back to Facebook towards the bottom where he now blatantly manipulates. There’s so much blatant disrespect and borderline stalking that I don’t know if to laugh or be concerned. Mind you he’s more controlled on Discord, but blatant on Facebook. He doesn’t appear drunk or in distress. And again with what he writes on a public Facebook post, imagine how he would write in a DM!!!
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I then blocked him on Facebook, but not on Discord, as he isn’t creepy on Discord like on FB because there are other readers there compared to the old FB post.
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Back on Discord where this whole saga ends. I immediately take screenshots as my and Cliff’s comments have been deleted, I knew any more comments would get deleted. But I keep “receipts”.
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The mod now deleted comments and requests for me to private message with Cliff, which seems to be his plan all along. Again, no respecting of my requests and of boundaries. The mod of course keeps HER post public while deleting my response to her request. I keep receipts.
It seems to me like Cliff asked the mod to delete the posts and for me to communicate with him in private, which he seemed to have wanted all along. And she accommodates that for him.
She contacted me early after I started Discord and accidently created a 2. account and she asked me which account I want deleted and if I really want a long name etc.
I told which account to delete and only then found that Discord allows multiple accounts. So, I’m wondering why she gets involved in my affairs of having 2 accounts which is allowed on Discord. In hindsight, it felt invasive, as if to tell me what to do?
But they’re certainly a team and don’t seem to (want to?) get what I’m saying with Cliff’s creepiness.
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The mod then moves my last comment into DM and I briefly explain that upon her suggestion for me to block Cliff on Discord, that I don’t need to block him on Discord compared to Facebook, as he behaves differently on Discord as there are people reading. Remember, my FB post is from 2018 which no-one will find unless they do a deep dive like Cliff did.
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Text for AI audio reading
From Facebook. Cliff Lake will be shortened to CL and my name shortened to ExP. When I saw “Hi” with no further text I was already in this “Here we go” mode, as I received many private messages from guys in this way when my Facebook was still under the name “late night girl” and I saw the suggestive profiles of the senders, but I immediately blocked.
But I also get weird private messages after people hear my podcast and think I’m this vulnerable damsel in distress they can patronise. As I knew this Cliff is from Discord I responded and always respond publicly, even to openly rude comments.
I won’t highlight anything like I did in above screenshots to keep the flow and let the readers see the creepiness in his comments. I only add some things in italics. The convo starts on 12. June 2024 after 10pm and stretches out until late 15. June 2024 with the mod comments early 16. June 2024.
To me there is nothing straight forward or normal in his communicating, it’s all about asking weird questions, gaslighting, trying to be “mysterious” to make me ask questions or throw me off of what he means, trying to drag me into a web of confusion or even self-doubt. It’s so classic. Some comments are made by the same person, either him or myself twice in a row.
Start of the comments verbatim:
CL: Hi
ExP: Hi Cliff, you must have done a deep dive on my facebook. I completely forgot about the above writing challenge on WordPress.
CL: Much can be seen if one knows how to look.
ExP: I know. My blog has become so big as in so much text that I have to use the search button on my own writings. Was there a specific reason you just say “Hi” on a facebook post? People usually make a comment, good or bad, but “Hi” is quite unusual.
My posts, blog etc. are all public, I write straight out and people can search and find anything.
CL: Just like I found this post. I assume I that is the point you are making.
ExP: What point is that?
CL: That I found your post. ” I write straight out and people can search and find anything.” Perhaps you can inform if I have misread the point you attempted to make.
ExP: No point Cliff. I write on Pret A Manger and other things, nothing more nothing less. Have a good weekend.
CL: Now I understand. There’s no point to what you write. Thank you.
CL: Just a little joke between friends.
ExP: Hey Cliff, not sure what game you’re playing, but please play it elsewhere. And not sure why you’re so talkative with me here while not on Discord. I have no time nor interest in any games. Please respect that. Thank you.
ExP: We’re not friends, I don’t know you, and I’d prefer to communicate on Discord, not on facebook. Thank you.
CL: That’s not being friendly. Perhaps you’re having a bad day.
CL: Game? I’m not playing a game. Yes, you appear to be having a bad day. I’ll give you some time to collect your thoughts.
ExP: Sorry Cliff, but you come across creepy. Please respect my request to communicate on Discord, not on Facebook.
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Now I’m starting to write on Discord where others can read, which of course he doesn’t like and then asks me to delete, which I decline until the mod later deletes everything related to the FB issue. See how bluntly rude he immediately gets on Discord calling me “prat”.
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Discord ExP: Hi Cliff, could you please respect my request to not communicate on facebook, but rather here? Thanks.
CL: Please remove this post and communicate in private. Thank you, prat.
ExP: The communication is not private. The communication is public on my public facebook post.
CL: Please remove this communication and refer this conversation to DM. Thank you, prat.
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He then private messaged me on Discord, but I declined and continued in the public chat. There was an ongoing refusal to respect my request to not wish to private message.
Always be aware or remember that those who are creeps or acting creepy want to ISOLATE you into a private space. He picked the wrong one. And if the mod wouldn’t have deleted the posts, I would not put all this this on my blog. But for my protection and to show how creepy conduct works, I post it all here.
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ExP: I don’t communicate in private. You commented in public on my public fb post and not saying that you “are”, but it comes across “creepy” and patronising, therefore I asked to stop communicating on Facebook, and I have no wish to communicate in private and ask to respect this.
CL: Welp, you’re blocked, kid. See ya in the funny papers. (No idea what he means by “funny papers”)
Exp: That’s ok. I already unsubscribed (from his Substack)! Please respect when people have a request. It’s for online safety. Thanks.
Back to Facebook in the timeline where he becomes more blatant and creepy, completely disregarding what I’ve just said on Discord minutes before. I also linked the Facebook post into the Discord chat for others to see mainly for my protection but also to show Cliff that he picked the wrong one to gaslight.
Again, he hasn’t blocked me on Discord, because we kept communicating on Discord and I still see his regular posts to others on Discord and could reply to him. He CLEARLY wanted to communicate OUTSIDE of other readers seeing what he does. And HE decides that we WILL now communicate on FB after I clearly stated several times not to.
Right from the Creep-Playbook, and further where it starts to sound like “stalking”:
CL: Now. let’s talk about how friendly we have been. Since you’re blocked on Discord, here is where we will communicate.
CL: Now that you’ve established that you do not communicate in private, let’s learn to be friends, prat. to wit: “I don’t communicate in private and I have no wish to communicate in private and ask to respect this.”
After this I blocked him on FB and wrote my last comment on this guy.
ExP: Ok, I blocked this Cliff guy now. Not sure why he doesn’t respect boundaries. He appears creepy and patronising. When men don’t respect requests and boundaries … He claims I blocked him on Discord while he claimed he blocked me (on Facebook?). (I mistook that he said he blocked me on Facebook instead of Discord – although I’m not blocked on either).
I continued briefly with the mod after she deleted the comments, and that was that. I can predict what’s going to happen next, as the mod seems to support this guy.
Now dear reader, on a scale of 1 – 10, what’s the creep-level here? To me it’s quite up there!
Thank you for reading.
expret.org
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UDATE already minutes after I posted this blog post, as Cliff knows that I unsubscribed from his Substack, he or someone affiliated with him (as all from that Discord have now unsubscribed from my Substack) must have reported a post on my Substack, as my Substack now got taken off public view. He has more followers, and people with more followers or a clique around him often report small accounts when they’re upset or feel rejected.
Bring it on, I already predict what’s gonna happen on Discord. 😉
This guy thinks I’m stupid.
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First of all, I don’t give a flying fnck if I get reported or shut down. I don’t have have all my eggs in 1 basket, and losing social media accounts means nothing to me. I have all my important connections and support via email and in real life, not on social media or other platforms.
Second, I have not posted anything in 2 or 3 days and post very little, as well as never private messaged anyone before having gotten made invisible. So, the spam allegation is a generic bot and it’s clear, this is a retaliation for me setting boundaries and then unsubscribing from, and blocking Cliff’s Substack. *Yawn*
UPDATE 16. June 2024 – my Discord account has now also been suspended. But some people come my blog and contact me here even before I was suspended because they’re being reprimanded by “certain” people in the clique to not engage with me. Too late. 😉
The reporting to get shut down is very, VERY typical and common on social media everywhere, and is very childish immature behaviour, calling mummy or daddy to send the other person to the naughty corner because my ego got hurt and I was told “no”.
Others from the Discord chat who subscribed to my Substack also unsubscribed from me. I can still login and see my followers and those I’ve subscribed to, and those are not on this Discord server. So, this seems a “clique-ish” thing and is also nothing new under the sun.
Happens a lot on YouTube as well, where large accounts with millions of followers get upset at someone who has 20,000 followers. And social media mostly, if not always, sides with the larger account. It’s become so common, people stop to care and spread out across many platforms. Don’t have all your eggs in 1 basket, is the old wisdom.
Also, people often report someone TO Facebook when they got upset at a person ON Twitter. But FB has nothing to do with Twitter / X! It’s just really childish, sulking and toxic retaliation behaviour.
Cliff will be told about this blog post of course, and the aim will be made to report me everywhere possible. A little reminder, when you post a PUBLIC post, it’s forever on the Net, no matter if it’s deleted or not. You chose to post publicly. Own up to it. People can report all day long, that’s what larger accounts do all the time to smaller accounts when their ego is hit. Nothing new under the sun.
I came up against a multi-billion dollar company and lost my family, do you think I give a flying fnck about being reported, my accounts locked or suspended? 😀
Get over yourself, have a cup of Camomile tea. Grow up and respect boundaries, otherwise you act creepy or are a creep. Stop being creepy!
And to anyone reading this, especially women, DON’T get lured into private message by being made to feel guilty or made to be “kind”. Don’t be made to feel guilty for setting boundaries! SET BOUNDARIES, speak out, say “no”, say “stop”, block, shut the door, report … whatever you need to do.
When YOU feel uncomfortable with a person, respect your instinct and set boundaries without shame!
Do NOT feel bad about it! Let them report and try to get you shut down! It doesn’t matter, that’s what creeps do when they are told “no”. Show the creep the door!
Respect yourself and your boundaries, because no-one else will if you don’t. Many men are not used to this, when women draw CLEAR boundaries, but that’s THEIR problem, not yours! Life is too short for others to step all over you.
Be free! 🙂
*That’s a REAL smile, not a Pret A Manger mystery shopper required smile.*
LinkTree to Pret A Manger issues incl. ongoing mislabelling & mouldy food, systemic workplace bullying, £800,000 fine after staff in freezer, wage theft, hiked prices for lower quality, bad press, £700 million debt etc. etc.
I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
And how Pret RE-founder and itsu founder Julian Metcalfe threw Pret CEO Pano Christou under the bus! 🤣
UPDATE 26.04.2024 at the very bottom how Pret “bribes” the Telegraph with sandwiches.
I try not to write a long post here (yeah right!), and just put screenshots of recent Telegraph articles by about 4 – 5 different journalists who seem to be on a Pret crusade, some because they are coffee subscription customers and p!ssed off with Pret.
I will just post a few quotes from each article, and the reader can google the articles themself.
Even though Pret’s subscription was a “rip-off” from the start with many issues, the recent press reports all started when Pret changed their app from QR code-sharing ability to login-function only. But that wasn’t even the problem, the issue was that many customers couldn’t log into the app, or where prompted again to submit a new phone number or bank details. An absolute mess. I said it before, that HOW COME a multi-billion pound company like Pret have SO MANY technical issues and get awarded “digital technology leaders awards” for the mess. Unless, it’s by design!
What most haven’t realised is that Pret have BROKEN their terms and conditions, having given customers 5 days notice instead of the 40 days in their T&Cs, which is typical Pret. I write about this in How Pret make profit from their Subscription.
And for the first time since I write about Pret from 2018 on, consumer rights people are advising customers to contact them and already give some basic legal advise, like pointing to the “Consumer Rights Act 2015” which includes digital products.
Don’t forget the 5000 complaints in 2021 which got the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) involved after Pret refused to do the expensive frappes and smoothies on the subscription under various excuses. I worked with the BBC on this. “Pret customers complain over drink subscription deal“.
But here to the recent Telegraph crusade against Pret with just a few quotes from the articles:
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09. May 2023 – Tom Haynes is especially on a mission a year later …
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»Well, I’m done. No one needs five Americanos a day, much less a £2.34 croissant. As I type this I am cancelling my Pret subscription and, once I’m done, I’m washing that thermos flask.« – Tom Haynes
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13. March 2024 – So far so good …
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»News of the impending change sparked a backlash among customers on social media who argued using the subscription would be less convenient.« – Daniel Woolfson
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10. April 2024 – Ooops … Here comes trouble!
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»Another [customer] wrote “Pret subscription absolute joke. Broken app leaves me paying for something I can’t use plus really rude (although I’m sure equally frustrated) workers.”
Some customers also reported being unable to login to the app after they were told the SIM card in their phone did not match the phone number linked to their account.« – Bláthnaid Corless
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11. April 2024
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»Experts have also said that customers who have been unable to use their subscriptions are entitled to a refund under consumer rights law.
“If Pret subscribers cannot access their QR this is in effect a suspension of their Pret subscription and on that basis this should result in a refund for the period of suspension,” Gary Rycroft, a partner at Joseph A. Jones & Co, told The Telegraph.
“Even if this was not explicit in the T&Cs this is the correct outcome under principles of contract law,” Mr Rycroft, who is also a resident legal expert on the BBC1 Consumer Affairs programme Rip Off Britain, added.« – Bláthnaid Corless
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12. April 2024 – Pret’s TYPICAL “technical” issues!
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»Pret subscribers claim to have found a new glitch with the coffee company’s app which sees reward vouchers disappear before they can be redeemed.
The loyalty scheme sees customers earn “stars” every time they spend money in a store. When they reach 10 stars, they receive a “Pret Perk”, which ranges from bakery treats to popcorn and crisps.
One customer told The Telegraph that her perk, a free muffin, disappeared from her app before she had a chance to use it.
She said that she had been able to claim her drinks, but that the reward had “just vanished”.« – Madeleine Ross
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ALSO 12. April 2024
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»Pret A Manger customers say they have abandoned their subscriptions as the offer cannot be used in service stations or abroad and is “no longer worth it”.
Others have complained about being unable to get the drinks they want, such as iced coffees and frappes, with some stores implementing a “hot drinks only” policy.« – Bláthnaid Corless
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ALSO12. April 2024 – Pret’s “ex-lover” is back! DON’T MESS with a customer who happens to be a journalist! 😀
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»Oh, how delicious it is to be proven right.
A little under a year ago, I cancelled my Pret subscription after I was struck with the lightning bolt realisation that the chain was using my own caffeine addiction to rip me off. I haven’t had a coffee from Pret ever since.« – Tom Haynes
And speaking about being proven right dear Tom Haynes, I’ve been exposing Pret’s dodgy dealings publicly since May 2018, even before the customer deaths became public, with me also not knowing about it. Yet, unlike what I do with journalists’ writings, crediting to it, I am NOT credited for all the work I do (except by Mike Powell for the BBC). But there you go. Mainstream media for you.
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15, April 2024 – Reminder of the BBC article I and journalist Mike Powell worked on that got the ball rolling on Pret’s subscription, which is often referenced in the Telegraph articles without crediting.
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»It was plagued with rumours that the popular smoothies and iced drinks would be scrapped – as they eventually were, last year. Customers complained that they couldn’t always get the drinks they wanted, when they wanted them, owing to various issues such as a lack of ice or other ingredients.
Excluded stores, which include 40 in the UK, mainly service stations with the addition of Exeter University, mean that subscribers were denied their drinks when they most wanted them.« – Madeleine Ross
ALSO 15. April 2024 – Here’s where it get’s interesting!
Julian Metcalfe who RE-founded Pret in 1986 is throwing Pret CEO Pano Christou under the bus!
Also, former CEO Clive Schlee who is or was Christou’s mentor for years owns half of Metcalfe’s company itsu. Schlee must be p!ssed off as well.
BUT as I always say, Clive Schlee ran Pret into an iceberg, and Pano Christou is sinking it!
Christou having been with Pret BEFORE and LONGER than Clive Schlee (started as assistant MANAGER in shops) has NO excuse for mismanaging Pret like he does. Apart from what staff including shop managers say about Pret and their leadership including Pano, 74% of customers on Trustpilot (1&2 star reviews combined as of mid April 2024) disapprove of Pret on a variety of issues, many having sworn to never set foot inside Pret again. (Now, watch the reviews turn more positive once Pret and die-hard Pret fans become aware of it 😉 ).
Pano has his head in the sand, and is only interested in building his name and legacy to have expanded Pret worldwide under instructions by owners in Germany/Luxembourg. Aggressive expansion to the detriment of food, drink and service quality (see Trustpilot again).
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»The founder of Pret a Manger says its customers have been “let down” by the fiasco over its loyalty programme, amid claims of “chaotic” management at the sandwich chain.« – Gordon Reyner
YET, Metcalfe isn’t better. I also saw complaints from itsu customers regarding itsu’s app not working, foul smelling salmon sushi, mislabeling etc. I wrote a small exposé on Metcalfe after I chased him off Twitter (now X). His connection to the Royal Family since childhood, why some Asian people don’t like him, the 2 “Jeffreys” he doesn’t seem to want to be associated with, what his staff say etc.: Julian Metcalfe Family Line.
And I can’t help thinking that Metcalfe throwing Christou under the bus might be a retaliation for Pret having distanced themselves from Metcalfe after he made the “eugenics” lockdown comments to the Daily Mail. So, Metcalfe now slaps Pano Christou via the press! 😀
And to me it seems like Metcalfe’s way to distance himself from Pret after Pret did that to him when he fncked up!
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Little fun side note: When Metcalfe made his comments and Pret distanced themselves from him, Metcalfe came on Twitter to do damage control but kept ranting. I then tweeted itsu staff reviews to Metcalfe, and him lacking media savvy, he kept retweeting my posts. He then deleted most of his Tweets and deleted his account entirely after just 2 days on Twitter, but not before I screenshot most of his Tweets: 😉
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And while Metcalfe throws Pret under the bus, co-RE-founder Sinclair Beecham comes to Pret’s rescue (again!) after he invested in Pret already during the pandemic. News article say Beecham will steer the expansion as Pret are tasked to double iin size worldwide by 2026, BUT knowing Pret’s lies and how customer complaints are through the roof, with many having turned their backs on Pret, it seems more like Beecham returns to Pret (after he invested already during the pandemic) to steer Pret ITSELF!
Customer complaints, high staff turnover, ongoing bad press (please see link at the very bottom) and other issues. Pano Christou doesn’t seem to cope running Pret.
Pano is flying around the world expanding Pret, that seems to be successful. Meanwhile Pret at home is in shambles. And I believe that’s either the real reason Beecham is back, or Pano is instructed to stop flying around the world, stay at head quarters in London and sort out the mess, letting Beecham seal deals globally.
Pret also seem to be in financial trouble as they let another longtime head office staff go recently. I smell a rat! Something’s burning in their kitchen!
Bloomberg 24. April 2024
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»Pret A Manger is shaking up its board and bringing back its co-founder to help guide the UK coffee-and-sandwich chain through a rapid overseas expansion.«
Yep, CEO Pano Christou doesn’t cope. It’s like Prime Minister Rishi Sunak bringing back former PM David Cameron. Pret really need a COMPLETE shake-up as in, fire all the old top execs who are stuck in Pret’s old “love-bombing” way where they pride themselves to be hiring according to “personality” rather than skill! Replace the whole of HQ with innovative AND courageous leaders.
16. April 2024 – Another side note: Some news outlets are still using the old Pret logo and haven’t realised yet that Pret was already banned by ASA in 2018 from claiming their food is “natural”. Pret then changed their marketing to “freshly made” food, but that’s also a lie as I know how it works behind the scenes and customers posting pictures of mouldy food to social media.
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»Tech experts have suggested the main reason Pret has cracked down on account sharing is to harvest personal data about its customers, which it can then sell to advertisers.
Jake Moore, cybersecurity advisor at internet security firm ESET, said Pret will “have already planned to write off five coffees per customer”, knowing the cost will effectively be offset by data harvested through the app.« – Tom Haynes
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The following is one of several articles around mid April 2024 that puts Julian Metcalfe in a positive light since the Pret app debacle. Here it seems the Telegraph is “siding” with Metcalfe while throwing Pret under the bus! Not sure if Metcalfe has connections to the Telegraph as he seems to be put to the forefront, while Pret are send to the naughty corner.
Yet, the Telegraph and the press in general don’t bother to look deeper into Metcalfe’s issues.
22. April 2024
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»There have been tales of staff switching off machines for making iced coffee – and telling customers they are broken – because they simply can’t make the drinks fast enough to meet demand. Some customers complain that their favourite drinks are never available.
“It has put the members of staff under almost unbelievable pressure,” one former Pret employee says. “They suddenly threw thousands of extra people at the staff without the right equipment to cope with the demand.« – Gordon Reyner
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I will update if the Telegraph crusade continues.
Here’s one, as I mentioned above that journalists mainly report when THEIR OWN pocket is affected, an insider allegedly shared that Pret send thousands of pounds worth of sandwiches to the Telegraph to appease the series of anti-Pret reports.
Vie Twitter/X:
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For more recent press articles on Pret’s dodgy dealings, please see: Bad Press for Bad Pret.
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Upfront: To the WordPress staff member who is paid to check every new blog post and report anything to Pret (incl. Clive Schlee), here’s a new one for you:
… “did that at an absolute pace” … Pace as in 60 seconds?
Maybe years ago, Pano Christou, it felt or was like you went on social media at an absolute pace. But your social media accounts either retired like your mentor did, or they quit like so many of your staff?
Pret’s X/Twitter handle @Pret hasn’t posted ANY original post since 2023. And as a side note, Pano Christou blocked me back in 2018 and deleted his Twitter account precisely on 01.07.2019 when Clive’s “retirement” was announced and I tagged the press in regarding Pano’s Twitter account.
Scroll down to the screenshots of where Pano Christou blocked me in 2018. THAT was the BEST thing he did on Twitter!
Pret’s Facebook handle is scarce of engagement compared to 5+ years ago.
Instagram is doing so-so, except for the pro-Hamas boycott comments and subscription-paid “influencers”.
Pret’s Tik-Tok went to sleep …
And do I have to mention Threads.net? Where are you there Panocchio?
But I understand that you/Pret get current and former HQ staff to comment on social media as “customers”, I know them! 😀
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Any other lies you want to get off your chest while speaking to non-challenging “journalists” who sit crouched down in front of you while you feel like a trail-blazing “giant”, Panocchio?
There’s a man sitting bend down in front of you saying “wow” in false intimidation, barely looking up to you because you are so self-assured, while your staff show you the finger. Your managers say of you that you have too much of an ego. That’s THE picture of a delusional Pret A Manger and their CEO(s).
Video: (Any chance you don’t have a monologue where you love hearing yourself talk? And any chance you have the courage to speak to a journalist who asks tough questions and doesn’t swallow your bullsh!t?)
I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Transman and activist Scott Newgent has put out an invitation or challenge, however people want to call it, to debate transwoman India Willoughby on live TV after the huge online debacle on X/Twitter, in particular Willoughby’s obsessive aggression towards JK Rowling. I won’t link to anything as this can be easily found, also via The Telegraph and other news outlets from yesterday (02.04.2024).
I usually don’t write anything outside of my Pret A Manger “activism”, but occasionally cover some issues non-Pret related that I find important. To avoid long Twitter posts, I want to put some info here for Scott Newgent who deserves space on my blog.
Scott’s X/Twitter handle is @NotScottNewgent (ignore the “Not”, it IS his handle and had me confused at first if it was a parody account).
He is one of the most important voices against child sex transitioning and has featured on Matt Walsh’s documentary “What is a Woman“.
I will from now on refer to India Willoughby simply as W. as I don’t want to give more full mention to this person on my blog.
Scott is American and doesn’t know much about W. When debating, KNOW your opponent/debating partner, like studying the opponent of a sports team.
I never knew who W. was until this whole aggression, and especially when I researched Kellie-Jay Keen aka The Posie Parker who is on the receiving end of male aggression, even physical attacks for simply speaking out for women’s rights and children’s safety.
I want to put a few short clips on Interviews/appearances of W. and the tactic W. uses.
From what I observed, W.’s tactic is playing victim and then going on the attack, and never let the opponent speak. Piers Morgan in my opinion would not be a good host/moderator, because the whole program would just turn into a shouting contest.
Julia Hartley-Brewer (@JuliaHB1) of Talk TV will be a better choice in my opinion as she doesn’t take nonsense or shouting contests. But I understand that Piers Morgan has an international reach and huge platform while Julia HB. has a smaller and mainly UK platform, I get that. But a “proper” debate is difficult with Piers Morgan.
W. doesn’t like to debate women live, and that includes transmen. W. only likes to BLOCK everyone and go for high profile people like JKR with the support of W.’s minions.
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The following is for Scott Newgent
… for research to show some important clips among the sea of videos to see the pattern in W.’s “debating” style. I copy YouTube spots STRAIGHT TO the parts to not waste time and you can decide if to watch the whole interview. And should W. or the minions read my blog post here and decide to shut me down, be my guest, I don’t give a sh!t on attacks and aggressive scare tactics. I care about women’s rights and children’s safety, and FACTS, and TRUTH! And I know my rights and am NOT scared on police knocking at my door! I KNOW what police can and cannot do.
W. was an unknown (to me) news anchor/TV moderator before identifying as a woman.
A few weeks ago there were still VIDEOS of W. (formerly Jonathan Willoughby) reading news and field reporting on YouTube as a man before transitioning. W. must have RECENTLY requested for all videos to be deleted as I can’t find ANY, since X blew up with his aggressive posts towards JKR.
Here just one picture from Pinterest/ITV/Daily Mail:
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But from what I saw in the videos, W. was a regular and to me mediocre, normal TV person reporting on local issues, nothing special, no major or outstanding journalistic feature.
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Some important clips:
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DRAMA on MISGENDERING
W. in the Celeb. Big Brother house having regular meltdowns because WOMEN don’t cater to W.’s male tantrums. W. is working hard to take over the whole house/thoughts/speech/spotlight and many of women walk on egg shells. Just click play blow, all videos I posted start at the exact spots I mention.
Another clip from BB House where W. cannot stop being a drama queen and no amount of apologiing for misgendering will do. I’m actually sick to my stomach how most women feel intimidated and on egg shells, catering to this narcissist.
In other words Scott, there is NO AMOUNT of EVIDENCE that you can bring to convince W. It is NOT about truth or justice or rights for W. It is about NARCISSISM and attention for W.
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CONFLICTING MESSAGES however it suits W.
W. has changed the stance over the years where W. emphasised to be “trans”, but now demands to be seen as a biological woman. Short clip with Julia Hartley-Brewer:
That’s why in my opinion Julia Hartley-Brewer is a better choice to Piers Morgan, because she is assertive and doesn’t budge.
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PLAYING MEEK and UNABLE TO DEBATE A STRONG WOMAN
Here, years ago W., is playing the meek little victim and is behaving nicely, next to mighty woman KJK (The Posie Parker from #LetWomenSpeak) who’s constantly challenged by the TV hosts (who now left this mainstream morning show). I just skip to the last bit where KJK stands her ground and shuts W. down with statistics. Look at the body language of W. after KJK comes back with statistics and KNOWS that KJK has a point:
Rachel Johnson (former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s sister) saying how W. sucked the air out of the house. And that’s W.’s MAIN tactic, TO WEAR YOU OUT!!!
I won’t link to the many TV appearances, especially years ago, but W. wants nothing more than to appear on NATIONAL television. That’s why Megyn Kelly might NOT be a good idea to host a debate between Scott and W. as it would give W. a massive U.S. platform. I do hope that Megyn interviews Scott on his own.
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WITHHOLDING INFO FROM POTENTIAL SEXUAL PARTNERS
(An absolute no-go in my opinion!!!)
Here in an interview with transwoman Kellie Maloney (boxing manager) where Kellie finds it vital to TELL a potential sexual partner that she is trans, while W. doesn’t find it important to reveal being trans to a potential sexual partner, something Blaire White also finds important to tell immediately and not hide that fact, as hiding it can also be dangerous. This also shows in my opinion further how nasty W. is.
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W. claims to not be “brave enough to take that TACTIC …” Why mentioning “tactic” here? It’s NOT a tactic to speak truth when you care about someone! TACTIC is to NOT tell people!!!
And many other clips, but the above I find the most telling and I didn’t bother to look further after these, as I find that life is too short to give too much time to an entitled, attention seeking misogynist like this. JKR was RIGHT when she listed all the men who bulldoze over women’s rights to finish her list mentioning W. as “last but least”!
And as a little side note / ending, the term “misgender” isn’t even in the dictionary despite the trans cult claiming trans issues are very old. I take notes when I watch especially Helen Joyce, and my spell check doesn’t recognise “misgender”.
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I want to end with a funny video I found on X by a gay man who posted it with the text along the lines of, “Me, a gay man trying to have a debate with someone from the trans cult”. I can’t find the X account who posted it, but will update when/if I find it. But I laughed tears watching this. Spot on! (The langage people said is Portuguese?)
But THIS is what having a “debate” with W. especially on Piers Morgan would be like.
Thank you for all you do Scott, but please don’t waste your time too much on W. You need all the oxygen for your projects and for people who are WILLING to SEE reality and rights for ALL people.
I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and what Shop Managers and HQ Staff say about Pret and their leadership. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review and was mentioned by the BBC.
Upfront, the Samaritans social media team on Facebook blocked me after I pointed out the below in a much shorter text. So far to how much they really care. And no, I wasn’t rude or used any swear words.
Also at the bottom of this page about the poor scoring on Trustpilot. Here’s just one of many reviews, and then it makes sense why Samaritans “recruit” members of the public:
Important UPDATE April 2024 at the bottom of this post HOW the Smaritans started.
UPDATE 14. August 2024:
“Sexual harassment against women and girls up 50% on British railways”
UPDATE 2025: Trustpilot reviews at the very bottom of this page. 80% (1 & 2 star reviews combined) disapprove of Samaritans. When I saw the percentage, I thought I accidentally went on the Pret A Manger Trustpilot reviews as they also have 73% disapproval rate.
Poor quality Audio Version via “AI” conversion. Apologies for the lack of crisp quality. This is for people with visual impairment where “AI” programs can’t read screenshots. I briefly explain via audio what the videos and photos show. Please note, the audio is NOT updated with any of the text updates here.
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The Samaritans together with Network Rail and Transport Police have brought out an ad campaign to prevent suicide. The way they’re doing this had me shocked and many women and some men outraged on Twitter/X.
Four such ads appeared in a row within days. The slogan is “Small-talk saves lives” under the hashtag #SmallTalkSavesLives.
There are SO MANY issues with this ad.
They want the PUBLIC who are NOT trained in mental health and even in such serious mental health condition of suicidal ideation to take it amongst themselves to “save a life”.
They ONLY use women to initiate “small talk” with complete strangers on railway or underground platforms.
They want people to ASSUME that someone is suicidal who might look sad or just look however.
They are guilt-tripping, in this case especially women, into feeling bad if someone might be suicidal and the woman didn’t initiate “small talk”.
All my red flags went up when I first saw the ad on X. And as someone on the other side of this, struggling with suicidal thoughts at times, I am appalled!
In the UK, especially in London, attacks and sexual assaults have increased, EVEN in broad daylight on trains and stations etc. And yet, Samaritans, Police and Rail company want WOMEN to approach complete strangers to start a conversation.
One, you can tell that MEN must have been behind that ad. EVERY woman has at one point or another been sexually assaulted, often since childhood and repeatedly. And they know that! Although the CEO is female and the lead psychologist coming up with this ad is also female. It’s the way women are raised.
Two, these men who run the ad campaign, and especially money-saving railway and police want women again to do the heavy lifting and emotional labour.
Three, and even worse, they want UNTRAINED people to deal with extreme mental health crisis of strangers.
And four, to do this with “small talk”!
I struggle with suicidal thoughts. It has become much less, but it is always at the back of my mind! Small-talk is THE LAST thing I want. I never liked small-talk to begin with! And I certainly won’t want a stranger, especially a man to approach me doing small-talk during a mental health crisis! Let alone a woman approach a man!
Also, many people just look tired or sad, after all we live in a busy city. But for the Samaritans to want people to assume someone is suicidal and strike up a conversation is horrendous. I often look sad, even before my brother died I had a serious look on my face because I’m a thinker! People often commented on my serious looking face. I’d be so offended if I was NOT suicidal and someone assumes this and then starts a chitter-chatter!
This ad campaign feels like a lazy cop-out by mental health services as the NHS is overstretched, to “employ” free mental health workers who are NOT qualified, and then to approach strangers. And they appeal mainly to women to do the work!
I am absolutely appalled. And since the comments on X went through the roof, Samaritans have added a post 4 days later adding that people should call 999 if they’re not comfortable. Well, dah!
I and many others have appealed to Samaritans to drop the ad, or at least use MEN to talk to MEN!!!
“Small talk can take lives”!
Here are the examples, with the last video being THE WORST ad I’ve ever seen on any subject!
The first one is, again, women pampering men in the name of free treatment to “save a life”! My stomach’s turning! And please know this is not an anti-men blog post! I’m neither gay nor anti-men, and I know there are more good men in the world than the creeps who fill the news! I love men, I appreciate men, I feel good around great men! This is about the coercion of females and their empathy again.
“Something didn’t feel right. … Just that one little bit of positive small talk and it can go so far.” Yep, it can go so far! It can get you raped or killed! Women are told to FEEL something and make assumptions to approach men to chat!
Really? People sit in a nail salon telling the staff they feel/felt suicidal? And then some small-talk does the trick?
How much did those ad campaigns, especially the videos with actors cost??
And the absolute worst and DANGEROUS ad, telling women to “trust your instincts” while in reality gaslighting them to OVER-RIDE / IGNORE / QUESTION their instincts! Link to the video below as well.
In case Samaritans delete the video, here’s another LINK.
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REMINDER
Sexual and other assaults on women and girls on railway and tube has increased by 50% in the last 2-3 years. It has DOUBLED!
And this is only on public transport!!! We don’t know what the numbers are on the street and behind closed doors.
The stastistic is NOT that male suicides on railway and tube is up by 50%, but assault on females. WHERE are the campaigns for men to step up and look out for women’s safety instead of being SPECTATORS while women get raped and assaulted?! Because we live in a porn sick society, where porn and prostitution has been normalised.
Shame on Samaritans, Network Rail, and unsurprisingly Police for the lazy and money-saving aim to coerce women to approach men and play saviour again!
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I say it again, women are being told to “trust their instincts” while in reality being coerced to IGNORE / OVER-RIDE their instincts and approach complete strangers on a train platform for small talk!
One guy on X tried to guilt-trip me, and make me responsible if a man dies by suicide. I responded that I’d rather hurt his (the X poster’s) feelings than endanger my life. I made it very clear that if I think he or someone is about to end their life, I WILL call for help!
I will NOT, as a lone woman on a platform close to the edge start “small talk” with a man who looks sad or tired or whatever! I will look for staff, call mental health service or even police depending on the situation! ! ! !
But I will NOT approach a stranger to start a conversation! It is NOT my job to be the saviour of strangers and make assumptions about someone’s mental health state! ! ! !
What’s also so appalling in the ad is that behind the “assumed” suicidal man is a MALE staff member with orange vest! But it’s the woman who is implored to talk to the man!
I raised this with Network Rail saying that this is clever to manipulate people to think you’re not alone and there’s staff close by! I NEVER see ANY staff on platforms anymore!!! And then, why is the trained staff member not implored to speak to the man?!
It’s clear why! Women are being lured into danger at worst, or to do the heavy lifting in emotional labour at best.
I say it loud and unashamed, do NOT approach a stranger on a platform, but call for help! End of!
I speak openly about my struggles to take the sting out and release the “mystery” of such horrible thoughts to lighten the pain.
I wrote a blog post years ago briefly linking to helplines that have helped me personally:
One tweet gave the CORRECT approach and it’s appalling that Samaritans want women to approach strangers assuming severe mental health issues. Help someone as a group.
And Samaritans are hiding comments from people, as well as having blocked me on Facebook.
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Three things:
This is a man dealing with a young lad. Although women can do of course, BUT
He worked in a team.
With a signaller, everyone looking out for each other including for the young lad.
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THAT’S how you do it!!! No “small-talk”, no woman approaching a guy ALONE! Shame on Samaritans and Network Rail, and I’m not even surprised that British Transport Police endorse this. I don’t expect anything from police with their record of corruption, misogyny, violence against women etc. etc.!
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Also someone on social media pointing out that suicide is not only due psychosocial reasons.
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And someone else quoted CEO pay. How can a CEO of a MENTAL HEALTH CHARITY get almost the same pay than the Prime Minister of the UK or the President of the USA??
And funds go into media and ads and executives, while the frontline hard work is done by UNPAID volunteers!!! Also, voluteers have NO labour rights under the law like paid workers have. This is all backwards!
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I question the motives of the Samaritans leadership, and I lived long enough to know that for Network Rail (companies) etc. it’s all about money. We live in a world where FREE labour (volunteer work) and low wages are normalised. So, let the public, and especially women, do all the work for free. Appalling!
Now, we mature women see this bullsh!t ad for what it is, aiming to appeal at female empathy, but imagine a teenage girl or even a woman in her 20s seeing such an ad, and them knowing how women’s empathy is being tapped into! She takes this on and assumes she can or “HAS TO” save a man who stands there staring into air! FFS! Women are drilled from childhood on to submit, to shush, to serve, to save! And they know that very well. And many women, like the CEO and the lead psychologist cater to this as well.
If you don’t read anything else, please read the following review by an ex-Samaritan volunteer!!!
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Female volunteers are STILL coached to go along with sex calls! (Please see infobelow n the “Brenda” line).
Reading these reviews by callers and volunteers alike, it’s very clear that Samaritans TARGET women to save orplease men! Shame on them. These “services” need massive investigation and change!
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To give UNPAID volunteers SUCH serious, difficult, degrading line of work is not only unfair, but cruel and unethical!
And to any volunteer of any charity, please KNOW that no charity can demand you to commit to work!!! They can only demand PAID employees with a contract, but not unpaid volunteers. Volunteer have NO rights and also cannot be forced to commit.
Here just a few of the many horror news on women being pushed unto traintracks or women being raped, sexually assaulted on trains, platforms in broad daylight. I only link to the news without showing pictures. Yes, this is done to men as well, but we all know the statistics of more violence against women by men than vice versa.
It’s the same with vans, I stay away from vans with open door. If I’m called over and asked to help someone get something in or out of a van or car, I decline and respond to ask a shop or men or whatever. Again, I’d rather hurt someone’s feelings than endanger myself.
Not to mention that a predator can pretend to be mentally distressed to lure women in. We already fight against men suddenly identifying as women to get into women’s prisons, women’s sports, women’s toilets, locker rooms, hospital wards etc. etc. And Samaritans want to lure women and girls to save a man via small-talk! Absolute irresponsible sh!t show!
It just seems that the war on women is in full swing. Women have become too independent, strong, self-sufficient, have opinions, leadership etc. they want to rein women in again! We need to fight over and over not just for new rights, but to not lose the hard-fought rights women and men achieved years ago.
And we women know that when we just even smile at a stranger, some men take this as a hint. Let alone strike up a conversation!
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UPDATE 2025 – The above comment is shown in black and white on a Pret A Manger Twitter comment by a pastor who assumed he was “hit on” by a female staff member because she smiled at him. For one, I educated him that Pret staff HAVE TO smile, or no-one gets bonus, and 2. the fact that some men take a smile, let alone initiation of small-talk as a hint …nothing more to say.
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The following is only in the UK, I can’t be bothered to include other countries:
December 2023 during the MORNING commute: “A woman was raped on the London Underground in front of other passengers. Why did no one intervene?” (Maybe because too many men are addicted to porn and see assaults like this as normal? Every onlooker’s hard-drive should be checked as well as judges who give lenient sentences to rapists and paedophiles!)
And yes, crimes happen to men too, and women too commit crimes, but we all know that violent and sexual crimes are predominantly committed by men against women and children. And the appalling way judges, the media etc. cater to violent rapists who quickly identify as women to get lenient sentencing and go to women’s prisons, these rapist are called “she/her” in court to put crimes on women! Absolutely fed up with this!
And before anyone says I’m transphobic, fnck right off! I love and support transman Buck Angel, transwoman Blaire White and many others, both who get a lot of backlash, even death threats for speaking sense into this madness! So, try your BS somewhere else!
Sexual and other assaults on women and girls on railway and tube has increased by 50% in the last 2-3 years. It has DOUBLED!
And this is only on public transport!!! We don’t know what the numbers are on the street and behind closed doors.
The stastistic is NOT that male suicides on railway and tube is up by 50%, but assault on females. WHERE are the campaigns for men to step up and look out for women’s safety instead of being SPECTATORS while women get raped and assaulted?! Because we live in a porn sick society, where porn and prostitution has been normalised.
Shame on Samaritans, Network Rail, and unsurprisingly Police for the lazy and money-saving aim to coerce women to approach men and play saviour again!
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Some of the many comments, these are just some of my favourites, hitting the nail on the head. Emotional blackmail in full swing!
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THIS is my favourite comment, SPOT ON observation!
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And many, many, many more. You can look those up on Twitter/X. I cannot keep doing such long blog posts. I think people get the message. Speak to your friends, colleagues, especially female, to truly trust their instincts and NOT over-ride them!
The outcry by mainly women but also several men has led Samaritans to update with the following:
Sexual and other assaults on women and girls on railway and tube has increased by 50% in the last 2-3 years. It has DOUBLED!
And this is only on public transport!!! We don’t know what the numbers are on the street and behind closed doors.
The stastistic is NOT that male suicides on railway and tube is up by 50%, but assault on females. WHERE are the campaigns for men to step up and look out for women’s safety instead of being SPECTATORS while women get raped and assaulted?! Because we live in a porn sick society, where porn and prostitution has been normalised.
Shame on Samaritans, Network Rail, and unsurprisingly Police for the lazy and money-saving aim to coerce women to approach men and play saviour again!
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But the outcry remains, and people continue to raise their voice for Samaritans to drop the ad or use men to talk to men, in groups!
Do NOT approach a stranger to strike up a conversation / small talk, especially not as women towards men! ALWAYS call for help if you think something’s wrong! And leave the mental health heavy lifting to the professionals.
If you have suicidal friends/family member, and I have burdened many friends, especially in a drunken state, you did the right thing to continue giving mental health links. Don’t abandon the friendship if you can, but you did and do the right thing to call for or point to professionals.
Thank you.
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UPDATE April 2024
As I still inform people, especially women on social media on the horrible “Smalltalk” ads, I was linked to an excellent exposé by a blogger who did amazing research into the founder of the Samaritans. PLEASE READ!
UPDATE April 2025 – I just found this interview. I had a hunge that a psychologist is behind this ad campaign. And unfortunately a female psychologist who, as many women do, throw other women under the bus. No thought about the dangers, maybe she was protected all her life.
Quote: “We spoke to Dr Lisa Marzano, lead psychologist behind the campaign, who works with the Samaritans Media Advisory Team, and previously British Transport Police, on training staff in helping suicidal people.”
On training STAFF!!!!! But she’s behind the ad campaign guilt-tripping members of the public, especially women to do this work! Appalling!
Hoping for an undercover journalist to go undercover as a volunteer. And for anyone saying reviews are fake, many people on Trustpilot leave reviews under their name and have a mix of positive and negative reviews on organisations. If people are happy, why should they leave a fake negative review?
But I am very weary of “charities”. It’s always about funding once these organisations grow.
Samaritans score April 2025:
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And the mental health charity Mind, of whom I read someone doing what I do with Pret, calling out systemic workplace bullying within the charity have 95% bad scores on Trustpilot (1 & 2 star reviews combined). If a journalist can go undercover into these “charities”. There’s something really really wrong here.
I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
Sexual and other assaults on women and girls on railway and tube has increased by 50% in the last 2-3 years. It has DOUBLED!
And this is only on public transport!!! We don’t know what the numbers are on the street and behind closed doors.
The stastistic is NOT that male suicides on railway and tube is up by 50%, but assault on females. WHERE are the campaigns for men to step up and look out for women’s safety instead of being SPECTATORS while women get raped and assaulted?! Because we live in a porn sick society, where porn and prostitution has been normalised.
Shame on Samaritans, Network Rail, and unsurprisingly Police for the lazy and money-saving aim to coerce women to approach men and play saviour again!
UPDATE 18. July 2024 The Pret subscription saga continues with Pret now scrapping the “free” drinks and trying to convince customers that it’s a good deal.
Some bad press on Pret recently which has increased since 2018, partly due to my blog and communicating with journalists, and also the customer deaths and injuries which has shook the public as everyone fell for Pret’s “ethical” facade.
Upfront, someone from WordPress is checking every post I put out as Pret must have complained about me. So, someone is always checking what I put out. As WordPress claim they honour free speech and free press, they found a compromise for Pret, and moved my blog into the “adult” section where they host porn sites. This means that every WordPress user who is logged in and does a search within the “reader” section on anything regarding Pret, can NOT find my blog.
Of course I raised this with WP but they only come with bogus reasons. I am still looking into moving my blog completely to a new host as I pay for my blog and have my free speech restricted within WordPress.
I want to post one article here from 2013 that I wish I read when I worked in Pret then. It remains my absolute favourite press article about Pret for several reason. One, it’s so bloody well researched and written. But mainly because it was written in 2013 when NO journalist dared to look deeper into, let alone write critically about Pret. It was a time of Pret’s high life and extreme favour with the public AND the press. Them days are over now! 6 years ago when I started to write publicly about Pret, hardly anyone believed me. Now it’s much more common knowledge and it’s time that the Pret facade is cracked substantially.
Timothy Noah remains hands-down my favourite journalist in regards to Pret.
I list a few more great articles about the psychological “abuse” as I call it with other journalists articles in The Dangers of Emotional Labour and how it affects not only the mental health of workers, but morale, addiction, how it hurts even physically and financially.
Some bad press that are worth mentioning. There is more, but I keep it with the recent ones and try to keep it as short as possible (yeah, right!). Not sure if I’ll update, depending on the severity of a scandal Pret manage to create.
A recent article in the iPaper which I really recommend about the “master cup”. I’ve seen this during very busy coffee rushes even before the coffee subscription. The journalist is throwing a little word-play in there which you normally see with Daily Mail, Metro etc.:
Pret are forced to refund “some genuine” customers after the new app keeps failing customers their drinks. BUT I explain how Pret WILL trick customers.
“Pret refunds subscribers after crackdown on free coffee backfires”
Link (Sidenote: Some news outlets STILL use the old image with “natural” food despite Pret being banned in 2018 from using this on their marketing).
If you’re affected you need to demand a FULL refund and AFTER the refund demand for your data to be deleted if you do not wish to have the subscription and/or app.
Pret will try EVERYTHING to NOT refund and keep customers bound to the subscription. Do NOT trust Pret!!!
And, it’s funny how journalists feel “vindicated” to have known all along how Pret’s subscription is a rip off, ignoring that I’ve been writing this since Pret started the subin September 2020 😉
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»Oh, how delicious it is to be proven right. A little under a year ago, I cancelled my Pret subscription after I was struck with the lightning bolt realisation that the chain was using my own caffeine addiction to rip me off. I haven’t had a coffee from Pret ever since.«
How delicious it is to be proven right? Tell me that since May 2018 😉
My “Pret’s Continued Coffee Subscription Rip-Off” post from January 2021 is still one of THE MOST read articles on my blog, especially by journalists. It emboldened journalists to more freely criticise Pret now compared to years ago where they were kissing up to Pret non-stop (except Timothy Noah).
And as usual, journalists MAINLY write a critical article about Pret when THEY themselves are affected as customers. Hardly independent journalism there. No care whatsoever what current and former staff say. Who cares about low-wage workers who are VITAL in customer servoce and the food and drnk these journalists put in their stomachs which these burnt-out, often depressed, some alcoholic workers TOUCH.
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Further regarding the coffee subscription, which is now Pret’s MAIN product and staff are penalised if they don’t push/mention it to customers:
I wrote a brief post about HOW Pret make profit via the subscription and the countless complaints from the early days of the subscription launch in September 2020:
In the next article, it’s always interesting when journalists say Pret is “becoming” a scandal when it comes to prices and their pockets. More and more customers stopped going to Pret due to the prices, yet, these same customers don’t give a toss that Pret IGNORED two customer deaths and multiple injuries UNTIL this became public. It’s always when it comes to money that people, even journalists are outraged.
An EXCELLENT article in the Financial Times which kickstarted the press writing more about Pret’s prices and quality. But this FT article really takes a good look at Pret’s claim on inflation etc.
The Spectator: “How Pret ate itself”, which is only one part in the article of a series of businesses in trouble, but Pret as usual serve as clickbait.
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Some snippets of the Spectator article:
»But the success story has gradually soured, one bad piece of PR following another.«
And mid to end of April 2024 The Telegraph whipped out a series of anti-Pret articles, leading Pret to send them thousands of pounds worth of food to appease the Telegraph’s “wrath”. JAB Holdings who own Pret also reshuffled and brought back RE-co-founder Sinclair Beecham, who already pumped money into Pret during the pandemic, to keep them afloat. Beecham is brought back supposedly to help expand Pret, although I have the suspicion that the REAL reason is because CEO Pano Christou simply doesn’t cope as he is already busy flying around the world expanding while UK shops are in shambles.
And Beecham’s return to Pret is like Rishi Sunak bringing back former PM David Cameron. And in typical Pret fashion, they say they bring Beecham back to expand Pret, while in reality Pret are in £700 million debt and Beecham has to save the day.
Julian Metcalfe is close buddy with former Pret CEO Clive Schlee whom he gave the CEO spot years ago. Schlee also owns half of itsu. My hunge is that Schlee and Metcalfe are is p!ssed off with how current CEO Pano Christou is sinking Pret. Yet, Schlee run Pret into an iceberg in the first place. NEVER forget how Schlee and his then right-hand man Pano Christou as UK Managing Director ignored TWO customer deaths and ober 20 injuries (that we know of) BEFORE this became public. We staff didn’t even know! And Pret went business as usual while selling themselves to the public as ethical, caring and trail blazers. Never forget that!
Do some research on their bullsh!t slogan “Be Kind – Be Generous – Be Honest” or “Pret, doing the right thing naturally” and many other bullcrap slogans.
And Julian Metcalfe being Julian Metcalfe, he runs his mouth in the press while ALSO having complaints on his itsu app on social media. 😀
There’s a saying in Germany that goes like, “Schadenfreude ist die beste Freude”.
And Karma’s a bitch!
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A few older reports:
There is more, but I keep it as short as possible.
Pret being naughty again and mess with staff data:
Please note that the legal system in the USA is different to that in the UK. More staff sue Pret in the USA than the UK as the court system is more balanced and looks after the small guy more than the UK. And the payouts when staff win is bigger in the USA than the UK, therefore the lawyers take on cases more in the USA than UK. I speak form own experience when I went to Tribunal against Pret, but I withdrew when my dad died. I had no legal help as no-one was interested to take it on, due to the small payouts if I’d won.
And the recent scandal of a staff trapped in a walk-in freezer, leading to a £800,000 fine down from £1.6 million as Pret pled guilty early on. There’s a separate civil claim, but knowing Pret, they probably already settled out of court and had the staff sign a NDA as we don’t hear anything anymore.
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I was contacted as I often am by Pret staff who leak issues to me that I leak to the press. One such contact was after Pret for the 2. time in 2022 delayed paying staff under dodgy reasons. I completely forgot at the time that Pret did that before, in around 2012 when I worked at Pret. I even went around to my colleagues offering to lend them money as some became panicked to not be able to pay bills. I was a team leader on a bit higher pay and had saving. LITTLE did I know that this was NOT a payroll mistake, but can see now that this is a pattern.
And this was under former CEO Clive Schlee, the “Ronald McDonald” clown of Pret who’s job it was to fool everyone with a big friendly smiley facade. Almost ALL journalists were in Pret’s pocket believing Pret to be such an ethical company, including the Guardian’s Sarah Butler, who has now woken up since I tag her in or email her with Pret issues.
But Clive Schlee used to follow her on Twitter and she was fooled by him like everybody. I guess he thought that if he as the big cheese of Pret follows certain journalists, he’d flatter them with his following.
And then, little me came along and told a different story of the real Pret.
I WISH I kept the email from 2012 that the payroll staff sent to all shops apologizing and even saying something like “I never felt so sick to my stomach” close to vomiting to have forgotten or made a mistake to pay THOUSANDS of already low-wage workers!
And this reflects on shop managers who always cheat towards the end of a quarter to get more bonus. They cheat especially with staff hours. EVERY week I had to check my pay if I was paid the correct hours worked. I had to constantly go to my managers shop after shop that they forgot an hour here or two hours there. This is NOT a mistake! Do this every week to several staff and you see how it adds up. It’s another form of wage theft hard to prove as they claim to have “forgotte” to pay the hour here and there.
I had a spreadsheet at home and noted down how long I worked to the 15 minutes! Many don’t do that and don’t realise how they are cheated out of days, even weeks of the amount hours over years. Pret also like to keep the first week wages worked when people leave. When you start at Pret, your first pay comes after week two. They did that to me keeping a week’s pay, but I noticed only a year later.
Pret keep staff so busy and burnt-out that staff have no nerve or strength to 1. check their hours and 2. chase after it. Again, scumbags of a company!
To my knowledge from own experience in 2012-ish and then via the contact of TWO pay delays within a few months, this is now the THIRD time Pret “borrow” money from staff! This happens close to the end of the quarter where the higher up execs get their brownie points which later translates into millions in bonus. The more money they save towards the quarter, the more bonus they get. These scumbags!
I vividly remember the panic of some team members who lived from pay ceck to pay check hving bills tp pay and/or kids to feed, and me going around to offer money. I was so naive thinking it was a one-off genuine mistake! Absolute scumbags Pret are! And I say it bluntly, Pano Christou is mis-managing Pret big time. He has NO excuse to mishandle so many issues as he’s been with Pret over 20 years. But to me it’s just evidence how bad they really are and it now shows what I’ve been writing since 2018. Pressure, scandals (customer deaths & injuries) and crisis (pandemic, cost of living) always reveals how incapable, even careless and arrogant Pret are.
They got away with customer deaths, they feel invincible now. But price hikes are never forgiven by people. When it comes to money, everybody screams!
Part of the DM I received and emailed CEO Pano Christou with angry words, openly copying journalists in including Sarah Butler from the Guardian who then reported on it:
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Sarah Butler then investigated further and wrote the following article:
I’m not kidding, but i literally teared up when I saw Loose Women presenter Nadia Sawalha give Pret a stern rebuke on her Instagram account. And she has half-a-million followers on Instagram, and more followers on Twitter/X than Pret UK and Pret USA combined have. She has a voice!
She ranted about how it is unacceptable for Pret to cut wages during the pandemic of already low wage staff during “war” time (pandemic). She made a mistake though saying that staff who get £8.91 an hour (in 2021) and Pret wanting to cut more. What happened was that as Pret always pay about 50p above the minimum wage to appear generous in the public, staff earned more than minimum wage but the pay was then cut down TO £8.91 national minimum wage (2021). She just mis-spoke there. But the point stands. And her question if the big guns of Pret also take a cut, I knew they wouldn’t take a cut, but it has been answered a year later by above Sarah Butler’s article.
I gave it its own YouTube slide and watch it sometimes when I despair at “famous” or influential people being silent on how Pret behave, especially when it comes to staff.
She was the only celebrity who spoke out! I watched this again today and still keep tearing up *sniff sniff*! I’m not a hugger by nature but could give her a big hug through the screen! Such mic-drop rebuke! To have such a prominent voice on the side of low-wage staff is nothing short of powerful and kind! 💪 💚
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And of course now in 2024 CEO bonus is £5 million and upwards, plus year on year pay-rise. CEO Pano Christou who’s with Pret over 20 years and was Clive Schlee’s right-hand man, has as his MAIN priority to double Pret in size by 2026 as instructed by the owners, the second richest family in Germany, the Reimanns under JAB Holdings in tax-haven Luxembourg.
But get ready, in April 2024 the government will raise minimum wage again and Pret will again make a big PR move to claim to be so generous to raise wages again. They never mention that they have no choice but ti raise the pay as they’d be breaking the law paying under minimum wage. Give it until March before you see a massive PR stint again.
Christou wants to build his name and legacy as having expanded Pret worldwide while having his head in the sand that Pret’s gone downhill so much so more negative press reports. Also 74% of customers on Trustpilot (1&2 star reviews combined) disapprove of Pret on a variety of issues, many having sworn to never set foot inside Pret again.
The following review I screenshot is from mid 2023 and is just one of many. For people with visual impairment, quote, it starts of in all caps:
“PLEASE DO NOT USE THE APP, it logs you out and locks your banking information for the subscription”.
End of quote.
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Or data breach, quote:
“Mishandling Customer Data
I had a subscription for 3 months over the summer. The products are poor quality & not as described. The customer service also rude. Due to the poor service I asked Pret to delete my data in accordance with GDPR right to be forgotten. An organisation has 30 days to comply. After 6 weeks Pret still not deleted my data even after a warning from the ICO. Avoid this company like the plague!”
End of quote.
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And many more along those lines.
And knowing Pret, they might recruit people to start writing positive reviews to get the numbers up.
It’s also alleged that Pret had someone change the Wikipedia entry to delete the original founder Jeffrey Hyman’s name from Wikipedia.
Last but not least, and even though it’s an older article, but I’m proud to have worked with Mike Powell on two of his BBC reports. He is the only journalist for a major news putlet who mentioned my blog.
Also, see my recentOpen Letter to Tristan Tate, former Pret Barista and Brother of Andrew Tate after he private messaged me.
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
(Please be aware that the player shows 0:00 as WordPress sometimes “messes” with my blog. Just press play or go straight to the interview on Adam’s page).
An AI audio conversion of the text for people with visual impairment or who don’t want to read long text. Please ignore the pronounciation of “manger”. Also, the last few seconds are cut off for some reason. Apologies for the quality.
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Dear mental health team,
my drunken email was my typical way to self-sabotage.
I want for the last explain some things again, even though over explaining doesn’t help.
What I wrote regarding the death cafe last year, I went to 15 – 20 death cafes over the years. Every DC is very different, some small, some big, all incredibly valuable. My first DC back in 2016 when I was in the deepest darkness after my brother died, and in my full ordeal in Pret with the bullying. The DC was with only 2 of us, held by the theatre actress Bella Heesom, who did a one-woman show “My World has Exploded a Little Bit” about the death of her parents, specifically her dad.
After the play she announced the death cafe which sounded weird at first, but at the time I was watching films, theatre plays, listened to music all to do with death, dying and loss. She told me that about 5 people signed up, but only I turned up. Other death cafes were run in a park, in a cafe, in an elderly nursing home, and the biggest one was run in your organisation.
My frustration was when I sat opposite a lady who kept talking and talking and talking, and even telling me that what I was sharing about funerals (from my culture) is “irrelevant” (from the perspective of her culture. I didn’t say anything because people in the group cut in to say that nothing anyone says is “irrelevant”.
But I remember looking over to the blonde staff member L. who sat with the mental health staff R. eating salad and I must have looked visibly annoyed because L. grinned at me as if she realised I was annoyed.
I then asked myself why 2 of the staff who put on the death cafe didn’t partake in the conversation and let a new staff member P. partake, because he’s new?
In all the 15-20 death cafes I visited, every person(s) who put on the death cafe partook in the conversation. I felt it was hypocritical to organise an event to talk about the taboo subject “death” but then not partake in it. Yes, you could say you were gate-keeping for new people who might join, but isn’t there a reception that was manned outside to give instruction in how to join?
Also, for the Christmas lunch there was no-one sitting at the entrance to gate keep, and the lunch was PACKED to its beams.
And speaking of the Christmas lunch, I was informed about it and asked R. twice what time it would be and twice never received a response. I then just turned up before noon. I’m sure it has to do with my email then.
I had an initial membership chat with R. and the intern where I filled in a form with R. I then had 2 – 3 or more brief interactions via email with R. as well as brief talks about organising the tables for the Christmas lunch with R. Roughly about 5 interactions where in emails I was addressed by my name.
In January after the Christmas break I started to go to the mental health service and the first thing R. says to me is “I can’t remember your name”. I remember clearly that I said “bullsh!t” in my head. After several interactions addressing me by my name, sorry, I don’t buy it. Not sure if this was insecurity on her part or wanting to belittle me. The next time when I visited, she said “hi (my name), this time I remember your name” … Again, not sure what all this is about.
And then the incident I explained to A., P., and R. regarding the “controlling” thing just because I was concerned about a member’s heating issues after she told me twice she either doesn’t have heating or she couldn’t sleep because it was so cold.
R. said she couldn’t remember if she said this to P. where I heard it as I left the kitchen, but didn’t deny it either! I accept the apology and the offer for P. to meet me once a week. But for P. who heard what R. said, not making any comments, makes me hesitant to trust anyone.
If a mental health facility doesn’t have a strong policy and zero tolerance on speaking behind people, especially when it comes from staff towards people with mental health problems, and then even knowing what I’ve been through, there is no hope.
I would never be able to feel safe if R. won’t say any subtle things because I raised the issue with the “controlling” situation. I know from experience, especially with Pret, but also a psychiatrist who abused his position and I raised a formal complaint, that when one raises issues, from then on one isn’t safe anymore. Even if that’s just my traumatised “imprisoned” brain thinking. I survived too much to trust again.
I understand I’m full on. The Pret situation might shock, even confuse you. But I put my cards on the table, am transparent so people know why I am so all over the place mentally. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I’d ever PUBLICLY call out a multi-billion dollar company, let alone so substantially. I do this to distract myself from the losses and trauma, and to raise awareness of unsafe practices AND because I lmost took my life in Pret.
Recently when we spoke about the cost of living and going on the computer to look up support, R. joined me, even though it’s very clear that I know how to use the computer and do searches.
But R. mentioned her mum who is in high age living with R. at home. Again, I felt that’s a good way to rub it in that my mum died and I couldn’t bury her during 2. lockdown. I also told R. together with A. and P. that my mum had a carer and I had to fly home when her neighbours informed me that the carer wasn’t helping.
Maybe R. tried to make me feel bad that I couldn’t care for my mum at home? If that was the case, I don’t feel bad, because I cared for my mum since I’m 8 years old, and was even in the process to move back to Germany to live with my mum, but we got a carer for the interim time where I sort things out in the UK.
It triggered the whole Lila Warren situation, the development manager who was tasked by Pret to gaslight me so they could fire me after I declined Pret’s money for signing an NDA. Lila was tasked to give me a disciplinary for emailing. But she then entered into emailing and text messaging for which she gave me a disciplinary in the first place.
She lied to me that she also had a brother who died alone in his apartment and wasn’t found for days, just like my brother. All me stupid for believing her, but I was severely traumatized. You could have told me that an elephant barks like a dog, and I would have believed you. I was on autopilot working, but severely traumatized and under shock.
Needless to say, I got fired. Lila Warren still has her job because she and the Pret executive are thick as thieves. She is an NLP practitioner, a Hypnotherapist and at the time she interacted with me studied to become a psychotherapist.
As she was studying one day she sent me a Whatsapp message with a photo of a page she was reading for her psychology studies. On that page (see below) she highlighted in yellow a few things she was reading regarding people with trauma etc.
Part of it in a lesson called “script” what patients predict from past experiences, it says, quote: “The ending of my story will be to die sad and alone”. She sent me this photo of the page via Whatsapp with the words, “I’m just reading this and it made me think of you”.
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It was a big, massive swing at my trauma with how my brother died alone in his apartment. In hindsight I know she sent this to throw me off course so that I drink and write horrible emails again, and therefore get fired, like it was the plan of Pret. And she succeeded. But, after I raised a complaint with the National Hypnotherapy Society for her abusive way to misuse her psychology studies, since then I can’t find her entry anymore at the site anymore. I have a screenshot of Lila’s National Hypnotherapy Society profile on my blog post “Questions to Lila Tighilt Warren”after I researched her name. I don’t know if they kicked her out after interacted with their “Public Protection Officer” as she’s not on there anymore. And maybe also due to all the complaints staff and customers raise about Pret. And the fact Pret neither sue me nor respond to my writings as it would open a can of worms for Pret with the press and the public, might hint to the society that I didn’t make it all up. Apart from that, I still have all the Whatsapp texts and emails from her which I passed on to the society.
But when R. mentioned her mum, that she is in high age living with her, I can’t help but think it was a swing at my situation having lost my mum and maybe trying to make me feel bad that I couldn’t live with my mum.
I don’t feel bad at all. I have done everything in my power to let my mum have the best latter time in life, and the pandemic and lockdowns crossed that out! My mum deteriorated very fast, partly my brother’s death still heavy on her and past issues as a child coming back strong in memories. Every 3 months when I flew over, she seemed a different person. The carer later mentioned how quickly she deteriorated within a year.
I sent to you all the ITV series “Sticks and Stones” to explain how systematic workplace bullying works in all its subtle forms. I never felt in any way weird with A. or P. or any of the members. But I read gaslighting very well now.
And I cannot be in a mental health facility that does not understand trauma or where a staff member feels too insecure to deal with strong personalities. I don’t know. Sure, you are no psychologists, you could give that excuse, but you work with people with mental health issues.
I explained what happened to me so you can understand why I am so whacked and how I am recovering. And surely I over-explained. But I will always over-explain. This helps to show people who really care or who are annoyed EARLY on.
But I lost all my trust in health facilities, hospitals, nursing homes, mental health clubs etc. Anything in an organisation that is supposed to help any type of health aspect. I have no confidence in anymore.
If the aim was to make me insecure, that didn’t work. But it DID work for me to stop coming as I won’t be able to trust. For P. to see me every week would also trigger the Lila Warren issue as she spied on me for Pret to find the right time to get me fired. I wouldn’t be able to trust anyone to not backstab me again, or to say subtle things to hurt me.
I’m unable to work and even volunteer because any issue to do with backbiting, talking bad or even lies about others triggers a tsunami of Pret issues. Where I used to have things roll off my back like a ducks back or was long suffering, I don’t even have thin skin anymore, I lost my skin completely and am bare bone.
The “Sticks and Stones” series shows so realistically how gaslighting works, how the person being targeted cannot put his finger on the issue until he got the evidence,and similar with my issue with Pret. Or after I was contacted by Tristan Tate, the brother of Andrew Tate who both have to defend the claims now of sex human trafficking. When I researched that issue further, I saw an interview where Tristan Tate was asked by Piers Morgan if it’s true that their father told them when they were boys that men need to hit women in such a way that no bruises show.
Open violence, or subtle workplace bullying where “bruises” don’t show, or where the victim doesn’t have evidence to point to a specific action/word until they’re so broken down and confused, they give up. I outed Tristan’s DM to me (NOT showing his text, but just paraphrasing his arrogant words) in an “open letter” to him as he and his brother have their millions of minions to do their dirty work on social media. And I outed him in solidarity with women who fell victim to them, especially Andrew. I use sharp words for a reason for these scum-bags!
Be glad that you have your mum at home R. And I always say to people to do everything you can to have your elderly or even disabled loved one at home, unless there is absolutely no other way. But to “rub it in” shows a bitter side of you. And I lost a lot of trust in people. I guess I’m doomed to die sad and alone, and I don’t mind. I even seek it now to be in a remote place to live the rest of my life and die alone. There are only very few people I trust or have an ounce of hope in. I used be different, but I have no trust in organisations, systems, police, medical services etc. anymore. But I am ok with that.
On the positive note, I meant it when I said that you as a mental health facility do a lot right. You should be proud of that and I saw so many precious members there, each with their own unique personality. One guy remembered my name even though he just spoke with me a few minutes ONCE! Never underestimate people with mental health issues. And never judge a book by its cover, I might look ok, but I have to make daily decisions how my life will “continue”.
Apologies for all the long texts. But I am how I am now. But the only thing I aim to change is to stop drinking altogether. For anything else, I have nothing to feel bad about. And I rather take myself out from a place then to be a nuisance or to feel unsafe.
Please never forget or get into a routine that you work with people with mental health issues. We come in all forms and severity. I am coming to the conclusion that mental health facilities,medical places are NOT the places to recover. I can’t. And I take responsibility.
Thank you for reading. I’m sorry. All the best.
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and what Shop Managers and HQ Staff say about Pret and their leadership. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review and was mentioned by the BBC.
Ok, I should have waited before posting the below long post!!! I could have just linked to that ONE Facebook post by Pret and pointed to the comment section!
The comment secition is GOLD! Exposing Pret’s ongoing lies again.
Please be aware that Pret haven’t posted any news on Twitter/X since November 2023 because there are too many journalists on X versus Facebook. Pret’s @veggiepret Twitter handle has been silent with any news since 2021.
Further complaints on the lack of vegan and veg options in regular shops via Instagram and Twitter here below in my original post before I saw the comment section on Facebook.
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I now sarcastically say on social media that vegans and vegetarians at least can eat meat again in Pret. My post about mislabelling of food which continues, despite customer deaths and injuries: Vegan and Vegetarians Eat Meat at Pret.
When I worked in Pret between 2008 and almost 2018, where Pret opened their first Veggie Pret in Broadwick Street in 2016, which was my first regular shop when I started in Pret, vegan and vegetarian products have never been a good seller. It sold alright, but especially towards the latter 2010s, we had so much waste on vegan items, which are more expensive, that we stopped making so many.
Cmpared to let’s say chikcen Super Club which is a “must sell” item in Pret, meaning we HAD TO have at least 2 sanwiches on the shelves all day as it is ine of Pret’s best sellers, in one shop the first bathc was 40 Super Clubs. And thats just the first batch in the mornings.
Vegan and vegetarian sandwiches were then only made around 10 – 20, or even less depending on the time of day. And because we made less vegan items, we of course ran out and then Pret just say to customers that we “sold out” because it was so popular.
Reality is, it never sold so well that we never made many in the first place and then pretended it’s such a good seller! The same with the vegan porridge. Was never a good seller. Especially on the weekends,we only put out the regular dairy porridge. The reason is, the dairy porridge sold wellcompared to the vegan porridge.
Porridge, as well as soups etc. are cooked in factories, delivered to shops in plastic bags and then just re-heated in water baths or microwave.
Here, a former Panera Bread employee (Panera is also owned by Jab Holdings) spilled the beans on how they do the macaroni and cheese. She was fired after posting the video online.
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But that’s the same way Pret do their soups and porridge. One bag of dairy porridge contains 6 cups. One bag of vegan porridge contains 4 cups because it doesn;t sell well. But even with 4 cups, on weekends we often only sold one or even none. Evern Saturday and Sunday I ended up with having to waste 3-4 vegan porridges, so we stopped doing them on weekends completely and just re-heated the dairy porridge. And since a while Pret completely stopped it.
And in typical Pret fashion, they use reversed psychology for the reasons Veggie Prets are converted back to regular shops. Pret tell the press that rhwy close veggie only shops as vegetarian options “thrive” across all stores! 😀 Hahahahahaha!!!!
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Pret really hold customers for idiots! Pret opened the first Veggie Pret in 2016 as veg items sold well then, and now they say they close Veggie Prets because veg items sell well! LOL! .
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Here’s only few of many many many customer complaints on the LACK of especially vegan options. And I didn’t bother to go beack before 2022 or sieve through reddit, facebook etc.
I keep it as short as possible. I start with a claim Pret made in July 2023 that they cut back on vegan options due to “most not being as meat-free as they claim to be”. Another bullsh!t reason, but at least admitting they cut back.
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I love this Instagram post. Leon checking Pret’s feed and trying to snatch a customer away from Pret! 😀
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Update 17.02.2024 from Facebook:
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New Belfast opening already off to a bad start:
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And many, many more …
Good luck to all vegans and vegetarians with the labelling!
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and what Shop Managers and HQ Staff say about Pret and their leadership. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review and was mentioned by the BBC.
First post to Tristan Tate “Dear former Pret barista“, I left it as is without naming him. But after I watched the “I am Andrew Tate” documentary, I name him now and don’t ever want to interact with this POS again.
An AI audio version for people with visual impairment or those who don’t like to read long text. Please ignore the pronunciation of “manger” and some glitches in the audio.
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Tristan Tate: Occupation: Brother Of Future Dream: Wannabe-gangster
Dear Tristan,
again thank you for inquiring about what I do regarding my Pret writings. But your unsolicited advise was uncalled for.
I knew who you are and your brother Andrew who dragged you with him. I don’t want contact with narcissistic psychopaths who hurt women.
But when I looked up some clips to understand why the Bucharest arrests happened, and then found the “I am Andrew Tate” documentary, I felt disgusted, disrespected and my DM invaded by you.
And NO! It’s no me who missed an “opportunity” with you. You thought you could impress me by DM’ing me, like pimps do! Nopes. I’m never impressed with cowards.
After I looked at everything again, and of course “innocent until proven guilty”, I feel offended that you even think to contact me in private, having no courage to respond in public in your Pret feed. And THEN boasting about your millions of followers versus my 350 followers.
And yet you, million-flollowers-man, have the balls to slide into my 350-follower-account by DM and give me unsolicited advise. And you expect me to melt down to your “advise” like all the girls you fooled? You have the balls to DM me?!
No woman is your saviour. You either stand up to your brother on your own, or you don’t. But you do NOT use women to babysit you away from your big baby brother. I have no respect for you Tates.
You and Andrew, noisy boys with millions of minions following you, and you dare to slide into my DM just like your brother Andrew is alleged to have “slid” into women choking their throats according to the Channel 4 documentary “I am Andrew Tate”.
Really?
You thought I’d be impressed? You did not do your homework on me, did you? You haven’t lost a brother yet, Tristan. You don’t know what that means. Because you suck at Andrew’s tits to survive and get/be rich.
Everyone who knows me, knows that I respond to anything Pret related. I respond to people with zero followers and to people with millions of followers. It makes no difference to me! And you are not different to me than anyone with zero followers.
I saw a clip somewhere, where you boast that you give money to charity. How impressive. Giving money to charity (by the way, something Jimmy Savile, the Mafia etc. were/are good at) is, 1. for a cover up, and 2. to have enough people on your funeral. Right?
No amount of charity can cover up your rotten cowardliness, you POS.
You boasted that you gave to the “Make a Wish Foundation”. Could I please have a list of the “charities” that compromise their values for dirty money that you give to, so I can avoid them?
I have an idea Tristan! How about you donate some millions to the Pret Foundation?! They’d be happy to take your money. The other boy, Pano Christou is busy building his legacy to double in size by 2026 as instructed by his bosses in Germany. All to the detriment of food, drink and service quality. Never mind saving a life, hey.
I tweeted a reply to someone who feels proud to have any of you on their side, and I meant it when I said that I’d rather die in the gutter alone than have anyone of you Tristan and/or Andrew on my side.
In the documentary, you look annoyed many times, silent, irritated … a classic follower of a wannabe strong-man, who abuses vulnerable people and now looks like he injects oil into his muscles. And you go along with everything Andrew things is ok. I tweeted that you and Andrew are sluts. And I mean that as well. I am disgusted when I see/hear you speak. You vomit your toxic nonsense across the Internet and you despise the people who “follow” you, you call them sheep.
You are a sheep Tristan. Your occupation is “the brother of”.
You and Andrew are wanna-be gangsters. You won’t be taken down by the Mafia or drug lords, and certainly not by the police, they all have no interest in you. They laugh about you, because you keep them safe by doing the bling-bling work and being loud and obnoxious to throw people off.
You will be taken down by women. And you know why? Not because of #metoo or the Romanian arrests etc., but I will not tell you why women will take you down. I already gave you a hint 😉
Don’t ever have the audacity to slide into my DMs again!
You are not welcome in my space Tristan Tate.
First post to Tristan Tate “Dear former Pret barista“, I left it as is without naming him. But after I watched the documentary, I name him now and don’t ever want to interact with this POS again.
You hurt ONE woman and/or you hurt ONE child, and you hurt us all.
Piers Morgan sucks up to and your brother. Millions are your minions. It will be the “few” who take you down.
You DM’d the wrong person Tristan.
expret.org
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I updated with a slide:
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
Upfront to any former Pret barista, here’s one of my infamous “open letters” to or regarding Pret again. But please know this is NOT for you if you’ve been a barista in Pret. This is for someone who contacted me, who is in the public. They know who they are, but I don’t want to out the person as they contacted me in private, and I respect privacy, no matter if I agree with the person(s) or not, unless a crime or injustice is being committed against me.
If the person would have commented in public, I’d respond in public. But I want to write this on my blog because it will be long and I don’t want to write any more via private messages to make the person obligated to read. Plus, I am addicted to writing, it keeps me sane, it helps me to recover and work through the traumas and anger I’ve been through since my brother died.
(UPDATE 12.02.2024 – I DID call out the person’s name on a social media platform while I fell into drinking again, but I leave it. The more I thought about his “advise” and arrogance, the angrier I got. I will leave him here un-named, unless I change my mind. This person deserves to be called out, and I told him publicly to never private message me again!).
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Dear Former Pret Barista,
again, thank you for enquiring what the heck I’m doing with my blog and socials regarding Pret. I will be blunt and straight forward with you, but you’re a big boy and can handle it.
Upfront also, you don’t need to read this long waffle, and no need to respond. In fact, please don’t respond. There’s nothing I need to hear from you as in “advise” or anything else. This is just to get some thoughts off my chest on what you wrote in response to what I do. And also upfront, my mother-tongue is not English, so I use very simple words and my grammar isn’t always there. I write my blog to cope, not to aim for a Nobel Prize in Literature. That info was for the spelling police!
You gave a few good thoughts which I appreciate. I will paraphrase some of the things you said. You feel like my blog should be done better, more slick I guess, and I agree! My blog looks sh!t, cluttered, unprofessional! But I fund my blog fully by myself on no budget. I wrote every single dot and comma myself. No help, no “AI” or whatever trendy stuff is out there now. And I am still too traumatised to trust anyone with my blog.
But for one, I have no strength in “how” I do things, because I still suffer trauma and have to almost daily make the decision if to go on. This might come across weak to you, but I don’t care.
When I started to write my blog, a few months after my dad died, my plan was to write down my story regarding Pret and then end my life.
I started my blog in 2017, actually on the day of the Grenfell Tower fire. For about a year I only wrote about my brother with poems, songs, memories etc. I mentioned my work issues with Pret but without naming Pret. And then in May 2018 after I “licked my wounds” Pret having fired me days after my dad came out of a three-week coma in December 2017, I started to NAME Pret publicly. I was scared they’d sue me even after I declined their “hush money” for silence. But I didn’t care because I had the plan already to end my life.
I speed-wrote my story down and wanted to die. I cannot explain the traumatic state I was in. Looking back, I don’t know how I even got up every day. I always had my Mum in the back of my mind, that I can’t do this to her, but I was at my end. And then also support started to come in from Union leaders, journalists etc. But I found soon that they just wanted THEIR names out, and didn’t really give a toss about my experience.
I kept writing and writing and writing and writing …
Writing my blog and all I “achieved” against Pret (press reports etc.) doesn’t mean anything to you, but it is my way to sow more seeds in my inner “solitary confinement” of my traumas. Like “The Man Who Planted Trees”, I plant words, tweets, blog posts and distract myself from all the losses and bullsh!t surrounding it all. You don’t understand this because you think that only a “big”, famous person can achieve something. I disagree. Every little voice can resonate even, or especially into the far future.
The Light UNDER The Rock
My writings are public, but mainstream media only cares about fame, just like you meant what you wrote, and I get it. But again, I don’t care. Trauma, bereavement, anger is not welcome, especially not from a woman.
That’s why I will always mention freelance journalist Mike Powell who had the courage to mention my blog with his BBC report.
I am not a poet, even though I published a book of German poems before the publisher went bust, but I often think of the likes of Emily Dickinson, who in her lifetime anonymously published only about 4 poems in magazines. She hid her 1800+ poems under her bed, and instructed her sister to burn them once she’s dead.
Her sister didn’t even know the sheer volume of Emily’s poems, and she went against Emily’s wishes (which regardless of Emily’s later fame, I disagree with! HONOUR the person’s wishes!), and got them published a few years later.
But today Emily Dickinson is called the Mother of American Poetry. And all that from her poems under her bed. And during her lifetime, she never saw the fruit of her labour.
No, that’s not my aim to become some big-shot writer posthumously, but I know in my heart of hearts that the work I’ve put in, which wasn’t work at all because it was a lot of anger pouring down on paper, will bear fruit one day. It will bear fruit in that, any company, no matter how small or big should NOT treat their staff like sh!t for profit to the point the staff want to kill themselves. It’s too simple, I know. But again, I don’t care.
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Who Do I Pick Fights With?
You might ask why I didn’t go to Tribunal. I did, and had already 5 court dates including 1 day preliminary hearing. But then I withdrew because my dad died at the time of preparing for the case. And I had no support. I was like you were, in your council home, working from 6am to 2pm or later as a barista in Pret. And then losing my shitty job. I went from Citizen Advise Bureau to free legal advise to online searches on legal issues … while my dad was in intensive care and then rehab. I flew back and forth again like I did after my brother’s death. And then my dad died.
My friends abandoned me early on, my Mum also started to deteriorate, we all still coming to terms of my brother’s death and the weird stuff surrounding it.
I think I did pretty well without going on a shooting spree!
You, dear former barista, you think you have support, because the person you are loyal to is all you need, you think. Because that’s all you know. But life changes at any turn, and in the darkest times, we KNOW who those are who are loyal to us (or not).
“Weakness” is not a bad thing in times of recovery. Vulnerability is ok, weakness is ok, and everyone has their own way to recover. And don’t be so arrogant to tell people you don’t know how to fight their causes.
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Strong Against Strong – vs – Weak Against Strong
You wrote to me that if Pret would have wronged you as you were the teenager at the time you worked at Pret, and with the position of “fame” you have now, years later, you could really do some damage to Pret. Yes, of course you could, but the way I do it, I can’t really do anything else, BUT I do what I do with WHAT I have, not with what I wished I would have.
And what you’re really saying is, the sheer arrogance you portray that only if one is big and famous, they can make a difference. How immature and ignorant you are! Have you never learnt, or have you forgotten that it is often the “small” people who START a revolution? Oh no, I won’t start a revolution, but I am in for the long-haul and that subtle but defining difference my little contribution does and did to this world.
You were a kid when you worked in a shop that opened up new. New Shop Openings that are fresh and shiny are easier than established old, dirty shops, because Pret give more staff, no targets for about a year before they start squeezing. And the higher you move up the ladder, the more issues you encounter. Like they always say, it’s “lonely” at the top, right? Or, the higher the levels, the higher the devils. Old sayings.
I was a shop team leader, and as you should know, unless it was different in your days, team leaders are the real managers. They run the shops, while the job of managers is to scrutinize where to save money and blame the team leader.
You even advised me to stop doing what I do. I had a laugh-out-loud moment there. If what I do has no impact, why even “advising” me to stop? 😉
It is EASY to do something once you’re “big”. It’s a completely different thing to do what I do when I’m “small”. And THAT takes courage, determination and hope. And all that WITHOUT having anyone at my side helping me! Try that for once my dear former colleague!
And as a side note, I worked 7 years in Pret when my brother died, long-term staff and team leader. And even though I AND an OPs manager asked Pret in WRITING for me to be put under the Pret Foundation, like they do with the “rising stars” (patronizing way to call former homeless people), Pret never responded.
Why do you think Pret 1. don’t sue me for writing publicly and 2. don’t respond? You do know it would open a can of worms for them, and they already have enough bad press as it is. But they will soon have good press again, because the media is in Pret’s pocket and the general public accepts bullying of low-wage staff.
And your mentioning of my 350 followers, sure, these days it’s all about building numbers, quantity over quality.
Several things, I don’t care about numbers. Also, my own fault, at one point I kicked all my followers off while drunk. Other times I asked people to unfollow and/or block me as I kept writing drunken posts. Another reason is that my account is heavily censored, often shadow-banned where people can’t find me. And I neither believe in nor would compare myself to Jesus, but I too CHOOSE my followers. Evertime someone follows me that I don’t recognise having anything to do with Pret or anything I post about, I discreetly click the “unfollow” button, as well as block any advertiser or spammer who only follow small accounts to fish for followers. Again, that’s “weak” to you, and again, I don’t care.
I don’t owe you this explanation, but it’s my way to “teach” you for a change that sure, when you have a lot of followers, you can reach more people fast. But not everyone is or has to be like everyone else who is just out for a name and numbers. That’s why I don’t have my name and face public, because I suffer anxiety from everything including what Pret did.
I stand by my weirdness and the trauma with it. My trauma and anger that pushes even good people away, a form of sabotage I feel for letting my brother down. And yet, I’m on my way to become better, but I like my solitary and silent place after all the stress.
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Fighter Or Coward?
Imagine you are a boxer in a ring, and you fight an equal opponent with the same weight and roughly the same strength. That’s courageous and fair.
But then imagine you are a boxer and you beat up a woman who has no physical strength. OR you witness another boxer beat a woman, and you don’t step in. That’s cowardly, and there is NO honour or respect in that.
If Pret would have hurt you when you were the teenage barista that you were, and you were to speak out against Pret NOW when you’re big, sure, that’s easy! Super easy! Nothing admirable there.
But if you speak out against Pret when you have NOTHING, when you’re a small nobody, oh AND a woman mind you, that’s courageous. No? Tell me!
I pick fights with the big guns. I picked a fight with 5 TALL German police men while drunk (ok WHILE drunk!) in my anger for how German police dealt with my brother’s death. I woke up in a jail cell and later when at home saw the black and blue marks all over my legs. And cutting marks from the hand-cuffs on my wrists that I had to hide from my Mum who started to deteriorate with a combined form of Alzheimer and dementia.
I pick fights with anyone equal or stronger than me! I don’t beat down on vulnerable people. That would be the EPITOME of cowardliness and TRUE weakness.
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“Innocent” Days of Work
You were a Pret barista when you were a teenager for 4 years at a time just when Pret sold out to private equity firm Bridgepoint. But that was after McDonald’s already had a 33% stake in Pret and resold it after Pret got their foot into the USA market. You just left on time, just before they really put on the squeeze on the operations and on us staff.
I started in 2008 and don’t know Pret in any other way than the extreme micromanagement. But I worked with people who know Pret from before Bridgepoint took over. They said it was always tough and micromanaging, but since 2008 it became worse. And needless to say, now since 2018 with JAB Holdings / Reimann family having taken over, it’s another level of worse and staff turnover is high as well as customer satisfaction down the drains. But before long, Pret will bullsh!t everyone again and the reviews turn positive, as well as Pret (allegedly) employing people to write positive reviews.
Let’s ignore what shop managers, even area manager and HQ staff say? But I guess you’d tell them to toughen up, hey?
And I’m sure you’ll say that they shouldn’t complain, but just take their destiny into their own hands. Well, I wouldn’t take that advise from you, because you never took your destiny into your own hands. You were taken along on the ride by an alpha person who needs you to cover him, no matter if you go down as well.
Of course, if you would have been in my shoes in what Pret did to me, you could for sure do some damage with all the “fame” and followers you have now. BUT many of your demographics and followers follow a macho pretence and a lie that hurts another demographic of people, those who are vulnerable. And you KNOW that very well!
If you were to tweet right now that Pret are a horrible company, MANY of your followers wouldn’t even care, because they don’t hang out at Pret. They hang on the computer, in schools, in clubs, many wouldn’t even know who Pret are. And I say “are”, because I know the executive team behind Pret, a group of the core team of Pret who don’t care about anyone but themselves. But you know how that is.
Judging from the response you get regarding Pret in your feed with all the followers you have, no-one even gives a toss about Pret or your experience with Pret.
And then you wished me luck on my “crusade”. Yep, I have had this patronizing advise many times. Nothing new under that sun.
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Unsolicited Advise
You gave me unsolicited advise, now here’s my unsolicited advise to you, and I will be straight out. Especially after the stuff you and especially the person you are loyal to and are a shadow of “hand out” to vulnerable people (allegedly 😉 ).
Since you contacted me, I knew who you are and who the person is you are loyal to. But I didn’t do any more research, because I couldn’t be bothered with what you deal with. I watched a few of your interviews, some clips with the person you “hang out” with etc. When I saw the few clips of you people, I saw boys, not men. I did get a little cross with how the heck someone like you dares to give me advise.
I mean, you must feel so secure in yourself OR delusional to give me advise even before you researched what I went through. That takes balls my friend!
The person you hang out with because of your “bond” and the loyalty you feel obligated to, is not what I would call courageous. But you are just known for being the “person of” the other person. It’s like when my brother was popular in the school yard when we were kids, I was known for being “the sister of my brother”. I always hated that! And when my brother fncked up, I wasn’t popular anymore either. I wanted to be myself. And yet, even though my brother always protected me in school, like big brothers do, I let him down when we were adults. I lived too far away for years and never knew if he had any troubles, because he kept it away from me.
My brother rather suffered himself than to drag me down! I didn’t know a lot of the things he struggled with until after he died. And now, I don’t forgive him for that!!! But equally I protect his dignity, his privacy, his struggles, even after death BECAUSE he wanted to protect me, even though I wish he reached out and I won’t forgive myself for not having seen the signs.
If your person goes down, you go down with them, because they involve you. And maybe that’s your appeal, to be an infamous “couple of people” like Bonnie & Clyde or the Kray brothers etc. that went down in history and filled books and movies. Yes, you will fill some books and films. But no, there are too many 5-minute famous people these days who will also have hammered their legacy into stone to compete in death to live on.
Your bond makes sense, and putting myself into your shoes, I’d probably run with it as well, I don’t know. But knowing myself, I can strongly relate to Aimee Osbourne, the other daugther of Ozzy Osbourne who didn’t want to partake in the reality show and carved out her own path. Or Peter Green who founded Fleetwood Mac and named the band after the rhythm section and then withdrew because he didn’t care about all the fame and pitfalls. That would be me. I used these examples because music is everything.
But I certainly know for sure, I’d not be partaking in any illegal or violent enterprise for the sake of money and fame. That’s lame and weak. And maybe one day you’ll wake up and have an epiphany that life is short, and how much loyalty is healthy for you and them.
Don’t be known for a legacy of being the “sister of …”
That’s my unsolicited advise to you. Life is short.
I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and what Shop Managers and HQ Staff say about Pret and their leadership. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review and was mentioned by the BBC.
I have been in communication with wordpress’ “happiness” engineer, another brainwashing emotional labour term by yet another big company.
wordpress moved my blog expret.org to the mature/adult section where they host porn sites after Pret A Manger raised complaints to get me shut down.
wordpress claim to not censor, so they did a compromise to move my blog into the adult section, meaning wordpress users within the reader section can’t find my blog.
The following are parts of my interaction with the “happiness” engineers (emotional labour terms of big companies) where wordpress co-founder Matt Mullenweg is copied in.
I also wrote to wordpress co-founder Mike Little on another platform.
These guys of course don’t give a toss.
wordpress staff are instructed to tell me that my blog is in the mature / adult section due to having used the F-word, yet I posted to them several curretn and past websites that use worse words.
But nevertheless, I am being censored and discriminated against.
I now have contacted the press and will continue to do so.
I also know that a wordpress “spy” is monitoring and copying y blog.
wordpress work for and cater to Pret A Manger, and this needs to be called out.
If my blog gets shut down, you will know why. I called Matt Mullenweg and Mike Oittle out now.
Partsof my emails with wordpress “happiness” engineer, please press “ctrl & +” to increase size or download the screenshots:
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NOTE:
I asked in the email where wordpress Co-founder Matt Mullenweg is copied in, quote:
“please explain the reason for censorship and moving my blog to the “mature” section”
The reply from the NAMELESS (they never sign their emails) “happiness” … repeat “HAPPINESS” engineer, quote:
“We have reviewed your site and can confirm that the Mature designation will not be lifted as a result. We do not provide detailed site reviews for site owners”
Again, “we” as in Matt Mullenweg, co-founder of wordpress and the nameless wordpress staff censor my blog under the excuse I used the F-word, fuck a few times, despite countles sites using “cunt, fuck, pieces of shit” etc.
WordPress censor free speech and free press for Pret A Manger.
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wordpress take my money but censor my free speech and free press on behalf of Pret A Manger, a little company that pretend to be big.
I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and what Shop Managers and HQ Staff say about Pret and their leadership. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review and was mentioned by the BBC.
Dear reader, the following is my email to Pret executives and journalists today (28.12.2023). Even though I’m inadvertently doing advertising for Pret, this needs to be written about.
Journalists I openly copied in for Pret to see include Sarah Butler (Guardian), Vivienne Nunis (BBC), Mike Powell (BBC, Times, freelance etc.), Janet Eastham (Telegraph), Amy Sharpe (Mirror etc.) …. and many others.
I copy my mail verbatim and haven’t changed a word here except corrected spelling mistakes. I only squeezed in the word “being” in brackets below.
Please also note that current CEO Pano Christou was UK Managing Director under former CEO Clive Schlee who patronised me and had a LAUGH about the state of my mental health (calling me his “late night girl”). Pano Christou was Schlee’s #2 right-hand man when customers died and when I was targeted at Pret under HR and management. He can’t wriggle himself out by saying he wasn’t CEO then. He was the #2 guy in Pret.
My email:
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To Pret A Manger executives, HR, journalists and others,
I hope everyone had a good Christmas and will have peaceful New Years celebrations and healthy new year.
I am openly copying (CC) journalists and others in, including Dr. Shani Dhanda, whose emails are in the public domain (Twitter, Linkedin etc.). I am blind carbon copying (BCC) others in who reached out to me and/or their emails are private.
Anyone who doesn’t want to receive my mail, please block me. I write so SUBSTANTIALLY for journalists to know NOW and have a reference as I still don’t know how long I can survive.
Upfront to anyone who doesn’t know me, I write so BLUNT after what I survived in Pret during bereavement with many managers shouting at me, gaslighting me/us, pretending our work is not good while we work(ed) our butts off. And behind all this is Pret A Manger’s CORE team in head office. Make my day and sue me Pret! You don’t because it would open a can of worms for you, and you have already bad press as it is.
I write to you Pret regarding your latest PR stunt which you ONLY post on Linkedin because on X/FB/IG you would get backlash from current and former Pret employees, especially frontline shop staff.
Scrolling up in the following X feed that was posted today (28.12.2023) where a former Pret staff is appalled about Pret’s PR stunt on Linkedin. I don’t know him, but have read his previous call-outs on Pret.
Please scroll up in the following X feed where a former staff with mental health problems calls you out after Dr. Dhanda spoke in your company. Quote by Juan Aquiles Gomez: “How can you have the audacity to publish something like that, when I am a victim of dismissal for reasons motivated by my mental health in pret? It seems very miserable to me.”
(Please note, my tweets disappeared due to censoring).
I don’t know him, but I believe him after what I and many others suffered in Pret.
PHYSOLOGICAL “ABUSE” VIA STRICT WEEKLY MYSTERY SHOPPER VISITS:
I could post countless blog posts I wrote with screenshots I took to show how Pret is NOT disability-friendly. Pret might be accommodating disabilities in head office where staff are not required to be super fast under extreme stressful conditions in shops, but even if Pret really wanted to have a disability inclusive work environment in SHOPS, they simply can NOT achieve this BECAUSE the objective of Pret has always been, remains and will always be: LOW wage workers working under fast and stressful conditions, having to smile and love-bomb customers or they don’t get bonus and then get penalised.
Please google Timothy Noah’s “The Enforced Happiness of Pret A Manger” and see examples of Pret’s shopper scheme on my blog. I stopped updating any new reports as the core effort remains the same: low-wage shop staff HAVE TO smile, up-sell, and bend in all directions to get a few pennies more bonus, and even then it’s not given or withheld:
I was reprimanded by management after the mystery shopper commented that I didn’t smile, despite also commenting that my service was polite. This was days after I buried my brother. The mystery shopper did not know I was traumatically bereaved and had no choice but to work and STILL even helped shop after shop after shop to succeed, incl. becoming #1 and the top 10 in the premier league DURING traumatic grief!
NEW PR STUNT USING DISABILITY-FRIENDLY SPEAKERS: (But ONLY on Linkedin 😉 )
Pret, you purposely don’t post Dr. Dhanda’s talk in your company on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter/X because you know very well that Pret staff would raise their voices again and you have a hard time trying to hide their comments, like you did a while ago when PR-stunting again looking for staff. And you know how I call you out on the BS you post on social media. But you feel safe on Linkedin because business people who are mostly working in PR and marketing, which involves putting out a fake image to the public, they love you and tell you all day what an awesome company you are! You have always surrounded yourself with “yes-men/women” and avoided platforms where people with inside knowledge and common sense call out your bullsh!t, pardon my French, but “foreign branding” works both ways.
And YES, it would be helpful to have a more inclusive work environment for staff with any disabilities, but to Dr. Dhanda, please know that this is yet another of Pret’s PR stunts to appear ethical and caring in the public. Reality is VERY different and I keep imploring journalists to go into Pret for longer than a week, which Amy Sharpe from the Sunday Mirror did. She only worked a week in the late shift. But it needs a journalist to work for at least 1 MONTH in both shop and kitchen in the morning to SEE the systemic issues and dodgy things staff are forced to do to achieve targets!
I KNOW Pret having worked there 10 years in over 30 shops, and survived their antics DURING traumatic bereavement. Please see my post about Lila Warren. I declined Pret’s “hush money” and never signed an NDA.
To Pret, I did screenshots of what staff said before you hid/deleted some comments by staff and then disabled the comment section for further comments by staff.
So, Pret you only use Linkedin where mostly business and marketing people frequent and most low-wage staff and customers don’t hang out or if they do, they are still brainwashed by your lies, yes LIES! But even if I speak out on Linkedin, you’ll get my Linkedin account reported and disabled again as usual. Make my day!
You used NHS workers for PR when you made the announcement on 18. March 2020 just before first lockdown announcing free coffees and 50% rebates for NHS workers. And the very next morning 19. March 2020 Pano Christou sent a mass email to all shops to announce cuts to staff (beginning with hour cuts on their contracts to save money and later cutting wages as well while Pano got a juicy payrise and millions in bonus).
Low-wage Pret workers PAID for your NHS freebie PR stunt.
I was contacted again as usual by staff with your full CEO email, but this SLIPPED by journalists as everyone was DISTRACTED by this PR stunt: https://expret.org/2020/03/26/to-nhs-employees
You made Pret workers pay for this PR stunt. Are you not ashamed?! Do you have NO shame?!
You read my blog and copy ideas as you usually do because I keep pointing out how badly you treat staff with mental health problems. I even wrote an open note to the Pret Foundation after you did NOT take on a man with mental health problems, even though he did excellent, but he was too slow! You didn’t even take him on in the shop like I often fought for when my manager wanted to fire a staff in the kitchen and I pleaded to put them in the shop where they’d thrive!
Your newest PR stunt, that you only post on Linkedin is to pretend to be disability-friendly while your workers suffer mentally as well as physically and financially. And no, your pay-rise PR stunt came because the government raised the minimum wage and will raise the min, wage again in April 2024. You had and have no choice to raise pay a few pennies above min. wage when the govt raises the pay again, and you will PR your way through the media again in 2024 proclaiming to be so generous.
The Guardian’s Sarah Butler’s article again from 2021, and I have already seen that CEO’s bonus has reached over £5 million now.
“Pret CEO handed near-£4m bonus in year staff pay was cut.
Pano Christou also given 27% salary rise in 2021 as chain took more than £50m in government support” LINK to article.
DISHONESTY, LACK OF INTEGRITY, DISCRIMNATION, CARELESSNESS … WILL ALWAYS BE EXPOSED:
I will stop here as I tend to write long emails and blog posts, but I will never stop speaking out against Pret’s fake façade, hypocrisy, discrimination towards staff with mental and physical disabilities and how you targeted me under the watchful eye and involvement of your corrupt HR department, David Carter, Lila Warren (development manager), Sarah Bohn who also held a grievance and blocked me on Twitter/X already a while ago after I posted to her about Lila Warren, her direct colleague’s conduct under Pret’s leadership. (Please note, my tweets disappeared due to censoring).
And then I was fired days after my dad came out of a three-week coma which you knew about after what Lila has done which confused me further!
I will never be silent Pret, Clive Schlee, Pano Christou, even Julian Metcalfe whom I chased off Twitter, but screenshot his appalling tweets before he deleted his account after 2 days on Twitter:
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And now you jump on the Disabiliy-inclusiveness bandwagon to appear great again!
I am sickened by your ongoing disregard for human beings, customers and employees alike. I am still appalled that you didn’t tell us, didn’t do ANYTHING when 2 customers died and 20+ got injured.
73% of customers on Trustpilot (1&2 star reviews combined) disapprove of Pret on a variety of issues, many having sworn to never set foot inside Pret again
Go on, send some people to post FAKE reviews like it is alleged that you tasked someone to post false info on Wikipedia until the person got banned! Because you don’t want the public to know that Jeffrey Hyman founded Pret before he went bust and sold the rights, incl. name and LOGO to Beecham and Metcalfe which you still use at HQ and some shops! A friend of Jeffrey Hyman spills the beans on this, and yes, I already screenshot in case it gets deleted/hidden:
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GROWTH DOESN’T EQUAL (being) ETHICAL AND CARING:
You will grow as you are tasked by JAB to speed-open worldwide. Pano Christou will set a legacy for himself to have grown Pret worldwide, but the truth about your work conditions and how horrifically bad you treat your employees will continue to be told, not just by me.
You can keep on trying to get me shut down everywhere, I will pop up again and again and again and again and again and will NEVER be silent about your appalling way you treat employees who helped you become so successful, as well as having carried you through the pandemic and as a thank you get their pay, benefits, paid breaks etc. cut.
I am proud to have put Pret on the map of reality where 5 years ago hardly anyone believed me how badly you treat your staff, and now it’s become more common knowledge and customers also call you out publicly. And I am extremely proud of having made the step to speak out publicly even while I was shaking in my boots. I don’t shake any-more. You have become the laughing-stock of many.
I have PTSD and am still only surviving and have written thousands of posts and emails in traumatic state and work on the drinking bit, I have written to GOOD people who deserve better in my traumatised state and had Pret managers and HQ staff LAUGH about me. I have many regrets with GOOD people, journalists, friends and strangers, but after what you Pret did via Lila Warren it has destroyed my trust in people. I hope you’re proud to have destroyed yet another staff member on top of customers’ lives, now continuing to sell Mislabeled and even MOULDY food due to the immense stress you put on understaffed workers.
To ALL journalists, friends, former and current Pret staff who reached out, my ongoing apologies to you for my mails! It’s NOT you, it’s me.
To Pret, I apologised enough to you and was gaslit by your disgusting conduct from the CORE of Pret employees incl. executives (Clive Schlee calling me his “late night girl” having a laugh about my mental state). I will NEVER ever regret having called you Pret out on their lies and appalling treatment of myself and many other staff. My www.LateNightGirl.org url remains as a reminder of your poor conduct with hard-working employees. Weeks after he called me that, he gave the green light to fire me, KNOWING my dad just came out of a coma. You have no scruple and will be called out until my last breath.
I continue to put in my late-night-girl shifts and will never be silent.
If anyone outside of Pret wonders WHY not more staff speak out, they are EXHAUSTED and disheartened! And many are “brainwashed” to function and believe Pret are good to them. They feel stuck without a choice of a better employment. Pret degrades hope and confidence in people. I was brainwashed for a while and then too exhausted to find another job. Staff, mostly from other countries, have been conditioned in fear management. I don’t fear Pret any-more. Not one bit!
Having survived and still surviving, I will never be silent! All I hope is for Labour to enter government and in time change the appalling work conditions in companies! Hope dies last.
For anyone OUTSIDE of this toxic Pret A Manger team, my apologies for this long mail. This is mainly for reference for journalists and friends and for Dr. Dhanda.
Kind regards,
expret.org aka former CEO Clive Schlee’s “late night girl”.
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and what Shop Managers and HQ Staff say about Pret and their leadership. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review and was mentioned by the BBC.
Many of my favourite people are broken, those who lost a lot in life, “a lot” might be 1 person who meant a lot, or those who endured a lot in life, anyone who has their lot in life.
My favourite people are those who might have not experienced loss or hardship yet, who might have had a protected life – so far, but still have an instinct of compassion and love for broken people and their struggle to go on.
My favourite people are those broken and unbroken ones who just have the simple courage to find a way to learn how to love (and endure) broken people without judging, avoiding or mistreating them. Recovering from mistakes, and moving on, not away from them, but towards and together with them in their brokenness.
In time, we all will be broken, so broken we won’t survive. We have an unknown expiry date on our lives we don’t want to know and we don’t want to go to. And avoiding the thought of it won’t change this fact. Best Before is the best compromise we can handle right now.
Maybe in-between brokenness and wholeness, between facing the facts and denial, we can hand a cup of cold water to a burning soul or a tissue to hot and salty tears and lend a presence, even if in silence to a broken, paralysed life.
Not all of my broken people are favourites to their surroundings trying hard to be
They just survive, not knowing how to live.
All my favourite people are people human at least more than enough to hold on
All my favourite people are real in their fear and courage
All my favorite people are broken Believe me, my heart should know Some prayers are better left unspoken
I just want to hold you and let the rest go
All my friends are part saint and part sinner We lean on each other, try to rise above We are not afraid to admit we are all still beginners We are all late bloomers when it comes to love
All my favorite people are broken Believe me, my heart should know Awful believers, skeptical dreamers, step forward You can stay right here, you don’t have to go
Is each wound you’ve received just a burdensome gift It gets so hard to lift yourself up off the ground But the poet says we must praise a mutilated world We’re all working the graveyard shift You might as well sing along
Cause all my favorite people are broken Believe me, my heart should know As for your tender heart, this world’s going to rip it wide open, It ain’t gonna be pretty, but you’re not alone
All my favorite people are broken Believe me, my heart should know Awful believers, skeptical dreamers, you’re welcome Yeah, you’re safe right here, you don’t have to go
Cause all my favorite people are broken Believe me, I should know Some prayers are better left unspoken I just want to hold you and let the rest go
Unless otherwise stated or linked to, this website and all writings within this site are the property of expret.org and are protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. Reproduction and distribution of my writings without written permission are prohibited.
Granted, sounds like a Daily Mail or Twitter/X sensational clickbait post, but having worked at Pret, I believe the story. I worked with colleagues who gave freebies for many months to the same customer while other customers went empty handed. I write about the discrimination of Pret’s freebie marketing here.
For new readers, I have been exposing Pret publicly since May 2018 (before the customer deaths and injuries became public, we staff weren’t even told!). Journalists have taken the info I passed to them, please see expret.org/media for press reports I passed on, but only journalist Mike Powell, freelance and for the BBC, mentioned my blog. Amd I will never stop mentioning him. So, please be aware, that most journalists just want a Pret story under their belt without crediting back to the source of my blog and work.
Back to the freebies:
If you have the Club Pret coffee subscription, best cancel it and with it the direct debit/bank payment as Pret have continued to withdraw money from bank accounts even after people cancelled the sub.
If you want free coffee for life, just say you were mis-gendered. The gender craze is putting so much fear into Pret staff who are drilled via strict weekly mystery shoppers, clever customers know how to utilize it to the max.
Someone on a social media platform said (December 2023) that they were mis-gendered one morning 18 months ago. Not only were the staff “extremely apologetic” but since 18 months and counting the customer now gets free coffees!
Quote, “In the Pret next to my office one of the team accidentally mis-gendered me one morning about 18 months ago. They were extremely apologetic …. and I have not paid for a coffee in there since.”
Why get the coffee subscription or be nice to staff when you can just say you were mis-gendered? Easy peasy! A better money-saver than what Money Saving Expert can advise. 😉
I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and what Shop Managers and HQ Staff say about Pret and their leadership. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review and was mentioned by the BBC.
…. a video and channel I can highly recommend by Dr. Ramani who covers a lot about narcissism.
I don’t want to get too much into detail about my own traumatic experiences with narcissists. But when my brother died and I became traumatically bereaved, I had a set of friends, especially one couple whose dog I dog-sitted for years when they went on holidays, even to the point when the dog was deadly sick after an annual vaccine backfired.
These people I knew for years only used me, but once I became unwell in bereavement (unwell is an understatement), not only did they drop me, but one of them even accused me of stupid non-important issues because he lost me as his FREE of charge dog sitter. He didn’t stop there, but that’s story for another time and spot I am in the process of publishing elsewhere.
I told these “friends” at the end, that I don’t regret having watched their dog for years, but I regret having done it for free!
Needless to say, with all my heart I am grateful these people are not in my life anymore!
If you always feel/felt off with some “friends” or a partner, even family, especially when you are in need for a change and find no help, watch some of the videos on narcissism and how to recognize it.
Narcissists are 100% about themselves. It took me loss and grief to realize I had the wrong friends for many years. They are ONLY nice to you when they need something, never forget that!!!
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review and was mentioned by the BBC.
… than a bereaved person. But I’d rather live and die alone than have fake friends.
This post is short and sweet and is addressed to my former friends who can burn in hell for all I know.
This is to all my former friends whom I knew since 15, 20 and more years who lived close to me (minutes away) but turned their backs on me once my brother died, like they did with “Job” in the Bible. I am no comparison to Job in the Bible and this is not about the quantity of loss, but the “quality” of it. My former “friends” have been toxic, double-faced, jealous of my talents and never were worthy of the term “friend”.
And THANK GOD this “experience” has freed me from a belief in a god. And this releases me from the gaslighting bullsh!t of “praying” for those who accused me while I was in the gutter.
Job 42:10 “After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.”
Sounds like the ongoing disrespect for yourself. If you disregard yourself, even kill yourself for “the lord” you will go to heaven and meet 50 million virgins or whatever floats your boat!
It’s clear that the Bible was written by men who focussed on riches, double the amount etc. If you let us treat you like sh!t and then even pray for us (forgive us), then the “lord” will give you doouble the stuff you lost.
Nah, thanks. Done with that bullsh!t.
I’m beyond thankful that those super Christian “friends” are not in my life anymore.
If any of my former “friends” read this one day (or while they/you keep spying on my socials 😉 ) I regret ever having seen you as “friends”. But that’s MY fault not yours, because you’re too toxic to even understand. But you also never know how relieved I am that your toxic ass is not in my life anymore. You always stank of pretentiousness. It just took the death of my brother, the hellish grief and what Pret did to me to see that unfortunately.
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review and was mentioned by the BBC.
I am giving a warning for sensitive readers, a warning I never got, but I nevertheless want to give this warning. If you’re eating, please put your food down.
I woke up on a January morning in 2015 and made the mistake to check my email before going to work for late shift. I wanted to start the day slow as work at Pret was always horrifically stressful.
Email from 12.01.2015, translated as best from German to English as possible, verbatim.
Mr. [Name of my Brother] was found dead in his apartment in [Name of City] on 15.12.2014
From the paperwork, no next of kin could be determined, therefore I was appointed to act as beneficiary of the estate of your brother.
The copy of the appointment is attached.
Your brother was cremated on orders by [Name of City], the burial is still open. You and your mother can decide where the urn will be buried.
Unfortunately I also have to inform you that the estate is over-indebted, therefore you have to cover the funeral expenses of the urn (the cremation etc.). Furthermore, it would be advised to reject the inheritance.
Please inform me of your and your mother’s address.
For contact in regards to the funeral, the details are [Name, address and email of the morgue].
[Name of Brutal, Ice-cold Messenger B*tch!]
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End of quote verbatim translation.
I cannot explain what went through me and will never find words of the sheer horror. Or was I dreaming? I read the email on the phone in my hand and just looked at the phone like it was playing a nasty joke on me.
Not only is my brother dead, he’s COMPLETELY GONE? And I had to learn this in a cold, robotic email as if I was reading a shopping list of errands I have to run?
The email read like a shopping list, rattling down instructions and upon investigating in the beginning, I haven’t read it for years anymore. I was instructed to reject the inheritance as otherwise I’d be left with thousands in debt. He was self-employed as a green energy advisor which he studied to become self-employed. He never told us how much he struggled.
I wrote him many emails since SHOUTING at him WHY he never told us how much he struggled!!! I wrote him emails until my emails started bouncing back after about a year as there was no activity/logins/outgoing email on his account, and his account just shut down.
After emailing the courthouse in his city for 2 years who gave the instruction to appoint a beneficiary of the estate, the president of the court replied (someone finally replied basically, and it was the highest person in the court), and she semi-apologised but went on with excuses. She said that bringing the news like this via email is “obscene”. But nothing more. I have no money or I would sue the sh!t out of everyone involved.
Everything turned against me either by longtime friends even early on disappearing or being targeted at work in Pret A Manger, which I write extensively here on my blog after having declined Pret’s “hush money” and NDAs.
And to add further to everything making it more traumatic, they sent my brother’s urn to my mum’s village via POSTAL MAIL!!!! Everything we learnt was COMPLETELY disrespectful and careless!! There was no dignity. I did some research and learnt that indeed they send urns in Germany via the postal mail! I wrote about it here: In Germany They Send Urns Via Post
The last contact I had with my brother was 5 weeks before he died where he declined my invitation to a concert near his city where I flew over for in November 2014. He couldn’t make it and also said that the artist is not his cup of tea. I worked with the artist on a project and got free tickets and was always permitted to bring a +1. As I went to several of the artist concert in different German cities as she was on tour there, I always invited friends who live in or close to the city, and then also invited my brother to one of the gigs close to his town. I even went with my mum and a friend at one point in another tour of the artist.
I never replied to his email assuming I’ll see him anyway. But as usual he was busy, I was busy … And I had to admit to myself later that I was a little cross with him for not coming as I was working with the artist on a project, and I think I wanted him to be proud of me.
My brother had a cat that one day slipped out of the apartment and returned pregnant. He kept 2 of the kittens and gave 2 away. All 3 cats, grown up with its mother survived the approximately 6 days my brother lay dead in front of his apartment door.
The police told me that the cats ransacked the apartment, probably in distress or looking for food. Two of the cats they managed to catch, the third cat slipped through their legs and out the door. A neighbour told me that the cat doesn’t let anyone near it and they just feed it by putting food on the steps of the building in hopes it finds trust again and comes in. But I lost contact as I stopped contacting them. I assume the cat has passed now.
I came across a tweet once that was about cute cat videos that millions love to watch. For some reason in the comments someone mentioned that when the owner of a cat (or dog) dies, cats tend to start eating the corpse. And it put further trauma on me the thought of it.
I went on emailing-spree ever since, mostly drunk and very angry, of which I am just now slowly coming out of.
Many lost friends, lost job, lost opportunities later, I am left with a pile of losses and a decision if to go on or to quit. My parents have died now, I couldn’t bury my mum during 2. lock-down.
I sabotaged my life, relationships and everything else hoping it would help me end my life.
What is there now?
And everyone can keep staying away.
In memory of my big brother Thomas. Es tut mir so leid!
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UPDATE 2024
My interview on a grief/trauma podcast based in Seattle, Washington:
I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
I found an amazing and simple explanation of some parts of PTSD in connection with adrenaline on reddit.
Brief explanation for new readers.
On January 2015 I learnt that my brother died 5 weeks prior in December 2014 AND was already cremated (5 days before I learnt of his death). To add to that, I was told this via EMAIL!
My story is spread out over my blog and on my podcast. I want to keep it brief here and concentrate on PTSD.
To add even more to that, I was targeted in Pret A Manger where I worked 7 years at the time my brother died. I was a team leader doing my job very very well. I say this, because Pret management and HR tried everything to try to get rid of me. They lied, gaslit me, used other staff to write lies about me to build a case against me.
I was in a mix of shock, trauma, twilight zone and somewhat completely oblivious on how vile and calculated Pret were. I was bullied from management, not from my teams. Some team members who were willing to please our bosses just allowed to be instrumentalised against me by lying about me.
I found that out after I applied for my file under the UK 1998 Data Protection Act (before GDPR came into place). I read the emails, the lies, the allegations and was able to raise grievances based on those lies. But that’s another story.
What I noticed and felt VERY early on is that I was EXTREMELY hyper, I felt adrenaline, later a lot of anger came to it. In hindsight I cannot understand how I even survived as my heart sometimes felt like exploding out of my chest! Later I started to have panic attacks, started drinking etc.
But I felt early on this intense feeling of being electrified every day, on adrenaline, even without drinking coffee.
My “new normal” was little sleep as I was investigating what happened to my brother. I couldn’t eat despite work in a food place. I lost 35kg within a year. Once when I walked through the Pret kitchen to get some blue paper for the shop, a kitchen staff was talking about weight and how she lost weight etc.
I mentioned to her that I was really overweight (after having lived 6 years in the USA with the sugar content and portion sizes) and that I lost at least 35kg within a year after my brother died. Having grown up with metrics and not gallons, ounces etc. the colleague asked me, “How much is that in stone”. But even now I never got my head disciplined to convert kilogram into stones and pounds.
As she was preparing baguettes with a 10 Liter (same as 10 kg) bucket of Mayonnaise on the bench, I pointed to the bucket and said “Three-and-a-half times of this bucket”, and she almost dropped the scoop out of her hand. Only then did I realise how much weight I had and then dropped with a simple visual of a mayonnaise bucket. I just couldn’t eat and forced myself to eat at least a banana a day or half a baguette. I just couldn’t swallow. I also walked for hours upon hours through London, plus all the walking and standing in Pret. I was on my feet 12-14 + hours every day for many months turning into years. So, the weight dropped rapitly within a year and with this caused some health problems later.
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10 Liter bucket, same as 10 KG. That’s why I can’t stop thinking in metrics, because it’s very simple.
I had to downsize my wardrobe 3-4 times over the year as everything became loose.
I woudn’t have been overweight, I’d look like a person with anorexia. I don’t want to show “before and after” photos of myself here, and just will mention a prominet German person and the impact grief and shock can have on the body.
The German TV presenter and Miss World winner, Petra Schürmann, who worked very close with her daughter Alexandra in TV, lost her daughter in an accident. She lost so much weight, and even couldn’t speak anymore and then died herself from the grief and shock a few years later. I remember the time when I visited Germany, seeing the news of her health condition.
With her daughter:
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After the death of her daughter, I can’t find the picture anymore, but I saw her on TV in Germany where she was extremely thin and aged rapidly within a few short years.
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I was lucky to have been overweight and “just” dropped down to “normal” weight like I always used to be before moving to the U.S. And the weight might have given me initial energy to keep going.
In Pret I was put on 5 months late shift so the manager doesn’t have to deal with a “sad” employee where Pret demand that we smile all day or get penalized via weekly mystery shoppers. Again, I write about this extensively all over my blog and on social media. I want to only concentrate on the PTSD and Adrenaline here.
But even with the early shifts, I would have to get up at 3:30am to start work at 5am with only 3 hours sleep as I couldn’t sleep. And later when I started to drink, going to work extremely hungover, I was still high functioning and in hindsight don’t know how I didn’t get a heart attack under the permanent mental, emotional and physical stress!
I was diagnosed with PTSD in 2020 after seeking therapy and an odyssey through the NHS mental health system. In my case the strongest symptom is hyper vigilance and constantly being on alert.
Working in Pret I don’t even know how I worked, I was on a constant “high”, being vigilant like I was in an emotional war-zone, especially from the targetting and bullying.
I had a high dose of adrenaline, but didn’t understand why, even though I could feel it. I did drink coffee in then morning, but the adrenaline was pumping me most of the day. This was one reason I started to drink necause I couldn’t sleep despite having been on my feet all day and walking through London day and night.
I started to drink to knock myself out. And it works in the beginning for a whole, but then, as we all know it turns into problems. That’s when my traumatic behaviour, emailing etc. started and went on a long time losing more people and things.
I was HIGH functioning, couldn’t calm down (except when drunk, knocking myself into bed).
And someone on reddit put into few words the issue with PTSD and Adrenaline and it all makes sense.
The part that made all sense I quote here in full verbatim:
“PTSD happens when you go through a traumatic event, and your brain decides that it never wants to be fucked up in that way ever again, so it will go to extreme measures to pump you full of adrenaline so you’re ready whenever the same traumatic event happens again. If it ever does. I used to go into fight or flight mode whenever someone did something like ripping a piece of paper out of their notebook. The tiniest sounds set me off, and it was all because my brain assumed that the sound was the source of my PTSD (it wasn’t) and decided to prepare appropriately for the situation.
So when you actually face the source of your stressor, the PTSD kicks in, not to render you useless and immobile, but to give you more adrenaline so you don’t have a repeat of whatever happened the first time.”
B-I-N-G-O-!!!
The part, “when you actually face the source of your stressor, the PTSD kicks in, not to render you useless and immobile, but to give you more adrenaline …”
I felt from the beginning but worded it as “I went into autopilot and functioned”, which I did. But I went into autopilot, so much so I couldn’t remember if I locked my door which of course I did as it was habit and I switched to autopilot. But I couldn’t come down from the intenseness as adrenaline was pumping constantly.
I can also relate to the sound issues. Pret especially is EXTREMELY loud everywhere and I was reprimanded for turning the music down, especially when customers also complained of the noise. But even slight noises in the library or supermarket set me off to want to run off or tell people to lower the “noise” that wasn’t even noise. Flying became extremely anxiety inducing and stressful now.
At one point on my many flights to Germany I sat with my hand holding the head part of the seat in front of me while on take-off and my knuckles were white as a sheet from grabbing the head piece. The two young women sitting in front of me at one point turned around and giggled looking at me. I felt that the blood of my face was gone as I sat in anxiety while the plane took off.
The girls probably thought it was my first flight or I am afraid of flying in general. They had no clue I flew countless times since I was a teenager and was just in a state of shock and trauma. Never assume by looking at people WHY they might be scared when they look terrified. I wasn’t scared of flying,I was scared of EVERY movement and anything that rendered me out of control.
And flying is NOT natural for us humans! We are not birds! I often thought when on a longhaul flight that we have NO BUSINESS in the air! What the fnck am I doing up here??!!! It’s not natural!
And now, having lost everything, I just sit in front of a pile of rubble and hope that those who did wrong while being strong when others were vulnerable, have their Karma poured out on them like I had adrenaline thrust me into extreme movement and a functioning zombie.
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review and was mentioned by the BBC.
Pret never allowed staff to receive tips and even stopped the tip devices in their USA shops where tipping is very common in America. Pret turned the tip boxes into “charity” boxes in the late 2000s. When I visited the States in 2008 they still took tips, but on my next visit in 2013, Pret already turned USA tip boxes into charity boxes.
And now, since the pandemic and all the money grabs, Pret has electronic tip devices claiming all the tips go to staff. I worked in a wine bar in the city years ago where we were allowed to keep all the cash tips. But the credit card tips, the company kept 15% of it. And knowing Pret and their lies, they will keep ALL of it!
I say boldy and loudly that I don’t believe that Pret pass foward ALL the tips to staff because Pret have been stealing from customers and staff since years and are chronic liars. I detail this below.
Pret don’t suddenly become generous by allowing tips. They will grab the tips like they grab everything else.
NEW: Tip devices
Pret claim that ALL tips godirectly to staff. I don’t think so.
Donation Devices placed right NEXT to Payment Devices
Customers in the rush, noise and distraction accidently tap the donation device donating £5 instead of paying, and are then prompted again by staff to pay. And Pret KNOW the psychology of how customers feel embarrassed to request a refund from “charity”.
Not only that, but a refund isn’t even issued by Pret, but by the company (GoodBox) who facilitate the donations for Pret. Customers have to find out via a long process HOW to get their money back, and therefore many just give up. Katchink! 🤑🤑🤑 Win-win for Pret. Tax breaks via “charity” and other ways how they grab money.
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What customers don’t understand is that staff who are equally appalled and EMBARRASSED at Pret’s conduct is they are NOT allowed to move the donation devices. I KNOW how Pret always instruct staff to do or don’t do certain things, no matter how much customers complain. They do this very strategically, these donation devices aren’t next to the payment devices by accident.
74% of customers on Trustpilot (1 and 2-star reviews combined – update June 2024) turn their backs on Pret. And Pret might say that these are “biased” or anonymous customer reviews (like Pret RE-founder Julian Metcalfe said to me about staff reviews on him and itsu). Nopes! Many write WITH their names and have multiple reviews on various companies with mixed (positive and negative) ratings.
And of course, Pret have a whopping 122% increase in donations but fail to mention HOW Pret grab the donations via the devices too close to the payment devices.
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My calling it out when my Twitter handle was still @LateNightGirlMe before I changed it to expretDOTorg:
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Last quote from above Tweet: “Agreed. Most people will be too embarrassed to demand a refund but I did. It was painful though. Had to call them.”
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Not to mention how customers complain they struggle to use their coffee subscription, apps, can’t log in etc. etc. etc.
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The pandemic emboldened Pret to steal in broad daylight and be unashamed about it.
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Stealing Bonus / Cash Rewards by withholding “Outstanding Card” Rewards from Low-wage Staff
I received a contact with the following info that Pret steal mystery shopper “outstanding card” rewards.
Please note, an “outstanding card” is NOT a literal card, it’s just the name of the CASH reward for an INDIVIDUAL staff member. Weekly bonus is for all, but the outstanding card reward is for one person who love-bombs extra hard! I explain this in detail throughout my blog regarding Pret’s micromanaging mystery shopper scheme.
Quote of the person who contacted me who says they know Pret staff who receive the mystery shopper reports and manipulate the results in favour of Pret’s pockets AND who also knows Pret workers in shops, quote:
“I know people who conduct mystery shopper reports and individuals working at shops whose reports have been affected. In some cases, when someone is nominated for an “outstanding performance” by the mystery shopper, they should receive an extra £100 that week. Unfortunately, there have been instances where the “outstanding performance” line in the reports received later by the Pret shop has been left empty, with comments deleted, preventing anyone from receiving the extra £100”
End of quote.
When I worked at Pret from 2008 to almost 2018 we staff often had discussions where we noticed that STRAIGHT AFTER a big summer and winter party where Pret spent thousands of pounds, that many shops didn’t get team bonus EVEN though we KNEW we did well as we often remembered the incidence the mystery shopper described.
Team bonus is now £1.25 per hour extra for that week (used to be £1 per hour for that week and 50p during the pandemic, and Pret even tried to scrap the bonus but then a strike was announce and I tagged the Guardian in again). I remember talking with colleagues who became suspicious that we always failed to get bonus straight after a big summer or winter party.
Knowing Pret and how they cheat and steal, I NOW believe this. And the contact by above person saying that Pret also steal outstanding card rewards, I believe that.
An example of the £100 mystery shopper outstanding card reward via YouTube for one team member who gave a free drink to the mystery shopper (I call them “misery” shopper for a reason):
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Letting Low-Wage Staff Pay for PR Stunts
(In this case the NHS freebies)
Pret took from staff just before the first Covid lockdown in March 2020 when Pret made a big PR announcement giving free coffees and 50% rebate on food to NHS workers. The very next day after Pret made that announcement, CEO Pano Christou sent a mass email to all shops and head office departments that Pret will do cuts to staff. Pret as usual stole from staff to pay for the PR stunt of the NHS freebies. Needless to say the executives didn’t have a cut to their contracts and wages, not to mention bonuses.
18. March 2020 Pret PR stunt announcement for the NHS:
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The very next morning 19. March 2020, announcing cuts to staff:
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Unfortunately most NHS workers took the free coffees and 50% food rebate with joy, spreading Covid further. I went on a blitz informing the press and as many people as possible abut the staff cuts. Only very few, in particular 1 NHS staff was appalled:
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Needless to say, the “temporary” hour cuts, and with it pay cuts were made permanent later. ONE former staff went to Tribunal and sued Pret, but the judge didn’t grant the staff a win BECAUSE 99.9% of all the other staff accepted the cuts!!! Not sure why this is lawful, but this is why people NEED to join a union!!!
And later during the pandemic after Pret cut wages and hours, CEO Pano Christou did what he does best, putting himself forward as this great guy with his bloated ego and had the audacity to ask staff for donations for his half marathon. He wanted to raise money for the Pret Foundation to “alleviate poverty”! This guy has NO shame, nor a conscience. Pano Christou lives in his own bubble while bragging he came from the bottom. What a clown! Scroll down further to the Guardian piece where he received a payrise and a juicy bonus during the pandemic AFTER he cut wages, plus getting millions pumped into Pret from the government. Get your tissue, these are eye-watering numbers, and since then, now his bonus is topped up with another million pounds.
This is not merely hypocricy, this is blatant money grabbing from the lowest paid into his pockets. Fncking grifter!
For-Profit companies start foundations/trusts/charities for tax-breaks, for brownie points with the public and even for money laundering. And since the pandemic especially, Pret have been grabbing money at every turn under the “alleviate poverty” umbrella while impoverishing staff who, some have to claim benefits on top of working.
The Pret Foundation Trust as far as I know exists since the 1990s, but don’t quote me on that, I haven’t done my home work on this yet. And on a little side note, when I became bereaved and was bullied I asked Pret in writing if I can be put under someone from the Pret Foundation. Even an OPs manager suggested that in writing in one of the grievances I raised. But Pret never responded. And for a company in business sine 40 years to only have about 400+ “rising stars” come through says everything. These “rising stars” just serve as window dressing for Pret’s “ethical” facade.
Pano Christou’s self-absorbed and audacious mail to shops:
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Pretending to have Payroll Errors, Delaying to Pay Workers
Pret TWICE delayed paying staff in 2022 under dodgy excuses that there was a payroll error. And I remember in around 2012 that this already happened then, but I assumed this was a genuine mistake. Pret in around 2012 supposedly had a payroll error where the payroll staff “forgot” to pay everyone, and we got paid a few days later. I remember not thinking anything of it and even went around as a team leader offering to lend my colleagues money if they struggled. I assumed this was a one-off genuine mistake or mishap. But NOW I KNOW this wasn’t a mistake. This was DONE under former CEO Clive Schlee, and current CEO Pano Christou “learnt” from this and does the same.
Someone on Twitter who worked in payroll is appalled, quote: “This is appalling. As someone who bore ultimate responsibility for payroll in my organisation, I know this is inexcusable.”Link
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BUT, this is basically the THIRD time that Pret delayed paying staff under payroll error or mistake that I personally know of. And Pret often don’t pay the last week wages when staff leave who then have issues getting the pay. And CEO Pano Christou does what Pret always did, he sweet-talks his way through the press who bow to his bullsh!t.
End of May, beginning of June 2022 DM:
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Some staff announced on Instagram to be sabotaging Pret after not getting paid on time:
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Pret as usual used an event to cover up their nasty acts. Pret did that at the Queen’s Jubilee bank holiday weekend when the public is distracted. So, when the news does come out, people are too distracted to notice. I emailed Pano Christou OPENLY copying in journalists and BLIND carbon copying some Pret staff in to protect their emails.
Sarah Butler from the Guardian picked it up and wrote her report on it. But of course, there was hardly any outcry on social media like it usually is, because people were busy with street parties for the Jubilee. Pret got away with that one!
And also, Monday was bank holiday where transfers are not done and people can’t arrange an overdraft. Pret DELIBERATELY chose THAT weekend, I believe that with everything in me.
I always tell people when Pret announce some charity, to take a closer look WHY!
Loose Women presenter Nadia Sawalha’s STERN rebuke to Pret on behalf of staff.
When Pret made the “temporary” paycuts permanent and the public got wind of it, “Loose Women” presenter Nadia Sawalha with an Instagram following of half a million and on Twitter close to 200,000 gave Pret a STERN rebuke and called on her followers to boycott!!! Although Nadia got the numbers wrong, she kept saying that staff (at the time) earn £8.91 which at the time was the minimum wage, and that Pret want to cut 11%. She made mistake, Pret always pay a littler over minimum wage, but at that time then cut down TO THE £8.91 minimum wage, as they legally can’t go below minimum wage (therefore they force staff to work overtime without pay and steal wages indirectly – on a side note!).
So, Nadia just mistook the number, but the core of the message was spot on. And that was also the time where we didn’t know yet if the “big cats” also do a cut on their own pay, even though I suspected they did NOT cut their own pay. And later see that the CEO got a £100,000 pyrise and almost £4 million in bonus AFTER he cut wages and year-on-year payrise and bonus rise.
But Nadia was the ONLY powerful, known, public voice to speak out.
I still have tears rolling down my face when I re-watch her rant from time to time! This was SO needed for Pret staff from a known voice! I went all over Twitter and Instagram and THANKED her a million times!
People FINALLY see the TRUE face of Pret where in May 2018 when I started publicly to expose Pret, hardly anyone believed me, except the unions and those who work in hospitality or toxic companies. Pret had everyone fooled, ESPECIALLY journalists!
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And we all know by now how Pret have REPEAT issues. Just a few of countless examples:
Ongoing neglect on safety issues yet again, this time with staff. In 2023 getting fined £800,000 (down from £1.6 million) after ignoring 19 months of complaints with a faulty walk-in freezer door. A 2. staff got trapped inside the freezer, this time for 2.5 hours fighting for her life. Pret staff told me they got stuck in walk-in fridges and freezers and Pret did nothing. This time it was too much.
Two wage-theft lawsuits settled in the USA within 4 years (Pret steal wages and hours in the UK as well, but the legal system is not as helpful for employees than it is in the USA).
5000+ complaints on the ice drinks issue with the coffee subscription. I worked with the BBC on that one and the one that followed two years later.
74% of unhappy customers on Trustpilot and many also on Google, Tripadviser … Truspilot is just centralised as in an overview.
etc. etc. etc. etc.
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Again, staff contacted me and I emailed Pano Christou while OPENLY copying in journalists including Sarah Butler from the Guardian who then reported on the pay delay.
I put the DM tip-off and Butler’s article in the following YouTube slide:
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The second pay delay in 2022 happened at the beginning of June 2022 at the Queen’s Jubilee weekend because Pret knew that the public would be distracted with the Jubilee celebrations AND banks would be closed on bank holiday Monday.
Pret executives do exactly what shop managers do, which shop managers learn from higher ups. Shop managers regularly “forget” to pay the correct hours that staff worked to save money and accumulate profit for the next quarterly bonus. I had to chase my hours for years! If a manager has 20 – 30 staff in their shop and “forget” to pay each staff the odd hour here and there, do the math, it accumulates. 120 hours a month and katchink!
June is the last month of the second quarter. Again, I was contacted by devastated staff and passed it on to the Guardian. But the Guardian article didn’t make much of a rounds because the public was distracted.
As a rule of thumb: When Pret make an announcement of any kind, an announcement of charity, of a deal, of an offer, an announcement of any kind that looks great, PAY ATTENTION in the next day(s) on what else is happening that Pret are trying to cover up by distracting with “charity” announcements.
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CEO Pano Christou and the “change / coins in cabbies” 😉
It seems like CEO Pano Christou stole as a kid while cleaning cars. In an interview with the Mirror where Christou does his “rags to riches” story to try and lure low-wage workers in, he shares that he used to wash the cars for pocket money of the cabs that his father brought home. He says that there was more change under the seats than what his dad paid him. Mr. Chrsitou, did you STEAL coins from cabs?
I also washed my dads cabs, but I never took any coins, money, items from cars.
Quote from the Mirror, I added bold to the text:
“Mr Christou said: “My first job, at 14/15, was delivering mini-cabs cards through doors. I washed my father’s car every Sunday. “He would pay me a pound or two, but I would probably find more change under the seats then he paid me.”
Since the pandemic especially, Pano Christou likes to stage himself in the press as this “rags to riches” great CEO who cares so much. And because Christou knows how it is to be poor, he makes sure that Pret staff give him more money than he needs. Cut wages and pocket the money:
“Pret CEO handed near-£4m bonus in year staff pay was cut. Pano Christou also given 27% salary rise in 2021 as chain took more than £50m in government support”
And a recent shop manager review on Glassdoor, and it doesn’t matter how many people Pret “employ” to leave fake reviews, the truth will continue to come out:
Part of recent General Manager Glassdoor review about how manager cheat to reach impossible targets set by Pret execs and how most food is thrown away (please note that Ptet also lie about having a “fleet” of cars distributing food to people in need. Pret rely on unpaid volunteers to pick up food, otherwise it gets wasted):
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UPDATE Dec. 2023
Pret now changed their “fleet of cars” claim to “Every evening we donate as much as we can to those in need”. 😀
Oops, where’s them “fleet” of cars now!? Hey Pret, you’re reading too much expret.org and are learning or getting paranoid! How about allowing a UNION for your exploited, overworked, underpaid workers, hm?!
And Pret use T-Shirts and walls now to brainwash customers. They don’t use as much social media anymore as they’re called out there too often and know I have an eye on their lies and COLLECT the RECEIPTS (screenshots)! Pret’s Twitter / X account even has NOT had any original post since 2023, except just replies to customer complaints and queries. Most journalists read and are active on Twitter, not on Facebook or Instagram so much. Pret know, they lost the social media battle! I already chased former CEO Clive Schlee, current CEO Pano Chirstou and itsu founder / Pret RE-founder Julian Metcalfe off Twitter.
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Shop Manager review from mid November 2023:
“Toxic and draining
Toxic, mental health is seen as a joke. … They expect you to perform 125% since the first day. The kitchen environment is super heavy, from deliveries to producing an absurd amount of food that at the end of the day is going to the bin. The excuse is always that “we are giving away to charity” but 90% of the time charity never shows up, or can’t commit to being there at a certain time. So hundreds of pounds worth of food is going to the bin. Managers and Assistant Managers manipulate stock, temperatures, and a lot more to have the perfect shop when in reality most of those targets are close to impossible to achieve. (unless you have no life and want to work 80+ hours a week). … customers are completely overwhelmed by the insane amount of products sold … treat General Managers and Assistant Managers like people. Team members and the rest of the Key Roles are the heart of the company and are also treated very poorly and many times disrespectfully …”
And don’t believe the PR stunt about Pret baristas getting £14.10 (incl. bonus in 2023). If that happens than it is extremely rare and only happens at airports and busy railway stations where the pay is a little higher and products for customers also cost more.
Pret are tasked to aggressively speed-open shops worldwide and double in size by 2026. They do this via franchises to save money and also avoid giving deals, offers to customers and take from staff.
I could go on and on, but I think that’s enough to fill a book!
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
(Please be aware that the player shows 0:00 as WordPress sometimes “messes” with my blog. Just press play or go straight to the interview on Adam’s page).
… like nothing ever happened, and whatever happened is just normal.
Since my brother died and the way I had to learn it, not having had ANY support, and later my dad dying, then my mum and I couldn’t bury her during 2. lock-down, and everything in-between, I had to be strong and continue to be alone. Relatives, friends, work … were used to me just getting on with it and just left me alone.
Pret started to target me in hopes I leave. My story with Pret is scattered all over my blog. And someone is copying all my writings without the thought of copyright in mind. As well as WordPress staff checking any new post I publish, as Pret must have contacted them.
“Friends” turned their backs very soon, and then wondered why I was “flipping out”, starting to drink. Everyone sends you away to therapists to avoid having to be with a “friend”.
And even in the midsts of being completely traumatised and out of my mind, people still just want something from you. It’s incredible the depth and length of carelessness and selfishness we live in, in this Western society.
I have been through hell more than once since my brother died, on several levels, situations, circumstances. And BECAUSE I dealt with it strong and not bothering anyone, everyone just gaslit me that this is normal, just so they avoid having to deal with the immense burden, losses and pain I was confronted with.
I am strong. But I allow myself to not be strong. And whoever can’t handle that needs to stay away. And I stay away from the wrong crowd.
And those who started to support, I pushed away because I didn’t know who to trust, or people said they’d do something, even offering it, but then didn’t do it. How would a bereaved, traumatised person handle broken promises?
People love it when I have break-downs, it gives them the excuse to say “you’re hurting me, stay away”, while they’ve never been at my side in the first place.
It’s the society we live in. It will be the society I die in.
I will never be normal. I tried.
For my family.
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review and was mentioned by the BBC.
I am not good with publishing my work professionally. I’ve published a book of poetry in Germany in 2013, but the publisher went bust in 2016. The few books I have left or those floating around that people purchased will never see the light of day again. And that’s ok.
There is someone who systematically goes through my blog and goes through each post click-by-click and seems to copy my website and all my writings. Please be aware of copyright and that I have passed on my writings to trusted people in case I die before my (whatever) time.
I want to post a few more experiences while they’re fresh in my mind, certain things I experienced in my life. I already re-posted my time in Los Angeles in 1992 when the “Rodney King Riots” erupted and we young naive German “adventurous” just flew to LA without any goal or plan. Apart from the riots, I don’t even know how we made it back home in one piece as we stayed at strangers’ houses, even slept in a car for a few nights, went through a minor earthquake which was nevertheless quite scary as the house eerily moved back and forth like a ship in the waves. But this would be nothing to the hurricanes and tropical storms I experienced years later living in Florida. Stories for another time.
My encounter with Barry George at my workplace in 2000, and shortly after he was arrested and later wrongly convicted and imprisoned for TV presenter Jill Dando’s horrific murder in broad daylight at her doorstep. I just wrote about it yesterday as her unsolved murder is in the news again and I was reminded of Barry George. I did not want to put a photo of Mr. George on my post as this incidence still triggers me for how weird he was. But people can just google him.
My hellish experience at Pret A Manger is scattered throughout this blog and on social media.
My brother’s death and all the surroundings of it that was and is THE one most devastating thing in my life.
My dad’s coma, rehab and how the system works with hospitals and nursing homes that has scared the sh!t out of me. His dementia and clear thinking back and forth. His death while I was preparing for the Tribunal case I raised against Pret.
And then my mum.
I cannot believe she is already gone since over 2 years. Everything went downhill so fast. I’d fly back and forth since around 2017 when she needed an operation on the spine which went well. Then three months later my dad in a coma for three weeks. Then Pret continuing to target and the fire me days after my dad came out of his coma and seemingly started to recuperate pretty fast.
My dad dying. I raised a Tribunal claim against Pret at the time while flying back and forth to his bedside and to my mum still functioning well at home. I withdrew the case when my dad died.
From then on 2018 my mum started to deteriorate mentally. I flew over every 2-3 months and spent a solid three months with her during the first lock-down. The lock-down for me personally was a blessing in disguise because unbeknownst to me I took one of the last flights out of London and then got “stuck” in Germany. I didn’t realize at the time it would be the last time I’d be with my mum at her house. But I prepared myself and we started to get help with a carer and slowly talked about nursing home.
I was on autopilot again, still traumatized from my brother’s death and seeing my dad so poorly. I was shocked to see my mum completely change every three months. Every-time I flew over she seemed a different person. My dad’s dementia was also at the beginning stages, but also his mind was “smashed” as we say in Germany due to all the medications, the coma, the stroke etc. So, it felt more “normal” to see him confused.
But with my mum it was shocking because there was no clear change of circumstances except that a carer came into the picture. And only later did it click that THIS was the catalyst for my mum’s mind to change so rapidly.
What makes me still angry today is that my mum’s longtime and nice neighbours never told me that my mum started to shout at people when a postman or Jehovah’s Witness knocked at her door. My mum was never loud or aggressive ever. She shouted at me on the phone sometimes starting AFTER her 2017 operation, but at the time I put that down to trauma and grief about her son. Also, I did some research and read that some older people change mentally after a major operation, so it might be a mix of things: grief + OP + dementia + anxiety with carer etc. But I didn’t know she raised her voice at external people not part of our family.
Only during the first lock-down in 2020 did the neighbours tell me! I was so devastated and angry why they didn’t tell me before, I could have intervened and gone to the doctor with my mum MUCH EARLIER to check her brain via scans and then see that dementia started to kick in fully.
My mum has always repeated herself for many years. That was nothing out of the ordinary. But what I didn’t know and was later explained by specialists is that with some dementia patients, they become aggressive. I didn’t know all that, also because my dad was not aggressive, he was just forgetful and confused and the surroundings in hospital all added to his confusion. But he wasn’t shouting at people.
Only in hindsight did I also realize that my mum went through the “Five Stages of Grief”. Literally. People often mistake this theory developed by psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross as stages a bereaved person goes through. But that’s not it. Of course these “stages” can appear in grief at some point. But this was in regards to terminally ill patients Kübler-Ross worked with and noticed a pattern in how they processed their certain death.
My mum would be in denial (stage 1) that she needs more help than usual as she kept forgetting things and then also the shouting at people. Then get angry, shouting at people (stage 2 “Anger”).
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Then during lock-down she would constantly hug me or tell me “you’re my favourite daughter”. And I laughed and joked with her saying, “yeah mum, because you have so many daughters”, and she’d chuckle at this, as I’m her only daughter. But in hindsight she was bargaining (stage 3) when we started to talk about nursing home and medical support. She also would come into my room at night, switch the bright light on, sit at my bedside and just stare at me! I gently guided her back to her bed and sat with her for awhile completely confused why she is like this, whereas a few months before she wouldn’t do that! I was confused and scared myself sh!tless. No-one guided me, explaining dementia and anxiety.
She KNEW the “end” was coming, and I deeply regret not having immediately noticed that. Then the shouting at people which is anger. And the denial where she would make jokes and started singing and dancing, and I just went along because of all our trauma with my brother and then the pandemic that scared us all collectively.
When my mum died during second lock-down I myself went into CONSCIOUS denial and pretended VERY consciously that she’s still alive, but that I just haven’t called her in a few weeks. I couldn’t handle anything further.
I still go between torturing myself and being gracious with myself for not having taken the flight out of London just before the UK and Germany locked down again.
My mum’s house by then was already cleared, as I had to clear it weeks before and then flew back to London out of fear I lose my flat. So, I couldn’t stay at her empty house and her former landlords who were always very nice, but scared to have me in their house for fear of me bringing over Covid from the airport and the UK and German travel etc.
I booked a flight, booked a B&B nearby my mum’s hospital to just psychologically be able to tell her on the phone that I am close, because all visitations to hospitals and nursery homes were stopped.
But then my mum’s former landlord told me to keep checking the news as they’re about to lock down again. My flight was for the Saturday before lock-down and I researched and saw that the UK and Germany announced the 2. lock-down for that following Monday. Germany also prohibited hotels from having guests.
I then decided to cancel the B&B which at least I didn’t have to pay in advance, and let my flight go. Now I beat myself up that I didn’t fly over anyway and could’ve just slept in a train-station lobby or a reception area somewhere, just to be close to my mum and let her know that I’m back again. Strangely she did understand the issue with the pandemic as I and medical staff always explained it to her and patients. .
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Stage 4 “Depression” wasn’t so much there, except that my mum was always very anxious and I was used to her sometimes “neurotic” state, even years ago, but especially after my brother’s death. I accepted her and my mental anxiety as normal then.
My only comfort was and is what doctors later said to me that dementia is worse for the family members who witness it, but the patients themselves are often in “bliss” and are not stressed over things. And that’s true, my mum would often act silly and on the phone sounded like always (stage 5 “Acceptance”), but I often left the living room to go to the toilet or my room to cry my eyes out and go back once my eyes cleared up again and acted silly with her.
Dementia, Alzheimer is a brutal disease, and I’d rather sit in a wheelchair if I reach old age than lose my mind and be at the mercy of strangers in hospital, especially private equity FOR-PROFIT run hospitals and nursery homes.
And I sieve through my mind constantly what I could have done better or different. But I couldn’t. I was traumatized still and I did my best and my mum had great last three months at home and I am glad it wasn’t a terminal illness where she would consciously look at her last days. But I feel screwed up and don’t feel I will ever truly recover from these last years of ongoing trauma and loss. And I implore anyone from refraining to say that my parents were already older, and that’s just that.
May I remind everyone that we have just ONE life, and even if you become 110 years old, you deserve the absolute best quality of every second of your life possible!
I have learnt and come to terms about one thing for certain, NOTHING ever turns out like you plan or hope! I never ever ever expected a pandemic to come in and in the middle of it my mum moving to a nursing home and me not being able to physically be with her in her last days, let alone not able to bury her!! What the actual fnck have I done to the universe?! That would have never occurred in my wildest dreams!
Take care of your loved ones, call them if you haven’t in a while. If you can at all, reconcile any differences. If you can’t, you can’t. But if it’s possible, find your ways back together again.
And what I need to tell myself daily is DON’T be so hard on yourself! I did everything in my power and strength possible. It was a mess. Everything was a mess! But I did my best and I did well. And I had three solid months with my mum before she forever left her house and then life. It’s just all hitting me this year. Really, really hard. And it’s ok.
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Okay, I understand that people may think I’m making this up, and unfortunately 24 years ago I wasn’t as smart to keep evidence like I had to with Pret.
But as Jill Dando’s murder is in the news again as it’s still unsolved, I want to share my experience I had with Barry George, wrongly convicted of her murder in 1999. He was first convicted of her murder, and then years later cleared of it.
My encounters with him was in the Tottenham Court Road branch of easyEverything in the spring of 2000. Ok, I do have some evidence which is an old payslip from that branch! (I will upload a scanned-in the JPG later).
I worked there for a few month when the Internet just started to boom and the easyGroup opened up Internet Cafe branches all over London. On a side note, I never understood with this group why they didn’t call it “easyInternet”. Never-mind.
The Tottenham Court Road branch was one of the biggest branches in London with a little over 500 PCs. It was open for 24 hours when I worked there and I chose the middle shift 1pm – 9pm. I remember having had the founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou standing behind me one day and the pound coin drawer kept overflowing. We had to cash out tills 2-3 times during the shift as the till drawers kept overflowing with pound coins.
I won a thing where they did a competition to sell £5 vouchers to customers getting £6 worth of Internet time. It was like the Pret subscription push. But I got about £500 reward for being the top seller in the whole company. Again, sorry have no evidence, but it’s the truth.
The worst thing that we had to deal with was customers tucked away in corners watching porn and we kicked them off their sessions via the front till computers pretending there’s a tech fault when they complained. We were not allowed to confront them, which now I would probably ask security or line manager, or if I was the manager on duty for them to leave!
But the most memorable experience was Barry George.
We staff knew his first name because he told us as we always chatted with him.
Barry George was a regular. He was quite unkempt, chubby, weird. But he seemed nice, nothing special. We staff chatted with him as he topped up his ticket with a pound worth of Internet time.
He seemed to be delusional and always came to the counter, which was a square space with counters on the front, side and back, to pickup and pay for print-outs. The prints were of HIMSELF posing as a singer which was weird to us staff, but hey, each to their own. His favourite position seemed to be bend down in a knee position with a microphone in his hand.
It was so weird because he looked like crap in the photos. There was no appeal whatsoever!
Only later when he got in the news we learnt that he was infatuated with Freddy Mercury. But at the time we just thought he’s in LaLa Land about his perception on himself. And that’s fine with me. Do your thing, no judgement.
But then came a day that had me a little nervous as he seemed extremely weird. Not what we usually encountered with him.
We had a new staff member fresh from Italy who served Barry. She was standing at the till right next to me and visibly struggled with Barry who complained about something. So, me stupid one made the mistake to get involved!
Because my new colleague struggled, I just took over and said something like “Hey Barry, everything ok, what happened?”
He then complained to me that his Internet time just stopped even though he (supposedly) has more time left on his ticket. Alright?
So I check his ticket number and saw very clearly when, where and how much he topped up and how much he used. And he used it all. I reminded him that if he doesn’t log out of the session that his time will just tick away and finish.
He kept moaning and then I did what we were instructed to do. I decided to give him a £1 time on the house. I told him that I’ll give him £1 as he was a regular customer and mistakes happen. No problem.
As I was about to top up a free £1 credit, he kept moaning and moaning, and then I stopped just before I pressed “enter” to finalise the credit and said to him something like, “Barry, I was just about to give you £1 for free and you keep complaining. I will now NOT give it to you …”
And then he revealed what shocked me at the time. He said in these words verbatim I will never forget: “I just want to let you know that I was recording this conversation”. He then kept following me around the square counter saying “This will have consequences for you” and he mentioned my name as we had name badges saying “my name” is ignoring me … this will have consequences …”
I worked in hospitality/retail all my life, but this was a one-off experience in customer service even to this day.
And only then did I see a small black audio recorder in his hand as he was leaning with his arm on the counter.
I immediately stepped backwards and called my assistant manager as I was scared and didn’t understand what was going on.
My AM came out and tried to investigate with Barry and me, when Barry held his recorder up. My AM then said to him that if he doesn’t stop recording, that this conversation is over. The AM later asked me to put into writing what exactly happened to send to head office or his manager to be ahead of any potential complaint (which never came from Barry). And this is why I now regret not having kept a copy!!!
Days later when Barry returned as usual, he came to my till to top up credit and was making a joke that he supposedly lost credit on his ticket just to wind me up. I then said to him jokingly, “Ah Berry, I know you!” Basically being funny/cheeky with him that I won’t get fooled. But his reply to me was with a very serious scary face saying, “You don’t know me!”
Alright.
I remember very well that I replied, “You’re right, I don’t know you.” And from then on I refused to serve him and turned to the other side of the counter every time he approached the tills as I really was confused and scared of this guy.
His behaviour had stalker qualities. And only now when I really look into this case, as I just scanned through years ago, do I learn that Barry was a stalker and sex offender. He certainly had bad vibes for sure, but now I think would he had followed me or my colleagues after work? Good thing I moved to the States a few weeks after these encounters with him. I also remember being scared that the police would find my voice on his recordings and god knows what would be thinking. I was completely taken off-guard and also still kept thinking I’d get in trouble with head office, which was completely unreasonable to fear. I hadn’t done anything wrong and my line manager just wanted to cover me and the team by me writing down what happened as a pro-ative measure. Shame I didn’t keep a copy!!!
A few weeks later, I come to my middle shift and a colleague immediately approaches me as I just walk into the shop saying that Barry has been arrested for the murder of Jill Dando.
‘Xcuse me?
I felt immediately that I lost all the blood from my head and froze because of the previous weird incidents just two weeks prior. At the time the press wasn’t allowed to reveal his photo and only a black-and-white phantom drawing was published in the press. But it didn’t look like him, so I remained confused.
But soon after I moved to Florida and kept following the story as best as possible, still in “awe” how the fnck I could have had encounters with this guy.
But later of course, for some reason he was just “picked” as a suspect BECAUSE he was weird! And he really was weird! So weird, I got scared. He was scary! I was scared of him after the recording incident and beyond.
And sometimes I fear for my own life, because I am weird with all the traumas I went through! But I don’t give a sh!t.
Barry was weird alright, and whatever mental health problems he had or has, he does not fit the description of the suspected killer who was in a suit that terrible morning in Fulham. Barry never wore a suit or looked in any way smart. He wore a jogging suit, very unattractive, unkempt, but most importantly innocent!
I feel sorry for him and hope he does get compensation which they still deny him.
expret.org, ex-easyEverything.
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
Please scroll down to the very bottom comment section. A great insight from an Ex Pret staff in the USA where the SAME issues happen like they do in the UK and everywhere else.
UPDATE January 2024
Some info on pay upfront:
As the Junior Doctors are on strike again, which I completely support, the same bullsh!t words are going around that the BMA union started that Pret staff (or baristas) get £14.10 an hour. This LAZY hijacking of Pret’s low-wage workers, shows how little they care about retail workers AND don’t want to take it up with government workers’ pay.
I explained since last year that there are ONLY very few baristas employed compared to other staff overall. And VERY FEW baristas get the £12.85 and if lucky the +£1.25 bonus = £14.10. And out of those baristas they work at airports and railways stations where it’s immensely busy and Pret pay all staff a few pennies more as well as charging customers more.
A Team Leader who is a position ABOVE the Barista doesn’t even get £12.85 + £1.25 = £14.10.
Just yesterday on Facebook a shop manager posted a staff ad that shows the numbers. I put 2 screenshots here, the 2. with the time stamp so people don’t say this is an old ad. The time stamp hides Pret’s name, so I put both screenshots having hovered of the time:
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The Team Leader there, like in most shops, gets around £12.15 and if lucky the bonus which then is £13.40. Still not £14.10 despite being a position higher than the barista.
September 2023:
A job ad on Facebook with barista pay £11.42.
It’s clear from what I write below that the £14.10 is a myth and only available for extremely rare baristas who have connections to management at AIRPORT shops.
September 2nd, 2023: £11.42 + £1.50 bonus (if lucky to get it) = £12.92 NOT £14.10!
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ONLY in AIRPORTS and SOME BUSY RAILWAY STATIONS get SOME, VERY FEW baristas £12.85 and if lucky +£1.25.
I worked in shops of 35 – 40 staff all shifts and London areas (kitchen and shop). They only have 1 – 2 Baristas and several coffee makers who are paid less. Airports and the busy train-stations have 2 – 3 Baristas (if at all!) plus several cheaper coffee makers to save money on Barista wages. Do the math on how many airport and railway station shops there are and estimate how many “trained” Baristas they have, and even out of those few, not many get the £14.10 incl. bonus.
I highlight “trained” Baristas because a common practice in Pret is to DELAY training, and once training started to delay paying for the position to avoid higher wages. It is VERY commn practice to cheat staff out of their pay “band”. Shops let staff work as “coffee makers”, training them a little, but denying the REAL training period as this means they’d have to pay the Barista wage.
There’s a lot of cheating and delaying going on. I went through this myself as a Team Leader (higher position to the Barista position). Delayed training. Then delayed “graduation”, all to delay higher pay as long as possible. One day I’ve had enough and announced I’d be quitting that day. My pay was raised immediately to the Team Leader pay after prolonged “training” which surpassed the usual training period to avoid upping my pay. Very, very, VERY typical conduct in Pret.
But apart from that, IT’S JUST A HANDFUL of Baristas out of thousands of staff who MIGH|T get the £14.10 incl. bonus!!! AND Pret mentioned Barista pay to the public BECAUSE many Baristas quit during the intense coffee subscription, and Pret were desperate for Baristas in the mornings.
It’s like an airline advertising a flight to Spain for £15 but don’t say that they only have 3 seats with that price. Pret use the same principle and the BMA not only fell for it, but mislead the public with it, apart from stepping on retail workers’ dignity.
End of update.
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Here’s a rabbit hole. Please scroll down to the screenshots if you don’t want to read long text. I can’t keep it short, and always want to cover all the bases possible.
I have been monitoring reviews since 2018 and re-posted many on my blog and on social media. I am not reading reviews as much anymore, just occasionally and then scroll through a lot, mainly concentrating on HQ and Leadership reviews.
I noticed that only since the pandemic OPs Managers (area managers) and more HQ staff started to write reviews. Especially OPs Managers who get a sh!t-load of money and bonus usually stay quiet. But since around 2021-ish OPs and Group Manager reviews started to pop up. The pandemic has started to really squeeze everyone (except the CEO of course).
WHY Pano Christou’s ratings are so low and knowing Pret, they “recruit” positive reviews to boost his ratings. This has led him to put his resume out with the help of the media portraying him as such a great achiever while shops are in shambles and customers flock to social media and review sites to communicate their disgust about Pret. Apart from that, Christou started at a higher position as assistant manager, NOT as a low-wage worker.
I know how Pret cheat and lie with fake ads, reviews etc. Someone on Twitter told me as well that Pret recruited someone to keep changing the Wikipedia entry to delete the original Pret founder Jeffrey Hyman off the page. The person then was banned from Wiki.
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And since a few months especially Glassdoor reviews have become more positive (many similar sounding) even though work conditions are much much worse than they have already been since years. Many staff quit and customer complaints increased. Some “reviews” read like job ads! So, keep trying Pret 😀 But the truth will always rise to the top.
The Guardian:
“Pret CEO handed near-£4m bonus in year staff pay was cut. Pano Christou also given 27% salary rise in 2021 as chain took more than £50m in government support”
In my “Rags to Riches” post I write about Pano Christou’s career path and why it took him 20 years to become CEO despite having had such a head start in position number 4 as an assistant manager. Also, little side note, the COO role that Christou briefly held never existed before and after. It was just briefly created as a stepping stone for him to go from UK Managing Director to CEO when it was clear that Clive Schlee would step down after a lot of online pressure after Pret (including Pano Christou!) ignored 2 customer deaths and 20+ injuries before it got public.
The COO role existed only for a few months as a bridge.
In this post here I want to share what Pret staff, in particular higher up managers and HQ staff say about Christou. My own experience as a Team Leader was when he was UK Managing Director and I always felt he was never pro-active or inventive. He’s just very good in looking slick in the press and sweet-talk like he learnt from his mentor, former CEO Clive Schlee. And most people in the business world and in general remain fooled.
This will be a long post because I always want to show how systemic issues are and that this isn’t just a “bad apple” situation or a few “disgruntled” former or current staff with an axe to grind.
I post reviews from the higher positions down with the most poignant reviews on top. These are from 2020 – 2023. There are many more negative reviews by management, but I included the longest ones and those with VERY precise explanation. The higher the position, the fewer the reviews and vice versa.
Please note, from Manager upwards they all know the CEO and Heads of Operations. It used to be up until around 2016-ish that the quarterly business meetings followed by a gala with booze and food was included with ALL HQ staff, higher up management and shop General AND Assistant Managers.
From around 2017-ish on (could have been 2016, but certainly 2017) Pret stopped having Assistant Managers at quarter briefs to save money.
So, from 2017 on only GMs on shop level joined quarter briefs. I mention this because especially Managers and higher ups like OPs etc. KNOW the CEO from regular meetings. This means that they KNOW what they’re talking about when it comes to Pret executives. Many shop staff are fooled, but you can’t fool shop management and above.
I have posted tons of shop staff reviews across my blog and on social media, but I start with only THREE reviews by team members which say it all, but then only concentrate on company Leader/Management reviews.
And of course there are positive reviews from managers on Christou, where reviews say that Pret is hard, overbearing but the CEO is nice! These managers, often young and fast promoted, don’t understand that the fish stinks from its head! It is the TOP leadership that implements things and/or doesn’t listen to complaints and concerns. Never forget that Pret ignored multiple warnings regarding labelling and even ignored customer deaths before it got public. I will never stop mentioning this, knowing this leadership myself. Many people just still don’t understand that and think that if the CEO “only knew” how bad things are, he’d change it! The opposite! THE CEO IS THE PROBLEM! Pano, like Clive Schlee before visits shops regularly! He is not far removed from daily operations!
What Pano just does is typical for CEOs, he removes himself, pretends not to know issues to not be the bad guy while it is the CEOs who put down targets, agree to penalties and the way staff are treated. I remember too well how I was cringing when an email from HQ came in to all shops, naming and shaming certain shops that didn’t do well with health and safety scores for example. And shops that did extremely well were also mentioned, but as weapon for psychology.
I’ve NEVER experienced this type of “public” company-wide shaming in any other company I’ve ever worked in. And that is also why I’m giving Pret a huge dose of their own medicine to swallow. Pret deserve every bit of exposure, naming and shaming they can get.
Anyone who knows my ordeal with Pret knows how Clive Schlee himself got involved and patronized me, and then gave the green light for me to get fired days after my dad came out of a three-week coma! And I still have his and Pano Christou’s emails!
These executives are RUTHLESS with a big smile!
And for those who argue that Pret workers always look happy and are friendly, please do your research on Pret’s extremely strict and micromanaging Mystery Shopper scheme that penalizes the whole team when ONE staff doesn’t smile. I write about it extensively, but will not spoon-feed people by linking to everything.
I will choose only a short sentence, either the title or from the main text of each review for people with visual impairment, where reading apps cannot read screenshots. Please also click on the links for the full review that reading apps can read.
Also, most reviews are from Glassdoor, I can’t be bothered adding more from Indeed.
Please note, you will see a “red thread” throughout the below reviews with THE SAME issues of: understaffing, overworking, given unrealistic and VERY little time to finish tasks and then forcing staff to work overtime WITHOUT PAY, toxic environment etc.
THIS IS ON PURPOSE!!!!
Pret exploit their staff, including shop management to breaking point. It’s a clever way of wage theft as well, letting team leaders work on team member wages with the excuse they’re still learning. This already happened in my time as well.
See the SAME REPEATED issue that they’re saying across the board.
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To read screenshots better, enlarge your screen via “ctrl and +” – to decrease again “ctrl and -” .
»Company from hell where lying is the key to their marketing strategy.«
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»Pret doesn’t care about its workers. It has left its workers suffer for the incompetence of the top managers. If you have some dignity, just resign!«
On Instagram at the beginning of September 2023 a former Team Leader complained that he didn’t received the £1000 after at least working a year in Pret and they mentioned becoming a Team Leader.
People might remember the £1000 bonus that former CEO Clive Schlee announced in the night on 28. to 29. May 2018. That was the night when Schlee and Pret learnt about my blog and quickly made this announcement to counter my writings. I explain this in The Day Clive Schlee had a Bright Idee (no, “Idee” is not a typo 😉 )
But what was more interesting to me is that the manager just walked out and never came back. I know of a few managers who just walked out and never came back, even pre-pandemic.
In this post the former staff is calling Pret out on their fake Pret Foundation Trust “Rising Stars” program where they handpick a few people to say how wonderful Pret as an employer is.
Here some stats as of September 2023. And as Pret read my blog (there are “spies” passing things on when I release new blog posts) watch how OPs, Execs, GM reviews turn positive 😉
APPROVAL rate from higher up management and HQ staff. And this is not about the amount of managers leaving a review, this is the amount of disapproval by management on their CEO. It doesn’t matter if 10 managers review or 1000, it’s the percentage of disapproval by those who know the CEO up-close. And Pret reading my blog, watch how the approval rate will change in the coming months. 😉
OPs:
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Shop managers:
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Assistant Managers who are not up-close anymore like before, the lower the positions, the higher the score and vice versa:
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Operations and Group Managers
OPs Managers look after around 10 – 14 shops in an area; Group Managers look after around 4 – 5 shops before they step up to become OPs.
»Operations and high position roles mostly white, proportion from BAME background is none to little. … Reactive way of working – no clear directions« !!!
There are more reviews like this about no clear direction. And myself having been to HQ many times, I underline this, you hardly see staff from the Black, Asian etc. community. And most Caucasian British, German, French either work in head office or as OPs. In my 10 years in Pret in over 30 shops, I only worked with 3, no more than 5 Black or Asian Managers/OPs while especially the cramped kitchens are filled with BAME and Eastern Europeans.
You also see this in Pret’s ads on all their social media platforms. You see mostly young white females including hand-only ads. Now Pret starts to include black males here and there after I kept pointing it out to Pret on Twitter, Facebook etc. Pay attemtion to Pret ads, mostly female and white. Old fashioned ads not keeping up with the times and mainly trying to lure customers with young women, except when prompted repeatedly. Don’t you call Pret a trailblazer! They’re stuck with old systems.
And Pret can sugarcoat all they want, they are a racist company. Full stop!
»Culture change Product quality suffered as well as burnout for the staff as they try to cut too many costs. Management just make up their forecasts to keep the board happy yet cutting costs in wrong areas«
Please note that I had many encounters with Pret’s HR and HQ staff and KNOW for a fact how toxic and entitled they are! I write about one extremely traumatic encounter with a Development Manager who was used by Pret to gaslight me so they can fire me. This is a story sounding like out of a bad Hollywood flick, but it’s true. That’s why Pret remain silent: Questions to Lila Tighilt Warren.
Marketing Director (does NOT recommend CEO) »Highly territorial.«
HQ – Not Specified Role »HQ – Corporate bullies live here … People don’t seem to get promoted unless you are a bully or belittle your team members. The place is toxic.«
(Side note, I completely agree with this review from experience. When I worked at Pret, even as lower ranked shop staff, it was so visible that they always changed direction at short notice and wasted so much money on wrong decisions that we had to undo/fix due to poor decision making. We will see this also in another review from an office staff from New York further below. And that’s not only since Covid, Pret execs are incapable to lead with sovereignty and a secure stand. And Pano Christou has the reputation with staff to not have direction or vision. Of course not! He’s just the puppet for JAB Holdings!)
»Once Covid hit , the business made a lot of knee jerk decisions, strategy was changing on a daily almost.«
Recruitment Coordinator »Minimum pay, extreme workload, no opportunity of growth« (Side note, no wonder recruitment coordinator has to work hard with the high staff turn-over due to the exploitation and treating staff across the board like sh!t)
Also important to note is that many, if not most, higher up positions in Pret USA are imported from the UK. Many American reviewers mentioned this and are furious about it. »Generally a poor relationship with UK leadership, no support. … Senior management has no clue what people do and hires external people with no industry experience. … Senior leadership does whatever they want, if you are in the right clique.«
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Some reviews from before Pano Christou became CEO, but when he was UK Managing Director and former CEO Clive Schlee’s right-hand man, so the number 2 guy who can’t withdraw from responsibility.
IT Analyst 2017 »Manipulative and exploitative approach to employees as owners and senior management concerned about profit margin only. People are taken into account only if it makes a good PR. Genuinely fake and dishonest company.«
Side note, Pret’s Foundation Trust and their “charitable” work with homeless and vulnerable people is just PR and for tax breaks. When I became traumatically bereaved after working 7 years in Pret, Pret wasted no time to target me to leave. I even asked to please be put under the Pret Foundation like they do with the patronizing name of the “Rising Stars” program, but never got a reply. Even an OPs Manager asked this which I have in writing, again, no response. Of course Pret couldn’t say “no” as they would look bad.
And the recent visit by Prince William to a prepared, well presented shop was again just PR after Pret keeps getting bad press, being fined £800,000 after yet again ignoring safety issues, this time after a 2. staff got trapped inside a walk-in freezer for 2.5 hours.
I wrote a little exposé on net-worth £215 million itsu founder and Pret RE-founder Julian Metcalfe and that he received an OBE from Prince William himself. Metcalfe’s family had strong connections to the Royal Family, even before Julian was born. Julian’s father was the godson of former King Edward VIII, Queen Elizabeth’s uncle, who later rejected the crown. Julian grew up with high society and royals sitting at his father’s dinner table while he always pretends to be this trailblazing entrepreneur having started from nothing.
And Metcalfe is close friends and business partner with former Pret CEO Clive Schlee who owns half of Metcalfe’s company itsu. And Schlee is Pano Christou’s mentor. Full circle. Pret having bad press again, a prince whooshes in to save the day!
I write about Metcalfe’s connection to the Royal family, a questionable connection, what his staff say about him, and why some Asian people don’t support him. Oh, and how I chased him off Twitter: Julian Metcalfe Family Line!
So, Prince William “choosing” Pret to work with homeless charities was not a co-incidence. They wash each other’s hands.
Further in the reviews:
Corporate Staff NY 2018 »I have never worked in such a toxic, unprofessional corporate environment. … HR was mostly a joke, ‘leaders’ displayed zero initiative in mentorship of their teams, roles were unclear and the company had tunnel vision on decision making based on the opinion of one or two people who paid little attention to local market data.«
Purchasing Director NY 2017 »One of the oddest work experiences. Worked there during a transition period – so company going in one direction and then the opposite.«
»Ruthless race for profit – Quick career progression – unfortunately due to high turnover … CEO is very not proactive to investigate situations in the shops«
Of course he’s not! He cares only to please JAB Holdings to get his millions in bonus and annual pay-rise. Don’t kid yourself to think that he cares! Again, THE CEO IS THE PROBLEM! The CEO sets the targets and expectations, no matter what! And then CEOs play dumb and claim they didn’t now how much staff suffer.
Yes, absolutely spot on, not letting people realize their potential! When I was a Team Leader running shops, most Managers pretended that I wasn’t doing a good job to manipulate me to do more. What they didn’t realize is that I work like a donkey anyway. That’s my nature. In private and in work life, I always give 150 million %.
Occasionally a GM would “slip” and actually compliment me before quickly putting on a poker face again. One GM told me that I run the shop with my eyes closed. Another GM said to a Team Leader who was going to another shop and trained me on the shop I just switched to that I was extremely good. This GM headhunted me from another shop after she saw how I ran the shop.
An OPs Manager I accidentally overheard when he was looking for expired food in their routine check and couldn’t find any, he said to a colleague not realizing I was close by working at the fridges, that I was one of the best. But in front of me, wouldn’t utter a word and pretend I wasn’t good enough.
THAT is Pret to the core!
And that is why I’m going to town so hard against their fake bullsh!t via my blog. My teams and colleagues told me many times I’m the best Team Leader, or I do things by the book etc. I wasn’t perfect of course, but I knew how well I did my job. But anyone above me pretended I was crap. I KNEW and know how well I work, so it never bothered me. I don’t do things for a clap on the back or for following or whatever floats people’s boats. But it does affect mental health when line managers constantly lie to you.
The next review is self-explanatory as well:
»communication feels like propaganda and brainwashing with a sole purpose of exploitation…«
»Bad senior management, profit first culture. Always blaming others and exploiting the team.«
But it has always been like this, also under Clive Schlee. It was just easier to hide during good and prosperous times. But come a crisis and with it the desperation of a CEO to bring in money. Lean back and watch how the real face shows in broad daylight.
This review reminds me of another GM review from 2014 when Schlee was still CEO and Christou UK Managing Director. People in management always knew how bad it really is. And as a Team Leader and staff in general I knew as well. But GMs have more behind the scenes knowledge.
»Great company in risk of ruin!«
Being forced to work for free has always been a huge issue in Pret, as well as wage theft which I also wrote about on my blog.
»I regularly worked weeks on end with no day off – there was onemonth where I only had one day off – totting up 80 hours a week fairly easily. … So, realistically, over time to meet “business needs” is something you can rely on more than a regular day off.«
»you have to work 10h+ sometimes no days off for a pat on the back. … Advice to CEO: more kindness like they advertise everywhere«
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»Pushing subscriptions like a sales man«
Yes, the sub is Pret’s MAIN product now to the detriment of food, coffee and service quality. It gives fast and regular income, and is an easy data grab as Pret since 2018 build a data base, late in the data collection game. Many complaints since 2020 that people have a hard time cancelling and once they cancelled Pret continues to withdraw money from bank accounts under the “technical” issues excuse. Sure, a multi-billion £ company with THAT many tech issues. 😉
»… the implementation of certain ideas that were not well thought out and did not produce the desired results. This led to additional pressure and difficulties in meeting unrealistic targets. … I often found myself working a minimum of 60 hours …«
And that’s the thing, the same with team members, Pret advertise “higher” pay (50p above minimum wage) and some perks, but of course fail to mention that they will force and manipulate all staff to work overtime for free. With all the hours people work, it’s way BELOW minimum wage and borders on slavery-type work conditions. And this in turn affects food safety.
»Head office chaos.com … Minimum 60 hours per week …«
»in the last couple of years the bonuses and other benefits were cut by approx 75% long hours with no extra pay for the managers because the interpretation of the contract by the bosses is questionable … work even more hours for free«
I stop here as I wanted to concentrate on shop managers, OPs managers and HQ staff. But there continues to be more reviews as well as social media posts from staff along those lines.
I tell you what will happen, Pano Christou is currently tasked to speed-open shops worldwide after the pandemic closures and losses to reach the target to double in size by 2026. After that he’ll receive his big bonus, will be celebrated in the business media world, and then move on and leave behind the shambles to the next person and private equity “pimp”.
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Just like his mentor who ran Pret into an iceberg and Pano Christou is sinking it.
I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review, and was mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see my MEDIA page for the press articles I influenced.
I have written, posted, streamed many times on Pret A Manger’s pest issues. I worked in a mice infested shop once and asked for a transferal to another shop as Pret’s internal pest control team couldn’t tackle the problem. We staff even stopped eating anything that was assembled like salads, sandwiches, and only ate anything that came in packaged like the pre-cooked soups in
bags from the factory that we just re-heated. Or we brought our own food. Only when an EHO made a random visit to a Pret shop in central London around 2012-ish and found pest issues, the EHO closed down the shop immediately, ONLY THEN did Pret act.
Close a shop = lose money = company acts. Money talks. But having mice and rats nibble on loaves of bread, seeded muffins, popcorn bags etc. all that shops did was to throw the food away. But one assistant manager even just threw HALF a bread loaf away and used the other half for production.
The following photo I did when a mouse entered our shop during the night when deliver drivers deliver food to shops:
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In another mice infested shop, the assistant manager would basically throw the right half away, and keep any bread slices that “seemed” un-touched. Bon appétit!
This was AFTER Pret finally started to hire external pest control company Rentokil and we were then told to immediately close the shop when we see pests, log a call with Rentokil who then come during the night to set traps, spray chemicals (fly infestation) etc.
UPDATE July 2024
I won’t update every month / year as my posts get too long. I will just throw a few recent ones in without deleting the VISUAL of other complaints.
Click video from mid July 2024:
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Tweet of the video with date/time stamp:
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When you see wooden crates of crisps and other items elevated off the floor like in above video, it means that the staff KNOW they have a mice / rats issue. But they’re supposed to close the shop even during business hours, and call pest control until the pests are removed. Side note: above floor looks also very filthy. Pret usually have an electric “rotowash” machine that scrubs the floor with a hoover mechanism. But due to lack of staff everywhere, they just mop, if at all.
After Mirror journalist Amy Sharpe contacted me in 2018 and I urged her to go undercover, she confirmed that staff are too stretched to even sweep ever night. Now, her undercover shifts and report was in 2018. Above video is mid July 2024. Nothing changes in Pret. As it is profit over safety.
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It’s NORMAL in cities to have rats, mice etc. BUT, it needs to be acted upon IMMEDIATELY and tackled thoroughly no matter what, how long and how often it takes!
It took an EHO closing a huge profitable shop in central London (back in around 2012-ish) for Pret to finally act. Prior to that we staff would even offer to come in on a weekend, close the shop and clean up. But the internal pest control team just laughed at us, as this would never happen for Pret to close shops to act on pest infestations … until an EHO shut down a shop. There you go!
Fat forward to the 2020s and complaints on pest issues rise again. This time I believe it’s due to the extreme under-staffing as Pret are squeezed by their owners JAB Holdings in tax haven Luxembourg to save money at every turn.
This squeeze leads to further issues with unhappy, exhausted, underpaid staff, dirty shops, closed toilets, increased pest issues etc. etc. etc.
Here just a few few of the MANY complaints from just this and last year alone.
You have to look quick, at the bottom left in this video is a mouse, calmly munching away during the DAYTIME business hours:
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61% of customers on Trustpilot disapprove of Pret on various issues especially with the coffee subscription, prices, dirty shops etc. but also pests, Many having vowed to never set foot inside Pret again. If you take the 11% of 2-star reviews, it’s actually 72% disapproval ratings. This is as of September 2023.
A former external electrician having been to many shops:
A former contracted delivery truck driver on Facebook, also having been to many shops (he told me via DM that he was a delivery driver), he replied to my comment on Facebook in July 2023:
I pointed out to the customer that after closing time, when there are plastic bags over equipment, it’s due to fly/bug infestation.
I posted photos I took in March and April 2023 from the Brixton shop but have seen equipment covered in many shops when I happened to walk by a Pret shop in the evening coming from a concert somewhere in London. This is an ongoing issue that is NOT tackled:
I further explained that the reason Y shops cover equipment to protect from pesticide, but not cover food is BECAUSE of money! A coffee machine costs Pret around £15,000-£20,000+. But they don’t give a toss about food safety as usual. There’s also no cleaning done in the morning AFTER Rentokil sprayed chemicals in shops. Not enough staff as usual. They got away with 2 customer deaths and 20+ injuries, why should they care?
Brixton again, in April 2023:
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I could go on and on and on, but I stop here as I always have very long blog posts. But I put some more on YouTube and Vimeo after Facebook and Instagram blocked my website url. They can’t block external video sites.
Also, please see my posts regarding mouldy food in Pret with pictures and ongoing mislabelling including using wrong ingredients like dairy Bircher Museli made with MAYONNAISE. Since “Natasha’s Law” is in effect, Pret are now breaking the law by mislabelling even now in 2023. But as long as the law is not applied and customers not reaching out to Food Gov via their online form, this will continue.
And as Pret were able to keep customer deaths and injuries silent for 1-2 years (even from us staff) before it got public, how many more have either died or gotten injured that we don’t know of? How many lawsuits were settled out of court with NDAs signed hindering customers and staff to speak out?
Only recently did Pret get fined £800,000 after yet again ignoring safety issues, this time in regards to staff when a 2. worker got trapped inside a walk-in freezer for over two hours, fearing for her life. The judge spared Pret from paying compensation as a civil claim is ongoing.
Customers have asked several repeated questions on social media on how this could have happened and why the staff member was NOT missed for over 2 hours. I explain in another post why this might have happened and Pret’s ongoing neglect with safety issues.
PRET REMAIN UNSAFE FOR CUSTOMERS AND STAFF!
As a “taster”, but many more pics in above posts. Pret’s “freshly made” lie:
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Staff worked with Covid diagnosis and symptoms DURING the height of the pandemic before there was even a vaccine.
This is ALL due to UNDER-STAFFING, exhausted workers having to work extremely fast, long hours, overtime not paid, bully-culture etc. This then reflects on the production, customer service, hygiene and other issues.
Video slides with more pest and hygiene issues:
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
(Please be aware that the player shows 0:00 as WordPress sometimes “messes” with my blog. Reboot and press play again or go straight to the interview on Adam’s page).
It’s only September, but I do my Pret A Manger Year in Review 2023 which I normally do at the end of December, now.
When I started to write about Pret in May 2018, not many people believed me.
September is December’s Pret A Manger’s Year in Review 2023. Like they did Christmas sandwiches in July. Just to take the p!ss and copy Aldi’s July 2021 Christmas products.
I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
I started a podcast, but not in a professional way as I am new to this medium. I am not sure if I do more or regular episodes on issues, but I find it easier and important to voice a few things instead of writing long blog posts. I’ve written everything I could write about and feel to speak more than write, and some people don’t like to read long blog posts or for visual reasons cannot read.
I started with the subject of allergen, mislabelling, cross-contamination in Pret. I may continue on other subjects or these may be all I do, I don’t know yet. Thanks for reading/listening.
expretcast
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review.
(Upfront, after I wrote below post: I am told that the staff was in the freezer for 2 hours 45 minutes, but Pret as usual try to shave off time, like they do with the hours worked. When in the freezer, EVERY SECOND counts!)
UPDATE January 2025: Please scroll down to the very bottom for comments left by an ex Pret staff from the USA.
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Yeah, Pret can’t go half-way scandal, they have to go full-on! Ignoring TWO customer deaths and 20+ injuries before it got public, and still mislabelling and even selling “freshly made” mouldy food (please see photos via these two links). And now almost killing a low-wage staff member who got trapped inside the walk-in freezer for 2.5 hours fearing for her life! This was the 2. staff member who got stuck in the same freezer, the year before another one was trapped, but not as long as over two hours.
Here just one of many customer pictures, more in above link:
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Why does the following read like an “article” by The Sun or a Daily Mail tabloid piece … or a Mafia job?
Having survived Pret during bereavement being targeted and bullied, involving the executives and HR, I thought I’ve seen and experienced it all. But no, Pret always have to top themselves with another jaw-dropper, even though it’s no surprise to me. And when I started to expose Pret in May 2018, hardly anyone believed me. I was even blocked, banned, suspended, cussed out, called any name in the book, called mentally ill etc. Now, Pret can’t fix the cracks in their facade anymore and have become a laughing stock to many.
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And little side note, the staff member trapped in the freezer was female, and who again says that women are weak and just damsels in distress? I suspect maybe also she might have been corpulent and her body-fat kept her going if she had some weight. I used to be very overweight when I worked at Pret and lost it all after my brother died. If she was a small petite woman, this might have not gone well! But, what a trooper!
I literally cried for hours yesterday as I kept reading more detail and got flashbacks of how unsafe and careless Pret are. It’s one thing getting trapped inside a small room with poor light or no light. Add to that a fncking freezer??? In one walk-in fridge I went in and the slide-door closed, the lights turned off by default. And sliding doors are scarier/harder to open than a door you push open. The poor woman!!!
Part of the City of Westminster report, quote:
“The investigation established that there was no suitable risk assessment for employees working in temperature-controlled environments. The reporting system used by Pret revealed that there had been a number of call-outs relating to defective or frozen push buttons in the previous 19 months, including a previous occasion at the same remote kitchen in January 2020 when a worker had become entrapped in the walk-in freezer, having been unable to open the door from the inside. On that occasion, the internal door release mechanism was not working.”
Repeat:
“The investigation established that there was no suitable risk assessment for employees working in temperature-controlled environments.”
What, tell me WHAT does this remind me of?
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Link to the inquest into the death of second customer Celia Marsh.
Where has Pret’s slogan gone from years ago? “Doing the right thing naturally”. Oh I forgot, Pret had been banned from claiming their food is “natural” as it’s loaded with the “obscure chemicals” Pret claimed to not have.
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(An old Pret napkin)
Having worked at Pret, I was always annoyed with all the brainwash slogans EVERYWHERE!!! Not wanting to label food with life-saving information, but brainwash slogans everywhere you look! The most annoying one for me when I helped the kitchen, stocking up the fridges was the “Lovingly Handmade” slogan. This one is gone now, thank god. Such a stupid, fake slogan that had me angry many times, because there is nothing loving in Pret. There is unnecessary pressure, a bullying environment, aggressiveness, fast pace, fake smiles, anxiety, depression etc. I might do an extra post on every slogan from the past and what rubbish they currently display.
My absolute all-time favourite customer tweet that hits the nail on the head, tweeted after people found out how Pret cut wages during the pandemic:
So, they changed all the bullsh!t slogans containing “natural”, “naturally”. This, I believe, was part of the reason Pret refused to label their food, despite all the warnings and despite customer deaths as customers would have seen all the stuff, E-numbers, Glyphosate etc. that’s in their food. With labelling, Pret ONLY started acting when this became public.
I changed Pret’s logo for them to reflect a more truthful message:
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Only heavy fines, the media, court cases etc. will implement change. But having worked at Pret, this change will only last a while, and then they go back to their neglectful self again.
“It’s what makes Pret, Pret”
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Former HR slogan (I added the question marks):
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People wonder, as I did as well, if the staff gets a compensation. The Evening Standard reports, that, quote: “The judge spared the company a compensation payout as civil proceedings over the incident are ongoing.”
But knowing Pret, they will try to settle out of court and have the staff sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) for a small sum of money so she will never be able to speak about her ordeal with the press. Pret offered me a few thousand £ (embarrissing low amount by the way!) if I sign a NDA, but I declined because MY VOICE, free speech and my experience is too precious to me to sell for a few (for Pret) pennies. Money will be gone one day, but then this stupid agreement is still in place. I rather starve but keep my voice and expose this toxic company.
Little by little Pret’s true face keeps getting exposed everywhere. The truth will ALWAYS come out, it’s just a question of time.
Further in the City of Westminster report, quote: “Pret a Manger pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay the Council its full costs, in addition to a victim surcharge, within 28 days. When passing her sentence, the District Judge decided on a starting point of £1.6 million, which was reduced to £800,000 following credit for an early guilty plea and mitigation advanced on behalf of the company.”
For my American readers, £800,000 is about $1 million.
I don’t want to elaborate too much and turn this post into my usual long text, but below I want to briefly explain why this might have happened, as people on social media have repeated valid questions.
I want to first repost a brilliant article that came out after the news of two customer deaths was made public in the fall of 2018.
Pret A Manger and “Broken Windows Syndrome”
Absotuley spot on regarding Pret ignoring issues that happen and are raised again and again.
And another little side note, Pret were able to keep two customer deaths and multiple injuries quiet for up to two years, not even telling us staff. The freezer incident was in July 2021, TWO years ago from the time of writing this. How many other incidents, be it customer deaths and injuries or staff deaths and injuries are under the carpet? I raised questions of a suicide in the spring of 2017 of an assistant manager and other issues. During the pandemic staff contacted me saying that Pret let them work WITH Covid and that was even in 2020/2021 before a vaccine was out! Detail here: Pret Staff Tested Positive for Covid (2021).
So, with the freezer situation, people on socials keep asking certain questions I will briefly answer here in no particular order. And please note, these are just my theories from having worked at Pret, these are not facts as we don’t know the full details. I hope a sensitive journalist gets a hold of the lady and she feels safe to tell her own story in her own words, and maybe her colleagues who witnessed the full shift.
But here’s my take from knowing Pret:
Why did the door not have a handle inside?
It DID, it was broken and the issue was raised multiple times the previous 19 months including another staff getting stuck inside the year before in the same freezer, but nothing was done to fix it. (It’s what makes Pret, Pret!) .
Why did no-one notice that their colleague was gone for over two hours?
That is a repeated question which I would also ask if I wouldn’t know Pret. But having worked at Pret, there is a very simple answer and several possibilities what may have happened here.
The MAIN reason from own experience is chronic understaffing and cutting labour costs. Pret are notorious for sending staff home as soon as business becomes a little quiet. And even when it’s not quiet, managers’ jobs are to ALWAYS scrutinize where to cut costs. So, anytime in the day, staff are sent home and the other staff who stay behind are SO SWAMPED and busy, working for three people, they don’t notice when people leave. And many don’t even say “bye”, they just leave to get home. Also, even when staff notice or are informed that someone is going to the remote kitchen, they forget about them as they’re too busy. Out of sight, out of mind.
Plus, everyone starts and finishes at different times as well. When I worked at Pret it took one, two, three hours before I even noticed that a certain staff already left. You’re simply too busy to notice people gone. And this was a REMOTE kitchen. Many kitchens in Pret are downstairs, away from the noisy shop floor and office.
Also, Pret manipulate staff to work overtime without pay. Pret schedule the work time so tightly that it is IMPOSSIBLE to finish tasks in the time given. Staff are then gaslit and pressured to stay longer for free. It happened many times that a colleague finished their shift, we thought they were gone, but then found them 30 minutes later in the office on the computer or cleaning something in the kitchen as the manager called them back to finish something.
And also don’t forget, THIS was during the height of the pandemic, where there was a lot of chaos and confusion already everywhere. .
Why was there no jacket / why did she not wear a jacket?
First of all, asking the question of why she didn’t wear a jacket to me smells like victim blaming!
2. Pret do have company jackets with the Pret logo on for staff doing deliveries, but many shops lose them or they are so stinky and dirty, most either don’t wear them or wear their own (which is not allowed due to outside elements being carried into the fridges and freezers). I once wore this jacked which is basically PLASTIC to do a delivery. It was regular cool outside, not too cold, but when I returned to the shop and took the jacket off, I was soaking wet, sweating and had to change my Pret shirt.
3. No-one expects to be stuck inside a freezer, let alone for over two hours! I went into the walk-in fridge and the freezer countless times without a jacket as I just needed to grab a box quickly and was out in less than 10 seconds.
I only wore a jacket when I spent 5-10 minutes in there writing down the ordering of what the shop needed as I was a team leader running shops. Pret are known for their fast pace, staff are bullied and pressed to ALWAYS work fast, fast, fast … Many kitchens are small where you can’t even hang the jacket. You’d have to go all the way upstairs or downstairs to grab the stinky/sweaty/dirty jacket from the staff-room or office. And then you get fear managed why you’re taking so long to just grab a box of croissants from the freezer. .
She should have taken her mobile phone with her
First of all again, victim blaming. Please stop victim blaming!
Second, Pret staff, except for assistant and shop managers, are not allowed to carry their phone with them. Even as a team leader running shops, I was not allowed to have my phone on me. I often carried the cordless shop phone due to calling other shops, being called by shops, customers or managers. But private phone is a no-go.
And thirdly, I doubt there would be any reception, especially if the freezer was downstairs. I worked in over 30 shops in Pret and we always struggled even in the staff room, on the same level as the shop, to get reception on our phones.
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So, for sure, NOW they have things in place to avoid any further issues (or rather to avoid fines and bad press!). But I also know for a fact that Pret will just pressure staff further to sign training material without being trained properly. I talk about the lack of training on a podcast.
And Pret being Pret and in business for 40 years, they still don’t have BASIC safety measures in place.
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If there are more repeated questions popping up all over, I update and add them here.
And in another blog post I write in detail what staff go through every summer with overheated shops. They work in 40+ degrees Celsius (105+ Fahrenheit) for hours everyday due to broken or inadequate air conditioning. It’s ongoing, and Pret don’t do anything about it despite ongoing complaints year after year. Not to mention the food being warm. I hardly ate at Pret in the summer during my breaks. Try eating a lukewarm duck wrap! Revolting!
In one shop ALL air cons were off, even the one in the office. We staff always went inside the walk-in fridge for a few minutes to cool off, and one colleague got pneumonia from going between 2-5 degrees and 40+ degrees back and forth every day.
We logged calls and logged calls and logged calls for repair and it often took MONTHS before anything was done!
“It’s what makes Pret, Pret”.
Please see customer complaints who often step in because Pret don’t listen to staff. And even then, Pret continue to demand staff to put on a big fake smile tested by strict weekly mystery shoppers who equally don’t care how hot the shops are, as they’re in and out in minutes. Not one mystery shopper week after week ever mentioned the over-heated shops. Not one, in all the years I worked in hot shops. Physical, mental, emotional, psychological strain and abuse becomes so normalized, I still don’t know how I survived this, even then during traumatic bereavement. But I survived to expose the sh!t out of Pret! My “Stockholm Syndrome” days are over!
Although I am not surprised whatsoever that Pret yet again ignored issues raised, I am absolutely mortified at this woman’s ordeal! I wouldn’t be surprised if she suffers with PTSD after this life-and-death situation and am plainly disgusted at Pret’s ongoing neglect and profit-over-lives attitude!
Kudos to her, what a kick-ass strong woman she is!!!
I hope she gets a HEFTY payout in her civil claim! My thoughts are with her, my heart goes out to her and I hope she gets good mental health help and has lots of support!
Fnck Pret! Fnck their whole executive team and HR department! Fnck ’em all!
Pano Christou having come from McDonald’s, an incapable CEO having learnt from his entitled mentors Clive Schlee and Julian Metcalfe, he’s a “manager”, not a leader! He just about manages.
Stop killing and hurting people, you psychopaths!
And don’t get me started on Pret RE-founder and itsu founder, net-worth £215 million Julian Metcalfe, I chased him off Twitter and wrote a little exposé on him.
Thank you for your time and for reading all this. Look out for each other and treat your staff with the utmost respect and care! They are the reason your business exists. They make it all happen! Never forget that! Life is too short to be exploited and treated like the dirt on your shoes! You will build a legacy alright, and Pret have certainly crafted theirs.
I finish with a short video on what to do when stuck in a freezer. For any Pret staff and food workers in general reading this, the Pret staff used cardboard from the croissant box. That was very good as homeless people use cardboard and it helps. You can also use the large plastic bags inside the croissant boxes that hold the products and wrap it around the neck, head, face (enough to still breathe) hands, feet etc.
I didn’t think of the plastic until this video, but yes, we always see on TV the gold-silver foil that people wear who were just saved from a freezing lake or other catastrophes:
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
(Please be aware that the player shows 0:00 as WordPress sometimes “messes” with my blog. Just press play or go straight to the interview on Adam’s page).
So heartbreaking Sinéad’s early death! Her son’s death last year was unspeakably hard.
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My thoughts on the why female artists have less support than male artists on my podcast:
Please click on this LINK as Spotify that took over Anchor.fm doesn’t allow embedding.
When I pre-booked the Barbican gig for April 2015 in late 2014 I had other concerts pre-booked for 2015, but cancelled as I learnt of my brother’s death in January 2015.
Sinéad was the only artist I did not cancel. I trusted her music because she’s authentic, no matter how “messed up” she was. She was real and important and always timely.
Her life was full of pain and different turns and mental health struggles. But one of a kind. So blessed to have seen her live! So glad I didn’t cancel!
A true and pure artist, a brave woman, a beautiful soul!
My favourite live video of Sinéad:
RIP 😔
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Sinéad called the police on her friend & collaborator the legendary Pogues singer Shane MacGowan, as she was worried sick with his drug use. I don’t know how he can even be alive with the amount of drugs and alcohol he’s been drenched in since childhood! He’s like a tea bag immersed in poison and somehow survived. Do some people have certain genes to survive being a walking pharmacy?
There will never be an artist like Sinéad, who no matter how controversial she was or messed up, cared so much for people and had no judgmental bone in her being!
To me she was not “controversial” at all, she had a very clear distinction of right and wrong, of (wrong) judgement and compassion. She was one of the early artists who spoke out on behalf of Britney Spears when Brtiney had her breakdowns with the paparazzi and what we now know how her own family conspired against her. NO-ONE spoke out for Britney then, than Sinéad did!
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While the likes of Katy Perry and other artists laughed about and mocked Britney, Sinéad spoke out! THAT’S a person who is fearless, who cares, who understands issues on the dot and is a fncking trail blazer!!!
I knew I had to go to Sinéad’s Barbican concert while cancelling other gigs shortly after my brother died because I felt safe to not feel lost at an “entertainment” show. It wasn’t a concert, it was going to church! That gig was my sanctuary during hell!
Her ripping up Pope’s picture on one of the biggest USA TV shows was not something I would or could have done, but I hugely respected her for this act, that no-one before or since would dare to dream of doing. A clear statement AHEAD of all the crimes that came out later. Acts, words, ART that she did standing on her own feet, often alone, isolated, but she kept standing and walking! She never followed a trend!
I’ve never been so devastated about a famous person’s untimely death, I usually am not connected, but this one is devastating for some reason! It’s always those who are too sensitive and compassionate who leave too early! Fame is horrible. She didn’t do everything right, but who does? Who can be so famous, wear their heart on their sleeve, get so much backlash and yet remain so kind and thoughtful?
I feel so sad for her family, children, grandchild. So fncking sad!
Sinéad O’Connor & Shane MacGowan Interview, Ireland 1995 Shane MacGowan and Sinéad O’Connor on songwriting, touring and mortality. Shane MacGowan wrote the song ‘Haunted’ for the soundtrack to the 1986 film ‘Sid and Nancy’. The film focuses on the relationship between Sid Vicious, bassist with punk band the Sex Pistols and his girlfriend Nancy Spungen. Originally performed by The Pogues …www.youtube.com
I love the fact that the pandemic has forced businesses to re-think their food waste and donate or sell nearly expired and even expired foods to food banks and pantries. There is still too much food waste of even perfectly fresh food. Last time I checked, it still is illegal in Germany to “dumpster dive” where mainly students and eco-warriors pick out perfect food from dumpsters behind supermarkets and distribute it to friends and people in need.
Two students were put on trial in Germany a few years ago and made a public spectacle of in court to deter others to “steal” food from dumpsters. I haven’t followed the story anymore and am not sure what the verdict was, please do your own research there. But as far as I know in 2023 it’s still illegal in Germany to dumpster-dive, while France changed the laws to force businesses to keep using good/non-expired food and later food share with charities instead of mass-throwing out food.
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Also, side note, someone is copying and pasting my posts one by one. Just make sure you have a leg to stand on when claiming that my writings are yours.
I know that Pret waste a lot of food than they can donate, as I had to throw out countless large bin bags of food for years, as well as members of the public posting pictures and videos of Pret’s food waste in the streets. But since the pandemic, and companies being forced to show their greed in broad daylight, Pret not only carry-over food to the next day(s) to sell (hence, false advertising, as NOT freshly made), but now SELL left-over food as “surprise” bags for cheaper via the TooGoodToGo app.
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The problem with that is not only the risk to get expired/mouldy food, but that while BEFORE the pandemic Pret was VERY strict about NOT even giving for FREE cooled down hot food like hot wraps, soups, porridge, mac & cheese etc. to charity due to safety reasons. NOW they sell it for cheaper via TGTG.
I was reprimanded by my manager when I was new to running a shop and gave hot food to charity at the end of the night. I didn’t know we weren’t allowed to give cooled down hot food away. I was stressed about this and felt humiliated that I was told off like this. And as Pret are Pret, what do they do now? Not only a complete U-Turn on safety issues, but even making money from it under the “charity” umbrella for tax breaks and brownie points with the public.
Can I have an apology by the manager who reprimanded me, while 1. I wasn’t even told about this when I was “trained” to be a shift runner before I became a team leader. And 2. Pret now continuing unsafe food practices, despite 2 customer deaths and 20+ injuries from labelling/ingredient issues. They’re now making money from it.
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Needless to say how hypocritical it is AND unsafe as soups in Pret at times have been re-heated 3-4+ times to save money on waste. I go into great detail in Pret Quietly Change their Slogans in how Pret seem to move away from the “freshly made food” slogan to “handmade every day” as I keep bombarding the internet with writings AND pictures of mouldy food from Pret.
When I pointed out to TGTG UK branch about Pret’s Hypocrisy in Food Safety, they of course blocked me. That’s telling. It means they don’t want to know about food safety and the dangers of unsafe food practices.
I explain in detail in the two above posts on Pret’s slogans and hypocrisy HOW Pret’s food is really made, especially soups that are cooked in factories, delivered in plastic bags (containing 6 cups per bag), then just re-heated in water baths or the microwave. By the time a customer gets a soup, it has for absolute certainty been heated up twice. Again, hence, not freshly made.
I explain how staff even years before the pandemic keep re-heating unsold soup bags the next day after they cooled it off the night before when it didn’t sell. It is not uncommon that the soup you eat from Pret has been re-heated 3, 4 or more times to save money on waste.
“Incredibly unwell after eating a tomato soup”:
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A customer favourite is the Mushroom Risotto soup, but here it tastes “odd”:
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And many more. And this isn’t even from the cheap TGTG surprise bag, these are customers paying the full price.
On Facebook TGTG also recently blocked me after I linked to mouldy, non-fresh food to an excited customer having gotten soups in their surprise bag. But before they blocked, I reminded them that if a customer gets ill or worse, even dies again from any Pret food due to food poisoning and the ongoing mislabelling, where vegans and vegetarians (some for over 25 years) eat meat, and religious people eat pork instead of beef or fish or veg, TGTG will not be able to say that they didn’t know how Pret remain unsafe.
I keep the receipts!
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WRONG labels:
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DAYS after Pret opened their first shop in India, CHICKEN hot wrap instead of veg. On Facebook was another India complaint recently where the customer is threatening with legal action against the franchise owner about other issues.
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The one that even shocked me, and I’ve seen a lot, is where the dairy Bircher Muesli was made with MAYONNAISE!!! This must have been made by either a new worker who struggles with reading English when looking for the yoghurt bucket in the fridge or an extremely exhausted staff who rushed like a headless chicken, or both. They all have to rush in understaffed shops under a bullying fear culture.
I speak about how Pret were always and continue to be unsafe in their food practices on my podcast, incl. how staff are pressured to cheat by signing training papers without being trained. I highlight a weird Barbican seminar AFTER the first customer Natasha Ednan-Laperouse died. But there was NO mention of a fatality and further injuries. I also highlight the difference between Starbucks CEO’s proactive handling of crisis and Pret’s CEO (then Clive Schlee) lack of action in crisis, and other insights into work at Pret.
And current CEO Pano Christou who came from McDonald’s, coming full circle, turning Pret into a McDonald’s type business isn’t better as we can see with current mouldy food and ongoing mislabelling. And when the customers died in the UK and more got injured worldwide, Pano Christou was the UK Managing Director and also ignored it before it got public in the press. He was number 2 to Clive Schlee and could have intervened in any way.
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Many more mislabelled products in above “Vegans Eat Meat” post.
And as a little but important side note, no-one will ever know IF or how many homeless people suffered food poisoning or got hurt eating mislabelled food. Homeless people have food allergies and intolerances as well! Food allergies are not reserved for the rich and privileged. Poison, injuries and death don’t discriminate!
The only thing that the rich or middle class people have in favour, they can afford legal aid to sue companies, and like in the case of the millionaire Ednan-Laperouse family are able to reach up to government and get “Natasha’s Law” implemented as well as being summoned by King Charles in his last days of being a prince.
A poor or homeless person simply suffers or dies. That was that. No one would even know why they got hurt or died. But if it is known, there won’t be any repercussions. No-one held to account. End of. Let’s be real here! They might even get ignored by paramedics.
A flatmate and I in Germany once tried to change bandages of a homeless man who had infected wounds on his ankles and always came to our door to ask for money or food. But this time he came with complaints of his ankles.
We made a rare exception to let him in and try to tend to the wounds while calling the ambulance. The ambulance came, but hesitated to help the man as he didn’t want to go to hospital, and they seemed in a hurry to get out again as the man was smelly and dirty. Not only did the paramedics NOT tend to his wounds, but they left him with us! Today I would absolutely demand for the medics to tend to the man, no matter if and why he doesn’t want to go to hospital! They have all the tools to do an initial clean up of the wounds.
This is many years ago, but I’m still shocked about it! So, don’t kid yourself to think a homeless person on the street will get help or justice when dying from hidden or mislabelled allergens.
But now to what I really wanted to write about!
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Food Pantries Seem to be Taking Over the Amount of Food Banks
Rising food banks is a concern for me. But as there’s now money to be made and it adds up. Food pantries seem to be rising and now even seem to outnumber food banks in areas. Good, we may think. Yes … but …
I worked in charities, volunteered since I was a teenager and know the tricks and traps of the multi-million pound charity “industry”, especially with staff making good salaries while the work is being done by unpaid volunteers.
As Pret read my blog, they will be delighted to learn that I rely a lot on food banks and pantries, still unable to work and function in a “normal” workplace. I’m not ashamed about it and we will see who will be laughing more regarding Pret A Manger.
But I do crazy things sometimes where I go to a local restaurant and treat myself to a full blown meal!
As food pantries have popped up all over during the pandemic and since the cost of living crisis, I was given the tip by neighbours about pantries. I was really excited to find pantries where you even get real vegetables, not just canned foods.
The deal is simple and might vary a little bit from pantry to pantry. But in comparison to FREE food banks that mainly give tinned foods and other non-perishable items, and maybe some donated pastries and bread, food pantries don’t require a referral from the Job Center, Citizen Advice Bureau or your GP. And they sell vegetables. And important for me, I feel a little bit “normal” to BUY food rather than get hand-outs!
And free food banks are only limited to people who live in that borough. If I live in borough “A”, I can’t go to borough “B” to get free food. But with food PANTRIES, there is no requirement to be in the borough of that pantry. Some require registration for their data base, others just ask for a first name for the list on the day as it is on first-come / first-serve basis with ticketing.
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Example of Two Pantries
Each pantry sells food two to three or four times a week. Pantries that are close together also share food. What pantry “A” didn’t sell on Monday, pantry “B” gets for their Tuesday sales etc. But pantry “B” has to pay pantry “A” for the food. That way food waste is minimized especially with vegetables and fruit that spoil fast.
Anyone can just come by unannounced and in comparison to food banks will not be asked any embarrassing questions on why they need the food. They’re not asked about details of their crisis. This fact has led me to not go to food banks anymore and had my fridge empty many times, because I didn’t have the strength or courage to go to the Job Center or GP to get a referral and then again having to explain to food bank volunteers what my current situation is.
This was then very attractive for me with food pantries. PLUS, in my pride I feel better when I PAY even just a little bit. It has more dignity. And with pantries you CHOOSE items that you like, while with food banks they just collect items for your bag except products you’re allergic to. Since the whole Pret allergy catastrophes, not only businesses are forced to take food allergies more serious. Food banks and some (not all) pantries have the allergy question on which foods you can’t have included in their questionnaire now.
Even when I want to escape my Pret writings, I am constantly confronted in businesses and pantries with Pret due to allergy warnings that only started with Pret’s customer deaths. It always takes death before change happens.
Without calling any pantry out, I just name them in letters.
Pantry A:
Pantry “A” only sells once a week on a Tuesday between certain morning and afternoon hours.
The deal is, you either pay £2.50 for 10 items which are 5 tins/non-perishables (tins, pasta, rice, tea etc.) and 5 fresh items veg/fruit. And for £5 you get double, 10 non-perishables and 10 fresh items.
Pantry “A” is pretty good with fresh stuff, they get fresh veg and fruit (which is NOT donated but purchased by the way), an hour before giving it out. BUT after I received 2 large onions which I wanted to use on the same day, I found that the insides were rotten, I started to tune my ears to conversations of other pantry customers.
Just yesterday I got to know a lady who’s been going there for a while and is a little bit of a “trouble maker”, calling out the pantry staff for hiding fresh fruit and veg under the table and then giving out the older stuff. My kinda trouble maker and we hit it off immediately after I shared my rotten onions debacle which I had to throw away. 😀
I believe the staff member hides the fresh food to minimize waste costs and then be able to sell fresher food to pantry “B”, who might otherwise not take the “older” food. Cheeky bums!
Pret do the same. When I worked at Pret I had to look at all the selection, and an hour before closing time sell sandwiches to the nearest Pret shop that was open longer, as every shop is required to have a certain amount of selection on display until closing time, not too much selection of a variety of products, but also not too little.
Now, people may say, “beggars are no choosers”. Ho-ho! Stop yourself from such disrespect please. First of all, the food is not free, but just a fraction of the cost, and still you PAY money. Secondly, food pantries advertise themselves as ethical, helping the community etc. but NONE of them mentions on their website or posters that MOST of the foods are expired!
One pantry had such NON-fresh veggies and upon taking an oat milk from the shelf, looking at the best-before date, which will be 29.07.2023 (in a few days of writing this), the volunteer, who minutes before was talking about dignity when I pointed out how organised everything looks, said that these are best-before dates which are fine after those days.
She’s right of course, but as I kept looking around at the clearly visibly non-fresh veg, I didn’t feel much dignity.
Pantry B:
This pantry is with the “dignity” volunteer lady. And their deal is £4.50 for 16 items. They have a colour system where they have coloured stickers on shelves. You can get 8 yellow items, which are non-perishables; 6 pink items which are “fresh” (fruit and veg); and 2 red items which are special things that are either more expensive usually or in some way special, like cheese, frozen stuff, large bottles of coke etc.
They also have some free items they would otherwise not get rid of like some green sugar fondant for cakes or bunches of radishes which were okay-ish but the leaves where already yellow.
The reason the lady mentioned dignity was because I asked her some questions and mentioned that I read on their website that the pantry started during the pandemic and how I find this great yada yada. And then I mentioned how impressed I am with how they organised it with shelving, fridges, even some nice lighting etc. looking like a shop rather than a warehouse, like food banks often look and feel.
This is then when she explained that they started with tables and more bare before slowly changing it to a shop type look to give it dignity.
Now, when you mention dignity, I start to “dig” deeper. Pun intended! And please keep in mind that I’m talking about a food pantry that sells food for MONEY, no matter how little the price is. This is not a food bank or a supermarket dumpster!
Again, it isn’t even so much a problem for me that food pantries sell expired or soon to expire foods and somewhat non-fresh vegetables and fruit for a very cheap price. But to do so under the “we care for the community and vulnerable people” umbrella, without even mentioning that the food “may be” expired but still safe to eat is not on. It lacks integrity, transparency and true care.
And mind you, isn’t SELLING expired / out of date food not unlawful?? No matter how cheap the price? Also, there were a lot of large potatoes next door where customers couldn’t see it. This means this pantry is also “hiding” fresh produce to get rid of old stuff while claiming to serve “good quality” and healthy food.
And in my distrusting, pessimistic mind I can’t help but think that this is becoming the norm rather than a momentary exception. Tory politicians celebrate the rise of food banks and businesses cash in AGAIN on non-fresh, expired food for pantries and then claim to be ethical in their care for the “community”. Yuck!
The rich seem to do this on purpose to yet again degrade the poor by throwing crumps at us for which we even have to pay, even if it’s not much, but it does something to the psyche. It’s clever, the poor are hardly to be found in supermarkets so that rich people and people with a regular income can enjoy every place for themselves. Again.
Segregation of another kind. Quietly move the poor over there with the cheap stuff, and have the rich over here with the “proper” goods and services. And then feed the poor with the crumbs that fall off the table. In our modern times all this is done under “charity” and “ethics” while still having a laugh. I know it’s an age-old class struggle. But it will always sit queer in my system like a plank of wood swallowed horizontally.
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Dignity
As I volunteered for many years in three countries with different projects, I once helped out at a local clothes charity in Florida that gave away free clothes that were donated. This was not a thrift store or pawn shop selling clothing items for 50 cent, all clothes, bags, hats, shoes etc. were for free.
I can’t remember the exact rules, but I think it was something like a person could come every so months (maybe 2 or 3 times a year??) and choose 3-5 itmes per person, per visit. I can’t remember exactly. Part of my job with the other 3 to 5 volunteers was to go through bags upon bags of donated clothes each week and sieve out ANY piece that had even the slightest stain or hole.
I remember being literally TOUCHED by the only STRICT rule they had to NEVER give out any item with even the slightest stain or hole, even like a little bleach stain which is a “clean” stain. We had to be meticulous like forensic detectives to look for stains, holes and any imperfections. And because we all were so touched by the care for vulnerable people’s dignity, we all made sure to do the job properly, no matter how long it took! It was a “mission” we completely took on and OWNED!
It was about DIGNITY! It was SUPER important for the charity to give out the best possible to people struggling and already embarrassed to be asking for free things. One little stain, one little hole, and the thing went in the bin, or if any of us volunteers were happy to take it, that was up to us. We were different as we saw the items first thing, but did not want to subject a person in need to take it in the “beggars are no choosers” mentality.
And it might be cheesy for you who read this, but I’m tearing up and have goosebumps remembering this as I’m writing this. This was true lived dignity and respect. I can’t remember where I wrote this on my blog, but this is the same place that occasionally did a spa day for sex workers. Occasionally the charity put on a whole Saturday for sex workers and people who can’t afford it to get free hair cuts, make-up done, manicure, pedicure etc. for them and their children. Someone also cooked a proper nice meal. They did that to remind people that we all have dignity and are worth the respect every human being deserves, no matter their background or circumstances.
What was striking to me as well was that those who served doing the make-up or manicure or cooked, were a mix of “regular” people from the community, current and former sex workers and/or former drug addicts. It was such a mix of people without any judgment! Just one day of “utopia” where people who are simply human beings came together and made something beautiful for all involved. There go them tears again!
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Friends are Stranger than some Strangers
You know this thing when a friend clears out their cupboard and comes to you to give you a pile of jumpers or dresses to choose from as they’re clearing out. And you choose an item or several clothes with excitement, especially if one piece was always your favourite when your friend wore it. Only later when you have more time to take a closer look to find stains on the jumpers, or the odd little hole in the dress. And you start questioning your friendship! Well, I did.
If the friend would have said to a group of friends that they have some clothing which have stains/holes and they can’t or don’t want to wear it anymore, maybe due to a public job, but if anyone still would want it to help themselves, that’s different.
If a clothing item for example is really expensive and you could never afford it, but maybe you’re an arty person and know ways to cover up the stain or hole, go for it, as long as it is communicated that the person wants to get rid of it due to imperfections.
But to come under this “mantle” (pun intended again! Sorry!) of “I’m clearing my cupboard because I have too much stuff …”
Well …
I was lead to write today’s post after I ate vegetables from “dignity” pantry “B” yesterday, which were okay-ish, but I noticed that I have increased stomach aches, diarrhoea, and a few months ago even vomited for the first time in 8 years.
The last time I vomited was in early 2015, days after I learnt that my brother died and in the following days finding out more and more detail, which were so shocking to my system that I vomited at one point. Good thing I was at home and not on the bus or at work.
Without going into personal detail with my physical and reproduction health, but I knew that it wasn’t pregnancy or food poisoning. My body just exploded in shock. And after that I must have cramped up my body during trauma because I never vomited again, even during the most drunken moments.
My body has always been robust and I have always been able to eat everything. I am very lucky to not have any allergies or intolerances.
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Not just Health but Dignity
Today, from yesterday’s “dignity” Pantry “B” shopping I made myself a salad with the spinach, pepper, the free rubber radishes, some herbs that are still kind of in the green-ish area. In addition I used the vegetables that are more on the “softer” side like an aubergine, spring onions etc. to stir fry them.
I threw as many spices and lemon juice at everything as I could handle, to pimp up the taste. But while eating I realised, you can’t pimp up texture. There’s nothing worse than the texture of non-fresh vegetables, especially with aubergine. And vegetables that are not fresh also lose taste. There’s just something eerie and yucky about non-fresh vegetables.
And after the meal my stomach felt achy again and still feels off while writing this. I started looking at everything in my fridge and kitchen cupboard. Everything from food pantries have either soon-to-expire best-before dates, or have already expired, or are about to expire in the next days. Even tinned foods have expiry dates of no later than August and September 2023. So, you can’t even stock up for a rainy day like what we experienced with empty shelves during lockdowns or rising prices.
So, you’re forced to eat stuff before they expire for the sake of health and dignity. I am re-thinking the food pantry opportunity and think of eating less, even though I don’t even eat a lot as my stomach can’t take much food anymore, but eat at a higher price with FRESH produce from the supermarket.
In the long-run when eating non-fresh food and expired foods, I feel I’m paying with my health for it.
Less food but fresh, tasty and healthy, though more expensive = dignity.
Or regular meals, but expired, not tasty at all and potentially a health risk in the long run. No dignity.
Not yet decided if I should feed my body on the sacrifice of my dignity via food pantries, or my dignity at the cost of my bank account with other important things I need via supermarkets.
Feeding both body AND dignity isn’t possible at the moment.
I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
As Pret do what they do best, use the press to impress the public with profits, being in the black with higher profits since 2018, I want to magnify why that is.
First of all it’s interesting that Pret compare the profit rise to 2018, not 2019 just before the pandemic losses. The two customers who have died and over 20 who got injured (that we know of) which came to light in September 2018, may have been a factor that Pret compares to 2018 instead of 2019.
In early 2022 I wrote a reddit post on how Pret make profit through their coffee subscription. This year reddit hid my post, while I can still see it when logged in, others can’t. The typical reddit over-extreme censorship by power-tripping moderators of subreddits who can’t stand when people write with extensive knowledge. Their insecure little selfs need to silence anyone for no reason while putting complicated “rules” in place that are easy to break. Or even when rules are not broken,they just come up with reasons why they ban people. It’s become so normal that I always expect being banned, therefore I don’t even read the rules anymore. 😀
Just move on to the next. I copied my post into my own reddit profile to link to it again as it is too long for a Twitter thread.
In this post how Pret A Manger make PROFIT from their Coffee Subscription, I go into detail after a Times journalist asked on Twitter on Pret can make profit with such a “generous” subscription deal. I replied briefly and he started following me and ask questions. Later his boss also started following, but in my usual drunken stupor I kicked all journalists off incl. from the Guardian, BBC etc. It is what is it.
This is when Pret started the subscription at £20.
I basically listed on reddit how Pret cheat, take, steal from customers, delay service, refuse expensive items, make it hard to cancel … all to avoid people using the subscription.
A BBC report also came from my tweets explaining how Pret keep scamming customers: “Pret customers complain over drinks subscription deal“. Journalist Mike Powell mentioned my blog as I kept updating issues on the subscription and other things.
So, Pret now boast that the subscription is the reason for the profit jump, and it’s true because the subscription is THE fastest money AND data grab while avoiding to deliver on the advertised T&Cs.
Meanwhile, quality suffers. Food and coffee quality down. Service quality down etc.
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For a more extensive, but not updated, list on Pret’s expired, stale and mouldy food with pictures, please see Pret’s Food isn’t Fresh.
Many complaints on Pret’s coffee, even before the pandemic. This is just the tip of the iceberg:
And 61% of customer on Trustpilot give one star reviews, 11% two stars and only 19% approve of Pret. It’s actually 72% who are very unhappy customers with the 1 and 2 stars combined. Many having vowed to never set foot inside Pret again. The complaints are on a variety of issues, the main issues being higher prices for lesser quality products, the coffee subscription has a lot of complaints, and dirty shops, rude staff etc.
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As of 21.07.2023
My “favourite” review is form 01. May 2023 in a short and sweet sentence, quote:
“Why Pet deserves to fail
The Pret on Marylebone St, literally closed the door in my face. Said they were closing, still staff working the counters.
Pret deserves to fail. From a once customer focused company its now a brand which needs to go“
Pret RE-founder and itsu founder Julian Metcalfe said to me on Twitter when I linked him itsu staff reviews where staff were calling Metcalfe a liar, sexist, racist etc. Metcalfe said that these reviews are biased as anyone can just anonymously leave a review. Of course he has a point, but 1. why would anyone make the effort to leave a “fake” review. 2. Then the positive reviews are also biased and fake. 3. The Trustpilot reviews are done by mainly people with their names and many having a history of many other reviews.
Most are NOT anonymous, no-name one-off reviews.
What Metcalfe said, I’ve put on YouTube after I chased him off Twitter when he deleted his tweets and then Twitter account after just 2 days on there. But I screenshot his tweets when he kept RT’ing my tweets. He certainly wasn’t media savvy there:
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The Office of National Statistic, that seems to be obsessed with Pret, has tweeted several times over the last few months that Pret sales have decreased in MOST locations. I believe this is also due to Pret pushing the subscription too aggressively to make FAST money and to collect data quicker.
June:
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July
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Some of the MANY staff reviews
Glassdoor: “Coffee subcription ruined work morale completely.”
Indeed (verbatim, I leave mistakes in): “they’re pushing their subscription harder than ever (Head office peope going around central london stores complaining that we’re not pushing the “New club pret subscription” to every single customer in the middle of morning coffee or lunch rush times to people who don’t want yet another subscription…).”
Indeed: “Since the subscription service was introduced, the queue is non-stop but doesn’t bring any additional cash to the shop to hire new staff with. This results in the shop being understaffed, so you are expected to do the job of 3 people at twice the normal speed.”
Increased customer complaints on rude and aggressive staff as unfortunately customers want their “free” subscription coffee, not seeing how burnt out staff are. I worked at Pret before the pandemic, and it was already hell to work there, but I can’t even imagine working there now with the subscription and the extra abuse by Pret head office. I KNOW how psychological abusive Pret executives/leaders are behind that mystery shopper enforced smile.
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So a PR move via the press to say their profits are up due to the subscription sounds like a call to ignore that shops are in shambles.
Another issue that was briefly reported on was that Pret’s donation increased by 122%. Again, misleading success because the donations came in many times due to the donation devices being VERY close, right next to the payment devices. Many customers by accident and in the noisy rush tapped the donation devices to pay for their food/drink and then donated £5 to the Pret Foundation (for tax breaks and brownie points with the public).
Customers where then prompted again to pay. Some have pointed out correctly that this is very psychological, customers who donate feel embarrassed to request a refund from “charity”. Pret now that psychology very well. Pret also kept and still now keep ignoring customer contacts about the refund in hopes they will just give up.
And further issue how Pret scam customers via the coffee subscription which is the reason for the high profit jump:
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
UPFRONT: Not sure why the screenshots below are stretched vertically, another one of WordPress’ little “changes” that upsets us writers a lot! Just click on the links underneath the pictures for context. Trying to fix it.
WordPress already censored me on Pret’s behalf by having moved my blog into the adult section where porn sites are stored. This is because they need to keep free speech, but it means that WordPress users cannot find my blog when logged in and in the reader’s section looking for Pret articles. My blog is hidden despite me PAYING for it! .
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“mater” Yep. I does “mater” doesn’t it.
Quote:
“Thank you for your patience while we’ve reviewed your site’s content and your previous correspondence with WordPress.com.
As previously mentioned, your site expret.org contains materials which meet our definition of mature content including use of strong language and mature subject mater that is not suitable for all WordPress.com users.
As such—and as outlined on this support page—we prevent this type of content from appearing in public spaces within WordPress.com such as the Reader. Beyond that, your site remains publicly accessible online and can be viewed by anyone.”
If any webdeveloper reads this, please let me know if you can help me with transferring my blog to a new webprovider.
Also, side-note, someone is speed-copying my blog posts lately again. Don’t forget copyright in case you try to publish and claim copyright. You won’t get away with it.
And if anyone tries to get my blog shut down like some always try with my social media channels, I have already everything backed up since I started the blog. So, keep trying.
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Even if it’s hard to believe, but I rarely post anything regarding Pret anymore, as I still try to recover from the multiple “hells” I went through these last 8+ years. I have also upset and offended many good people in my PTSD drunken stupor. No excuse. I keep people away as best as possible.
I have written the anger off my system on this blog, but am still struggling on several fronts. I have written everything and anything regarding Pret that I know of and forced Pret to secretly change many things while remaining uncredited. But this one is important. I try to keep it short. Haha! 😬
As Pret know my blog and I have posted on different social media channels and emails etc. how Pret’s “freshly made” slogan is also a lie, Pret seem to slowly and quietly change their packaging bit by bit as:
1. I know from experience having worked at Pret where some products are prepared the day before and then just the finishing touches applied the next morning, or even worse, preparations done on Friday or Saturday and then finished on Monday. Seen it countless times over the years. I write extensively on HOW Pret’s food is REALLY “made” in Freshly Prepared Brainwash, with more photos of mouldy food in Pret’s Food isn’t Fresh.
2. Staff have told me that, especially during the pandemic, Pret started to freeze soups (which are cooked in factories anyway and then just re-heated in shops) to prolong expiry dates, as well as soup bags that were cooled off after the water bath, then again re-heated 3-4 times while procedure is to THROW it OUT when the bag is unsold!
Pret soups come in boxes of 4 plastic bags. One plastic bag of soup contains 6 cups for customers, so the cost of throwing even one bag out is quite high, but I did it anyway! Also toasties, uncooked hot wraps and sandwiches are carried over to the next day(s). The soup issue and staff interaction I also put in above “Brainwash” post.
Another staff a while ago contacted me saying that Pret quietly are removing the “freshly made” fridge signs. I have to find that mail, can’t remember if it was via contact form/email or on Twitter, Facebook etc. DM.
3. But more telling is where customers post pictures of mouldy food and use-by dates on social media, as I put in above “Food isn’t Fresh” post.
The familiar sticker: “Made today – Gone today – No ‘sell-by’ date – no night life”
Haha! Of course Pret might claim they now say “use-by” not “sell-by” date!
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And the REALITY, which has always been the case, but now more in the open, WITH the date:
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Close-up:
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This tweet is from 12.07.2023 but the use-by date is for the next day 13.07.2023. And no, don’t be fooled when Pret might say that when customers buy the product they can put it in their fridge overnight for the next day. Nopes, PRET themselves will have this in the fridge for the next day(s).
READY TO (CH)EAT:
And having worked at Pret seeing countless times staff PEELING off labels and then re-attaching a new date on the old product to avoid waste. Staff do that since forever with expiry dates on ingredients. I explain this in detail on my podcast on HOW staff cheat. And no, in case you wonder, I never did that because when caught you get fired unless you’re “close” friends with the manager or OPs manager. This was the main reason why I was never promoted beyond team leader level. But I didn’t care. I slept well at night and never had to look over my shoulder.
I worked at Caffe Nero where they also stretch the dates of the cakes with a label-gun individually on defrozen cakes. And I even went after the manager when my boss left, I went back to the cakes and re-attached the REAL date!
Nero customers always complained that the cakes are hard and taste dry, and I was always embarrassed about it. My manager would always peel off the old date and attach a new extended date. I then went after it once my manager was gone for the day and changed it back to the old date and WASTED all the cakes that expired that day or days before!
DON’T HIRE ME if you want me to cheat! Not going to happen! I made mistakes in general, but not cheats with health, safety and quality! Do with it what you want!
I got myself in “unwritten” trouble with Pret management when I told colleagues to please not risk their jobs by “stretching” dates (peel off old date, attach new date) for management. Managers let team leaders and staff in general do the dirty work for them.
REVIEWS:
And yet, customers leave tons of reviews on Trustpilot, Google etc. and all social media channels on the low food quality and stale, even mouldy food in Pret.61% of customers on Trustpilot (as of July 2023) aren’t happy with Pret, many even vowing to never set foot inside Pret again.
Here is my BIASED opinion of a Trustpilot customer review being my favourite. Quote from 01. May 2023:
“Why Pret deserves to fail
The Pret on Marylebone St, literally closed the door in my face. Said they were closing, still staff working the counters.
Pret deserves to fail. From a once customer focused company its now a brand which needs to go”
Of course Pret won’t fail, CEO Pano Christou having come from McDonald’s as a manager started at Pret as an assistant manager 20 odd years ago, has come full circle turning Pret into a low-quality McDonald’s-type business. And don’t forget that Pret sold 33% to McD in the late 1990’s to get their foot into the U.S. market. McD sold their part again of course. JAB seem asleep but they might wake up and consider to sell Pret to the next private equity “pimp” to further squeeze the lifeblood out of the brand. Do what you do best.
NOTHING can touch Pret, not even customer fatalities.
I recently got yet anotherreddit post hidden for pointing out that Pret are actually a small company, after 40 years in business when someone claimed Pret was HUGE. Nope, they ain’t! They just missed the train to become too big to fail.
And the recently opened Toronto, Canada pop-up already has 1 star reviews with one customer wishing he could give 0 stars. People don’t know that Pret received £485million from owners JAB and shareholders during the pandemic closures, with the ridiculous task to speed-open 200 shops worldwide by the end of 2023, and to double in size by 2025.
This pressure leads to not only further food safety issues, lack of staff training, but also shows how Pret cheat by opening little pop-ups in existing businesses to reach that target. Canada is the best example. And even India already starts to get complaints DAYS after opening.
I’m sure Pret by now have found the negative customer reviews, many which are written under people’s names with accounts showing many other reviews. So, Pret can’t claim that these are fake or biased, like Julian Metcalfe claimed.
But with the staff reviews on Glassdoor and Indeed having mysteriously improved into more positive reviews, despite the lack of, exhausted and increasingly rude/aggressive staff, watch the next few months when customer reviews improve as well. Once Pret finds out about the poor customer reviews watch positive reviews increase in the coming months. 😉
And, as a friend of the original Pret founder Jeffrey Hyman told me on Twitter that Pret recruited someone to keep changing the Wikipedia entry on Pret having opened in 1986 (not 1983) to avoid mentioning Hyman, from my experience with Pret’s dishonesty and trickery, I believe that.
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Just few of the many customer complaints on Pret’s new India outlet, most are on Instagram:
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You simply can’t fool paying-customers! They TRUST their senses regardless of what sweet-talking bullsh!t Pret give in the press and on social media. And Pret’s time to fool the public like they did in “fat” and rich times pre-2018 customer deaths news and pre-pandemic is over. In lean times the real face shows!
Where people on social media did NOT believe me when I started to expose Pret in May 2018, many even blocking me, cussing me out, now it’s common knowledge how bad Pret really are. And no, people didn’t always block or cuss me out because I posted drunken tweets, that’s understandable and expected. But I was often just linking them to evidence they didn’t want to know about. Ignorance is bliss, and I destroyed their bliss! Sorry, but I care about your health more than your wishful-thinking of a multi-billion £$ fairy-tale company that cares NOTHING about you, except for your money!
“Sometimes people don’t want to hear the truth because they don’t want their illusions destroyed.” – Friedrich Nietzsche
Pret RE-founder Julian Metcalfe once tweeted to me (RT’d my comments) that itsu staff reviews on him are biased as anyone with an anonymous account can just leave a review. Yes, he has a point, of course, but 1. why would anyone leave a fake negative review for what reason? And 2. the CUSTOMER reviews on Pret are often done under people’s names with an extensive review history on their profiles! So, try again!
Plus, pictures of mouldy food speak louder than a 1000 words as we know.
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“NATURAL” Fools:
Pret were banned from claiming their food is “natural”, so they changed the packaging and logo from “organic coffee – natural food” to “organic coffee – freshly made food” (I question their claim to do organic coffee as the beans are so cheap and Pret stopped fair-trade already years ago. Plus, customers don’t like Pret’s coffee! But that’s another matter).
And now, Pret also changed the packaging from “freshly made food” to “handmade each day” via a few humps. Pret again play with customers assumptions to think the food is “freshly” made each day while it’s not. It’s a safe way for Pret to cover their stinking asses, as they are not claiming “freshly made” on the packaging, while it’s still on their logo on shops. Customers will assume it’s freshly made after years of brainwash.
Before the freshly made bad hair-day:
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Now as in 12.07.2023 Pret seems to have run out of space to squeeze in the “freshly” bit.
Of course it’s cheaper to change the packaging of the next batch in the factory once the old batch is used, than it is to change the logo for the entire brand on shop fronts. Pret threatened a three-man London small bakery with the name “Bread A Manger” with legal action to change their name. At first the bakery wanted to resist, but quickly bowed to the pressure and changed their name to “Bread And Macaroon” to save money on the “BM” logo. They estimated that the brand-name change for that ONE little shop would cost them £8000!
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Funny enough, there are businesses with the name “Pronto Pret A Manger” or “Miss Pret A Manger” and others with the exact “pret a manger” term in their names. They also sell food, but Pret choose to pick on this small business with a LESS similar name! Knowing Pret like the back of my hand, they always look for the LEAST resistance and the most vulnerable to pick on.
Pret, including Clive Schlee, David Carter (HR), Lila Warren and a host of OPs managers and shop managers tried their best while I was traumatically bereaved. But you simply don’t pick a fight with a traumatised person who has nothing to lose and think you get away with it, stupid!
You just don’t do that, fathermucker!
And little side-note, I’ve been exposing Pret since 5+ years now, and Pret don’t have the balls to threaten me with a lawsuit! I wonder why, I wonder why!
If Pret were to sue me or make a public statement about me, it would open a can of worms for them and have my blog land on Wikipedia, like Andrej Stopa is mentioned on Wiki after Pret made a public announcement about why they fired him. So, they remain silent about me. Fncking cowards!
Someone anonymous already mentioned my blog on Wiki, but it got deleted as the main editor doesn’t have evidence that my experience is legit like they have with Andrej, because Pret made a public statement in 2012. Despite me having evidence. Doesn’t matter.
I was positively shocked one day to find in my blog statistics that 10 visitors came from Wikipedia. I made the mistake to contat the main editor, and the rest is history (as in my blog being deleted again off Wiki. There you go).
Whoever put my blog on Wiki. Thank you. I guess I upset too many egos, so it got deleted. Or, maybe I just am too much of a woman to feature in a man’s world of greed.
Yep, I’m playing THAT card, because it’s true!
Whoever put my blog on Wiki, I’d like to buy you a coffee in an indie business. But that will never happen of course.
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I tried to reach out to formerly Bread A Manger to NOT bow, but failed to reach them. Oh well, I tried!
If rebranding costs a small independent shop £8K, do a rough calculation how much it would cost Pret to change their shop logo and branding across the company worldwide. Especially since Pret already had to change it around 2018 to take the word “natural” off! They might have to lower staff wages again to pay for it! 😉
“French-run London bakery accuses Pret A Manger of ‘bullying’ over demand for name change”.
But if you read Pret’s social media posts, and ESPECIALLY advertisers and PR firms for Pret, they all emphasise and keep repeating the brainwash of “freshest” food, “freshly made food”, “fresh food” etc. The public is hypnotised with “fresh, fresh, fresh …” I can’t help but think that this is Pret’s typical chaos in their communications. The memo hasn’t gotten through yet.
For example also, after 3 years of tweeting about and at Pret, Pret finally blocked me on Twitter around 2020-ish. Pret also DISABLED the comment section on Instagram where I can see my comments when logged in, but it’s hidden from the public when logged out. Pret did not block me on Instagram nor on Facebook (as of July 2023) while I’m blocked on Twitter. Pret’s typical inconsistencies.
ORGANIC COFFINS – NATURAL FOOLS:
Also, when former CEO Clive Schlee was on Twitter before his account was deleted in 2020, he never blocked me, while Pano Christou when he was UK Managing Director and before he deleted his Twitter account in July 2019, blocked me.
I changed Pret’s logo already years ago when customer deaths and injuries became public. Pret didn’t even tell us staff about it. And former CEO Clive Schlee kept mentioning in interviews that his wife always said to him that “any damn fool can run Pret“!
Yes, Clive did, and so does Pano. Where Clive ran the ship into an iceberg, Pano is sinking it!
I think this logo more reflects reality.
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And apart from poor customer reviews …
SALES ARE DOWN:
The Office for National Statistics has posted that Pret’s transactions are down in MOST locations, while Pret and business partners/PR firms work hard to portray Pret to be thriving.
Granted, it is summer when many customers are on holiday. BUT the customer reviews cannot be ignored.
That’s what you get when you start turning into “card-only” shops and p!ss customers off with the flawed coffee subscription, exhausted/rude staff, dirty shops, mouldy food, closed toilets even for paying customers with disabilities etc. etc. etc.
But how about looking into Pret’s packaging they quietly change, their signs, logos, claims?
Ooops, it’s gotten long again!
But I finish with a YouTube slide of “Pret’s Year in Review 2022” that I do each year. Can’t wait for the upcoming year in review 2023 at the end of December with some really juicy customer posts, and some from staff. The choice this year is very hard, that’s the best part! And it’s only July! 😀
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. Schlee has been appointed CEO of itsu in 2024 by Julian Metcalfe who gave him the CEO spot at Pret many years ago. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Please also see the MEDIA page for more on my work with the press.
“People often confuse the terms sociopath and psychopath and use them interchangeably. They aren’t different in the clinical sense. Both terms refer to people who have antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). Those with ASPD have no regard for others’ rights or feelings, lack empathy and remorse for wrongdoings, and have the need to exploit and manipulate others for personal gain.”
I am not saying that what happened to me is due to “sociopaths” hurting me, but I have more and more the impression that people who are completely fine with discriminating against others for whatever the person is or has, that this lack of empathy seems so “normal” in society.
People are so used to either get hurt or hurt others without any thought of wrongdoing. I said this before and people wonder at what the heck I am talking about or what I mean, but I am literally SCARED of the quiet, meek, petite, soft-spoken person who after a while comes across like a “vulnerable narcissist”, than the openly angry, loud or outspoken person.
The harm that I have suffered from people who very subtly hurt people and people’s dignity, there is a reason why the Equality Act exists and even mentions dignity. I was so used to be treated like utter shi!te until my brother died and I suffered horrific treatment at Pret and by some “friends” who turned out not to be friends after all.
Society wants people obedient to their cause, silent, don’t bare your scars, we don’t want to see them.
I remember in particular one horrific story of the Austrian woman Natascha Kampusch (English Interview) who was abducted aged 10 on her way to school by a disgusting cowardly pedo, put in a man-made dungeon and held as a slave for 8 years before she found the opportunity and then courage to run away. When she broke free and her captor then killing himself to avoid justice, she gave an interview within two weeks of being free. She smiled in the interview, looked “healthy” etc., and people expected her to cry all the time or look in some kind of distress. She did not fit their box of a victim, nor did they wanted to be confronted that this can and does happen in THEIR community.
Side note: Austria is a fncked up country anyway, for such a small country to also have had another unbelievable case, that of Elizabeth Fritzl who was lured into and imprisoned by her own father in the basement for 24 years. She was raped and bore 7 children and lived underneath the family apartment under her mother who pretended to not know any of it. What’s up with Austria??!! Oh, I forgot, Hitler came from there and unlike Germany, Austria has not dealt with their own Nazi past and seems in general to have a mentality to sweep things under the carpet.
What shocked me as I started to follow the story over a period of time, was that many people in the community wanted her silent. They even started doubting her story, just so she’s quiet. She gave interviews, wrote a book, later also becoming a TV show host where she interviewed famous German speaking people who had a tragic story in how they survived certain traumas. For example she interviewed Niki Lauda the famous Formula 1 race driver who had a horrible accident, burning his face and head and how he overcame etc.
And people in the community were p!ssed off with Ms. Kampusch for being so VISIBLE and outspoken! They wanted her to crawl back into her dark corner, cry her silent tears and shut the fnck up. But she didn’t! They were confronted with this unspeakable crime against a child, against a human being and how on earth the community either didn’t see this or closed their eyes.
Her captor even took her out to the supermarket at times, and no-one seemed to notice or care, despite her case being in the news for years. And Natascha having been so indoctrinated and scared to not say a peep to anyone until one day she broke free!
And then the community wanted her to crawl back under the rock!
No sir! Her way of starting a lifelong healing process was to be PUBLIC, VISIBLE, AUDIBLE after YEARS of isolation and suffering! She even had to justify herself on why she’s so visible. Really sad and disgusting how survivors of any crime are treated by the community. Every time I saw an interview or project with and of her, knowing how her community wanted her silent, I always thought “You go girl! You keep speaking! Keep putting yourself and your trauma into this sociopathic society’s face and ENJOY YOUR FREEDOM and what YOU WANT to do!”
My story of survival is not even worth in any kind of comparison, but my own experience with the lack of empathy, the sheer targeting even at work to get rid of me, because bereaved employees are an inconvenience … and my thought that many businesses, organizations, charities, countries are run and managed by a bunch of sociopaths who only care for their own gain. And don’t you dare have an ailment of any kind that might inconvenience them.
Me calling the Samaritans and other helplines again because society and the “community” that claims to be THERE for the community want silent, obedient, little sheep doing their bidding.
No sir!
I am here, I am loud, and I will not be silent.
Getting kicked out of projects or work only means freedom to SPEAK freely and loudly!
And that already feels liberating and life itself. I think about death every day, how short life is, how I don’t even want to live sometimes and crawling back to hope. I KNOW that life can end in a blink of an eye, for no reason, no fault, no nothing. Just the end!
And the thought that we treat people with such disrespect, especially those vulnerable, and the hopelessness I feel in this society, in this very community, in people supposedly supportive or close (friends) etc.
I wrote to someone today who sent me a cold reply which led me to write this post, that I’d rather be fncked up in my head like I am but have great empathy and compassion for people, than be “healthy” and cold like a sociopath, but I wrote that in the form that I won’t use the “P” word. Strong words, I know, but this person who replied in such a cold fashion once said to me, after I mentioned how horrible the attack on Ukraine is, that person said that they don’t really care as this is far away.
I was shocked and even upset about this attitude! Sure, at least it was honest, and I always appreciate honesty. And I love how people reveal their true attitude. But first of all, it’s NOT far away, it’s on our door step. A major European war none of us non-political people would have ever imagined happening again. And 2. even if it was in Australia or on the flipping moon, to not give a hoot about an innocent democratic country being illegally invaded and thousands upon thousands of innocent people about to be thrust into hell, how COLD must you be to not care! The mail from that person was therefore no surprise. And I am glad when people out themselves as such unempathetic people while pretending to be so soft spoken and “helping” out in the community. This is not the community I want to be part of.
You will not be remembered for what a great artist you are, or what a great cook, or how talented you are with building things in the community. You will be remembered for how much empathy, compassion, true care and love you had. Hypocricy and narcissism is rampant in society.
Give me mental illness anytime, but don’t take my empathy and compassion for truly vulnerable people.
I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review.
As the Junior Doctors are on strike again, which I completely support, the same bullsh!t words are going around that the BMA union started that Pret staff (or baristas) get £14.10 an hour. This LAZY hijacking of Pret’s staff low-wage shows how little they care about retail workers AND don’t want to take it up with givernment workers’ pay.
I explained since last year that there ONLY few baristas emplpyed compared to other staff. And VERY FEW baristas get the £12.85 and if lucky the +£1.25 bonus = £14.10. And out of those baristas they work at airports and railways stations where it’s immensely busy and Pret pay all staff a few pennies more as well as charging customers more.
A Team Leader who is a position ABOVE the Barista even doesn’t get £12.85 + £1.25 = £14.10.
Just yesterday on Facebook a shop manager posted a staff ad that shows the numbers. I put 2 screenshots here, the 2. with the time stamp so people don’t say this is an old ad. The time stamp hides Pret’s name, so I put both screenshots having hovered of the time:
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The Team Leader there like in most shops gets around £12.15 and if lucky the bonus which then is £13.40. Still no £14.10 despite being a position higher than the barista.
ONLY in AIRPORTS and SOME RAILWAY STATIONS get SOME, VERY FEW baristas £12.85 and if lucky +£1.25.
I worked in shops of 35 – 40 staff all shift and places (kitchen and shop). They only have 1 – 2 Baristas and several coffee makers who are paid less. Airports and the busy trainstations have 2 – 3 Baristas (if at all!) plus several cheaper coffee makers to save money on Barista wage. Do the math on how many airport and railway stations shops there are and estimate how many “trained” Baristas they have, and even out of those few, not many get the £14.10 incl. bonus.
UPDATE June 2024
After the government raised the minimum wage in April 2024, Pret are forced to up the pay a few pennies.
Pret barista job ad on Indeed as in June 2024, the MAXIMUM a barista gets is £13.65 INCLUDING bonus! Do your OWN research!
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Close-up:
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Not even TEAM LEADERS (shop & kitchen) which are shift supervisors in Pret get £14.10. Again, June 2024 Team Leader ads on Indeed. Maximum £13.85 INCLUDING bonus which is hardly achieved aevery week:
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THIS in contrast to a 12 year old SMALL sandwich chain from Bristol called “Sandwich Sandwich” who want to give Pret a headache and now opened up in London. They have only about 6+ shops (Bristol & London) paying their team leaders aka super visors £14.15 an hour EXCLUDING bonus. Not sure if they have a bonus system, but £14.15 compared to UNDER £14.10 in Pret which is INCLUDING the bonus that is hardly achieved.
IT’S JUST A HANDFUL out of thousands of staff who MIGHT get £14.10 INCLUDING hardly to achieve bonus!!!
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UPDATE September 2023:
A job ad on Facebook with barista pay £11.42
It’s clear from what I write below that the £14.10 is a myth and only available for extremely rare baristas who have connections to management.
September 2nd, 2023: £11.42 + £1.25 bonus (if lucky to get it) = £12.67 NOT £14.10!
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Further in my post from March 2023:
UPFRONT:
Pret emphasise BARISTA wages, even though hourly paid Team Leaders are above Barista’s position and pay, and that’s simply BECAUSE many staff and especially Baristas have quit Pret.
And ESPECIALLY after the smoothie/frappe lies Pret gave for years resulting in the BBC reporting on it .
Pret NEED Baristas since many shops open later and close earlier due to even more lack of staffsince the coffee subscription mess. Therefore Pret emphasise THAT particular payrise to the press, despite Team Leader being a position AND pay above Baristas. Only VERY few Baristas will get that “up” to pay, who work at airports and made friends with management.
Pret depend on Baristas to get many and FAST coffees out because coffee is the BIGGEST profit margin and Pret keep pushing the coffee subscription that had many staff quit! A latte for customers means £3.50+, but for Pret means around £40p including cup, lid, milk, water, Barista wages etc.
So, Pret will be delighted to find that social media is on fire with people appalled that Pret staff (supposedly) will earn more than junior doctors, and so getting much needed publicity after all the bad press. Pret very cleverly again use terminology and keep information vague. Quoting the UP TO £14.10 “depending on experience and location”.
Pret via the media announced a payrise in March 2023 for April 2023, but fail to mention WHY they raise wages. The UK government will raise the minimum wage to £10.40 in April, and Pret would be in breach if they don’t raise the basic pay as it is below £10.40 currently (March 2023).
A Pret worker will start at £10.60 in April. Pret always pay 20p more than the minimum wage to appear generous. But this is because work at Pret is so exhausting, staff work for three people, even before the pandemic. But now it’s much much worse, and many staff have quit. The current pay bands until end of March 2023 can be seen below.
Pret say that depending on experience and location, that Baristas can earn up to £14.10 per hour, but again keeping it nice and vague. Pret don’t mention that this is for including the £1.25 bonus which is NOT contractual. And the “up to” pays incl. bonus is at airports and busy railway stations like Waterloo, King’s Cross etc. where the pay for staff and food costs for customers are higher. And airports are even WORSE busy than regular shops! And it’s “up to” £14.10! Mostly it’s less than that for most Baristas.
“Barista pay is slightly higher and will increase from between £10.85 and £12.50 an hour to between £11.20 and £12.85. Pay rates depend on location and experience.” Source: Sky.com
So, the £14.10 INCLUDES the £1.25 Mystery Shopper bonus which is NOT contractual and therefore not guaranteed (many shopsrarely get the extra £1.25 bonus per hour). It can be refused to be rewarded by weekly Mystery Shoppers (see Mystery Shopper reports on what’s demanded from staff), but also by Managers for ANY silly reason. The bonus system as psychology is abused and used to keep workers on their toes.
Hardly any Barista will get the £12.85, let alone the added £1.25 = £14.10 per hour. Most start and REMAIN on the lowest of £11.20 and don’t always get the £1.25 bonus.
Also, Pret shop General Managers who have to cover Team Members (lowest position) to save money and work overtime without extra pay, say that at times Team Members are paid more than GMs.
And a staff who is HOMELESS and has to couch surf while Pret do their PR stunts “helping” homeless people and collecting donations (for tax breaks and brownie points with the public):
I suggest again like I do all the time, that an undercover journalist goes into Pret or at least that journalists wait a few months until AFTER April 2023 when wages across companies are raised, and ASK Pret Baristas from different shops if they get the “up to” £14.10 incl. bonus. I guarntee you, most will laugh you out of the shop!
And Pret here emphasise on Barista pay while Team Leader pay and position higher than Barista. That means Pret are DESPERATE for Baristas as many have left.
Plus, all staff, and especially management work many more hours overtime unpaid. So, if breaking down the pay, it is less than all the pay bands mentioned in below’s chart. Staff are manipulated to work overtime without pay and managers are pressured to CUT labour and then stay longer unpaid. Win-win for Pret execs and shareholders on the backs of shop workers AND managers.
And shops on average have 1 – 3 or 4 assistant managers (kitchen and shop floor) while having anything between 15 – 50+ staff depending on how big and busy/long opening hours the shop is, like an airport or trainstation. So, this “up to” £14.10 is just for a small handful of Baristas, most who’ll be friends with management.
A Barista gets a little over £11 in April 2023 AFTER being a lesser paid team member for god knows how long. You never start as a Barista in Pret, but always as a Team Member. Only Managers who come from other company brands start as ASSISTANT Managers in Pret before then being promoted to Managers again (like it was with current CEO Pano Christou). Any other role in shops start at the bottom on Team Member level with the pay you will see in below chart.
And all the pay bands will mostly be kept at the LOWEST rate for most, except for those who make friends with management, including via the bed room. Sad but true. Please see a recent staff review on this.
And whatever pay anyone gets, they will stay on that pay for many, many years and work for three people. Pret sucks the life-blood out of staff and fool the public.
In my Pret CEO Pano Christou’s Rags to Riches post I go through the various shop positions. Pano Christou loves to tell the press that he “started in shops”, which is true, but he often fails to mention that he started as an assistant manager with more pay, perks, benefits, more holiday, more bonus, sick pay from day 1 (that’s a big one!) etc. etc.
I explain in detail many of the benefits he received from day 1 starting in Pret compared to what a Team Member gets. In brief, the main SHOP positions are very hierarchical. You NEVER jump the line to Barista. Workers start at:
#2 – Barista or Hot Chef (shop floor) or Team Member Trainer (kitchen)
#3 – Team Leader (kitchen or shop floor as both are run by separate Team Leaders)
#4 And THEN Assistant Manager shop OR kitchen. Pano started from day one as AM after coming from McDonald’s where he was a Manager. ONLY Managers from other companies fast track, or rather for them, back track to Assistant Manager position with lots of perks.
Pano just likes to portray to the public that he started at the “bottom”. Typical Pret psychological wordings, knowing the public always ASSUMES things. “Starting in shops” can mean anything! But most assume it means he started as a low-wage Team Member. Nopes.
I worked at Pret when Pano was UK Managing Director, and I was never impressed with him. In my experience, he’s not a leader. He doesn’t come up with any significant changes, he was just the shadow of his mentor, former CEO Clive Schlee, like a clone speaking the same psychological slogans. And even in staff reviews on Glassdoor and Indeed and on social media staff keep mentioning that he’s detached, despite visitng shops to let his boss hang out. In my impression of him, he has his head in the sand and just caters to Pret’s owners, 2. richest family in Germany, the Reimanns under in taxhaven Luxembourg based JAB Holdings, and he wants to build a legacy of speed-opening shops worldwide, while many existing shops are in shambles.
#5 – Genral Manager overlooking both shop and kitchen
And then if they move further up, they’ll go outside shops to become Group, then OPs/Operations (area) Managers. Group Managers get their feet wet by being placed in an area of about 4 – 5 shops before moving on to become OPs where they then look after an area of about 10 – 14 shops.
But let’s go further if we do compare government wages to private equity wages. CEO Pano Christou got £300K in 2020, £400K in 2021 during the pandemic when profits were down and after he cut wages, benefits, bonus and paid breaks of the lowest paid staff. And I’m sure he’s getting another £100K now in 2023. PLUS £4million in bonus in 2021 and counting in the years to follow.
UK Prime Minister Richi Sunak gets £165K, and let’s just forget for a moment that this is just like a waitress tip in coppers for this multi-billionaire. But Pret’s CEO gets more than double in annual wage than Sunak, PLUS millions in bonus.
USA President Biden also gets less than Pret’s CEO, just a fraction less in annual pay. Do your own research.
I took the liberty to change the BMA ad in honour of low-wage Pret Staff who are tossed around like a football by Pret, the government, and now NHS Unions and Staff:
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And this corrupt Tory government are WORTH the likes of Pret. You know why? Because they deserve every mouldy sandwich they can buy.
Now, here’s the current pay rate for Pret shop staff until April 2023 for each position. And as you can see, you won’t find assistant managers on the chart. 😉
Pret just spin the numbers very vaguely, not mentioning the discretionary bonus, and the public falls for it!
I screenshot this table on 13.03.2023 off Pret’s website where it’s linked to via a pdf link:
So, workers, as in Team Members will start 20p higher than the minimum wage from April on. And that’s for staff over 22 years old, mind you. And a Team Leader is really like a mini manager doing all the work, running shops and getting all the blame. I was a Team Leader, I know how excrutiating it is for such a low pay.
Also, Pret made cuts to staff IMMEDIATELY before first lockdown in March 2020 WHILE giving freebies to NHS workers. And later Pret proceeded to cut wages, benefits, bonus, paid breaks etc. Pret workers are still worse off than before. This payrise is due to the minimum wage being raised, and is a complete joke and PR stunt.
And most fall for it using low-wage Pret workers as examples to boost support for NHS staff. I completely agree that doctors, nurses etc. should get way more pay, but don’t use Pret staff and the MISLEADING “up to” £14.10 pay which includes the discretionary (not mandatory) £1.25 bonus to make a point, while you don’t do your research properly and fall for Pret’s vague wording where Pret leave YOU to assume the pay is for baristas.
Use the government’s CORRUPT dealings to prove your point! And stop falling for Pret’s bullshit!
Doctors, nurses and unions should point their fingers UP to the government that always say they can’t afford to pay what doctors/nurses and unions ask for. Yet, the government comes up with multi billions for dodgy stuff. THAT’S where doctors and nurses should raise their voices, and not the lazy way to point downwards to fastfood workers. What a shame!
Use the Billions the government came up with for the track & trace scheme that failed.
Use the £140 million they already paid and the annual £1.5 Billion to send traumatised refugees to Rwanda, a country with human rights issues.
Use the millions upon millions upon millions of pounds for dodgy contracts by many Tory politicians for their families and friends.
Use the wall paper money Boris Johnson spent.
Take your pick! The list can go on and on and on. But no, let’s use low-wage Pret workers. That’s LAZY activism! And it’s also misleading and deeply dissappointing that educated people don’t fact check Pret’s pay for various roles but just fall for Pret’s clever and vague wording.
Point to this corrupt government that use tax payers’ money to spend it on themselves instead of the people and workers across the board. The government AND Pret LOVE it when workers in all fields and skills pick on each other for the crumbs these millionaires throw at them.
Last year Pret TWICE delayed paying staff under dodgy excuses. The second pay delay strategically using the Queen’s Jubilee bank holiday weekend, knowing the public would be distracted should the press become wind of it, which it did as I was contacted by Pret staff and passed it on to The Guardian. AND on Monday banks are closed while Pret promised that staff can get pay on THAT bank holiday Monday.
I was contacted by desperate staff and emailed CEO Pano Christou and openly copying in Sarah Butler from The Guardian, who then reported on it. But because it was the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations, hardly anyone noticed the news. Pret being clever again.
Later The Guardian then also reported that the CEO got almost £4million in bonus and a 27% payrise in 2021 AFTER he cut wages, benefits, bonus etc.
That’s Pret A Manger for you!
Junior Doctors do NOT earn less than Pret baristas! Do some FACT checking and research, and stop using the bottom most rung like Pret and everyone else already do!
The DM I received and passed on to The Guardian:
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying (in which Manny Matern was part of) during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review.
The year hasn’t reached its first quarter yet, and this is already the “Staff Review Of The Year” for my annual Pret Year in Review.
Rarely does someone go out of their way to describe the hellish work conditions in Pret like this one. I can underline every dot and comma here. It’s a long review, but so poignant that I want to quote the whole thing here verbatim without correcting any typos as I like to leave reviews as they are in their own words.
I also quote the whole thing here because you have to be registered/signed into Glassdoor in order to read reviews, except one or two reviews, then you’re blocked from reading unless you register/sign in.
I used to post staff reviews DAILY calling it “Quotes of the Day” when I first came across Glassdoor and Indeed. I was shocked to see other similar experiences. I became OBSESSED and read ALL the reviews as well as social media comments from staff.
I wish I’d seen those while I worked at Pret, as I often felt alone in my traumatic experiences with Pret’s top leadership, former CEO Clive Schlee, then UK Managing Director/now CEO Pano Christou, then Head of HR now People bla bla whatever he’s called now, David Carter, Lila Warren the development manager who was used to gaslight me claiming she also had a brother who died in his flat and wasn’t discovered for days, and many managers and OPs managers.
Unintentionally I poked into the HEART of Pret! I explain in detail in the audio player at the very bottom of this page.
I don’t check reviews much anymore, maybe once a month, and this recent one is a treasure of knowledge in how the reality of Pret is behind the facade. This is Manchester, but this is across the company.
I will not comment on any of what the person wrote because the whole review stands on its own, only to say that apart from agreeing with all this person wrote, I can completely relate to the “shell shock” comment. I still heard my colleagues voices outside of work ordering lattes, “extra hot”, shouting, “latte is ready, who ordered the latte!”, the shouting barista: “pick up your drinks!!!” etc. etc. And I still suffer with tinnitus.
While I worked at Pret and went through the horrific bullying DURING bereavement I had this roaring tinnitus in my right ear roaring like a heater-pump in the cellar. That tinnitus type is gone and only returns when I feel stressed about something. But the beeping tinnitus in both ears remains and I’ve learnt most times to tune it out.
And the other thing which is spot on is that all foreigners work in the kitchen and get abused. Shop workers get abused as well, but differently and more covert while in the kitchen it is overt, away from customers’ eyes. But occasionally customers witness the bullying, which I posted here: Caught in the Act at Pret.
I can only implore investigative young, preferably foreign journalists to go undercover into Pret. Amy Sharpe from the Sunday Mirror made a good start after I asked her to send someone in, but she only worked the late shift in the shop for a week. It needs at least a full month in the kitchen AND shop in the morning, and in several shops to see the systemic issues.
Pret love to employ foreigners and also put foreign managers in shops to take advantage of staff. It’s VERY common to have a Spanish or Polish shop manager who then employs mainly from their country and then only speak in their language. This is so the worker, who often just arrived in England weeks before and got a job via a friend, doesn’t learn English. The worker is completely dependent on the manager for information and is lied to left, right and centre. The worker doesn’t know their rights and where to turn to as they trust the manager thinking the manager helped them get the job.
What I want to add here on my blog is that it’s also common for managers, OPs managers and HQ staff to coerce staff into sex for promotion. I’ve worked with incapable managers where it was an open secret how they got into that position. And a former manager recently told me that half of HQ is sleeping with the other half of HQ, even giving me specific names of who slept with who even the very top executives. But I will refrain from naming the names here as even though I believe the former GM, I only post issues with evidence. But it’s very common in Pret and therefore trickles down to shops.
Just a few reviews on this:
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And the question the reviewer below asks is right, how can Pret be allowed to operate like this?! My only guess is since they are under this corrupt Tory government where many politicians shop at Pret, do Pret get away with even customer deaths and injuries and due to their demand for shops to reach high targets sell mouldy food.
Pret have gone unchecked on these issues, especially in the UK and Europe for years, while in the USA staff sue Pret because the legal system is different there. And the unions don’t mobilise but wait until they’re approched by burnt out staff who have no strength or will left.
A review from the USA from 2014 said a similar thing, that Pret should be reported to the Dept. of Labor, and this is from years ago before the pandemic and is from across the pond. This is across the company as Pret’s executives are the head of the fish that stinks.
And I’ve found the American reviews, especially from the no-nonsense New York staff, amongst the most angry reviews on Pret.
I don’t correct any spelling mistakes, the only thing I do is separate the sentences to make reading easier. I wish people would put spaces in their reviews! Grrrrrr. And I wish I knew who that is, I’d congratulate them for the effort and how spot on it is.
The only thing I want to briefly explain in below review about the “move off the till”. In EVERY Pret shop (sweat shop!) I worked in over 30 management always demand that the 2-3 staff members on 7 tills move from one till to the next to make it appear to Pret that the tills are well manned.
Every button the staff press on the screen is recorded. Every 15 minutes is seen in the system. If one staff uses one particular till too much having 30 transactions on that till within 15 minutes, but the next till has no transactsions, then Pret see that the tills are not manned.
So, staff are ordered by management to move tills to have 15 transactions on this till, 15 or 20 on another etc. I even had a manager who had a timer that beeped every 15 minutes and we 3 staff then had to move to an empty till. It’s basically to even out all the tills while being understaffed.
I refused to move and therefore was bullied. Pret KNOW about the moving of tills, I even told CEO Pano Christou when he was still UK Managing Director. But apart from his usual sweet-talk, nothing changed.
But this is what the reviewer here means by “move off the till”, meaning move till or move to another till. One day out of frustration I tilted the till up a little bit saying to the manager, “I’m moving the till”. Very humiliating work conditions!
Join a union!
Now to the review, my new favourite review! From 02.04.2023 in Manchester:
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“Treated like garbage, unless your face fits”
“A horrible experience for anyone with a strand of morals, decency and self respect. One of the most demoralizing workplaces I have worked at. I never knew places like this existed in the country.
The kitchens are glorified sweat shops but just in Western garb. The working conditions are really poor and I know this is made so not by stereotypes like physically poor working conditions (like dilapidated buildings for example that wouldn’t pass health and safety) or a third world country – but the deprived workplace culture, company direction and standards that exists.
It’s distressing to know sweat shops exist in the first place but to know they exist in the UK and on the high streets of every town or major city in shops like Pret takes my shock and horror to a whole other level. People work like robots for an entire shift in the kitchen with 30 minutes break (unpaid) churning out food for the shop, many of them who don’t speak English or have very poor English speaking skill and have no desire to interact with you. Exploitation comes to mind.
The people working (who are immigrant workers with poor integration) wouldn’t survive in sane decent working conditions unless they were hidden away in a shady warehouse or production plant. Instead they are hidden away in slave driving kitchens like Pret that glorifies it’s upmarket brand while they take as much as they can from their employees and bleed them dry.
If for example these people HAD to speak English and be prepared to do so daily, these people would be jobless which gives Pret as a company A LOT of power. These people, by the way, are keeping the kitchens running and therefore the shops open and they are exploited in the process. I’ve never met anyone but marginalized immigrants which explains sadly what target demographic Pret are looking for to churn out their ‘fresh food’ on a daily basis.
The same can be said for most other staff who are from demographics that represent immigrant workers where job security, advancement and opportunity are already low. Pret exploits this very evidently.
The front counter is a nightmare. Chaos all day, mismanaged and people shouting and being rude and obnoxious to customers. No structure, no team work, NO COMMUNICATION. You’re manic all day and then go home with the echoing of “CAPPUCINO!” or “ANYBODY ORDER A MOCHA?!” in your ear like some form of mild shell shock, and it repeats daily.
There’s no team cohesiveness to gel things together or make it worth the stress even in the tiniest bit. You’re on your own. Everybody for themselves, except the clique of course. If you don’t gossip, don’t backstab, don’t push others around, don’t triangulate and bully etc, you’re not welcome. Managers on power trips daily, along with leaders.
Lots and lots of posturing and this goes on in front of customers as a show of power. Constant moaning, bickering, point scoring, passive aggressiveness. Run by incapable ‘leaders’ who are nothing but manager pets whose face fits, and managers who do nothing for you but talk at you, treat you with utter contempt, demand of you and expect you to guess how to do your job effectively and then undermine and humiliate you if you ask questions or don’t know.
I was told contradictory things all the time by ‘leaders’ which was incorrect as told by managers. Manager instructions would be contradicted by leaders. Do this, don’t do this. This is okay, no it’s not okay. Move off the till as you’re putting too many orders through, why have you moved off the till, move off the till now. Most staff above team member are in positions because of favoritism and very evident discriminatory bias, not through achievement or actual skill and capability.
There are NO leaders, just very insecure and challenged individuals. All staff above team member are in a clique and know each other. Bullying is common. There is a clique around the local managers in Manchester where if you’re not in with them you have no chance from the get go and if you speak out about your concerns, you will quickly be ganged up on and ousted. These managers openly speak in European languages so you have no idea what they are saying but it’s clear it’s an us vs them environment.
Their actions speak far louder than their words. The vibes I got from working this job are some I’ve never experienced before and I’ve worked my fair share of unsavory jobs but this TOPS it. I don’t know how this company is allowed to operate.
Please read the reviews other people have created. They are NOT exaggerated, people are really suffering working for this company, and also please read up on Pret’s controversial history. The customers are also far from happy if you do your research you will find out. I did not do this and I wish I did to save me the headache of getting involved with this company. Avoid avoid avoid. There are jobs you get because you’re desperate and then there are jobs you get because you’ve made a BIG mistake. This is the latter.
Advice to Management
I have no advice for management except to say that management should be broken up to rid the toxic dynamic shared between area stores as this is clearly a main starting point for all the problems as every store is part of an ‘inside’ group where all the managers . This would allow change to occur within individual stores”
I agree with breaking up management, but Pret are not interested in that, the fish stinks from its head. CEO Pano Christou, like his predecessor Clive Schlee are just the smiley clowns of Pret, fooling everyone.
When I read reviews on Glassdoor it’s best to click “Recent Reviews” or “Lowest Rated” to see systemic issues, and on Indeed click on ALL (not just UK).
I cannot imagine a more poignant and detailed review to come this year, so this review will go as the “Review of the Year 2023” in my yearly YouTube Pret summary!
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and What shop MANAGERS & HQ staff say about Pret incl. CEO Pano Christou. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review as well as mentioned by the BBC.
Pret A Manger and their sister company itsu have become so accustomed to the public believing every lie and BS they dish up, they don’t realise how silly they look.
They live and move in such a bubble, for years having gotten away with lies and BS. Not even customer deaths and multiple criticism, bad press and bad staff reviews faze them. “Them” as in Pret and itsu, as in Julian Metcafe, Clive Schlee, Pano Christou, David Carter, Andrea Wareham, Lila Warren etc. etc. etc.
This screenshot is from a deleted tweet of none other than Julian Metcalfe, RE-founder of Pret and founder of itsu.
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Yeah, low-wage, zero-hour contracted workers love such flexibility because they are so rich to be working at itsu and Pret in the first place!
There is no cure for entitled arrogance.
I write extensively about his connections to the Royal Family, a questionable connection, his love for zero-hour contracts as well as robots, and how I chased him off Twitter.
He kept RT-ing my Tweets until probably someone from Pret educated him of who I am. He then deleted his account. More of his response to me on Twitter which he deleted after just being on Twitter for 2 days:
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post.
An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review, and worked with the BBC.
I was recently insulted over a hundred times on Facebook by a guy to whom I pointed out Pret’s mouldy food. Warning people about potential food poisoning, especially after 2 customers died in Pret and over 20 got injured from unlabelled/mislabelled allergen, I was met with hostility by this James guy on Facebook.
After a lot of “interaction” and his insults, he posted an interesting comment about Manny Matern without even mentioning he rlast name! Manny is a former Operations manager (OPs) who supposedly gave me a hard time on social media. Once he wrote that weird comment, I remembered I wanted to put an interaction on my blog on how Manny lied publicly under a post on Linkedin where Pret CEO Pano Christou was also tagged in and would be notified to see my post.
I found it weird that this guy mentioned Manny. And then taking a closer look at his photos, there seems to be a resemblance!
I initially wanted to put the Facebook guy James’ comments here as I screenshot all his insults, but I don’t want to give this toxic guy any space here, and ideally I don’t want to give Manny any space. But I find it important to call her out as I had personal encounters with her.
She was part of the management team in an area where I was bullied and she took part in it against me while I was traumatically bereaved which she knew about.
I left Pret almost 2018 when I started to publicly expose Pret. I January 2021 Manny “liked” a pinned tweet I have about former CEO Clive Schlee. Manny knew Clive well as she worked for over 20 years in Pret. She literally clicked “like” on it.
I then asked her publicly on Twitter to press unlike as I don’t want any affiliation with her and her on my social media. I also publicly asked her on Linkedin. For 6+ months she kept ignoring my request.
I finally then asked this request again publicly under CEO Pano Christou’s Linkedin post, tagging Manny in.
She then lied that she never liked anything etc. And then I posted a screenshot of her “like” under Pano Christou’s Linkedin. She then blocked me, which was about time and I called her out publicly, like she assisted a main bully who asked Manny for help against me.
And then, years later when Manny saw how I kick Pret’s butt via myblog and also the press, she thought she could show me some “solidarity” by clicking “like” on my pinned tweet. No, girl, you go back to Pret and keep sucking up to them. As an Operations Manager in 2015 when I was targeted by Ivana, your colleague, you had every opportunity to put Ivana in her place and support me, knowing I just lost my brother.
So, Manny, if you’re reading this, thank James (who looks similar to you) for pointing you out on Facebook, because I completely forgot to put your lie on my blog. back in 2021.
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After months of me asking her publicly on Twitter and Linkedin to “unlike” my pinned tweet, I asked her again publicly under CEO Pano Christou’s Linkedin. Mr. Christou deleted his Twitter account in July 2019 after I linked his Twitter account to the press when Clive Schlee’s “retirement” was announced. He then shifted to Linked in where business people tell him all day how wonderful he is, while shops are in shambles and sell mouldy food.
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Manny, quote: “I have never nor would I like any of your posts on any social media platform …”
Liar, liar!
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I learnt from people like Manny, and the bully Ivana Hrmova and all the other toxic, lying OPs managers to always keep evidence and everything in writing. And now I shove it back at all the current and former Pret execs.
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying (in which Manny Matern was part of) during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review.
My dilemma with NHS therapists is mainly unprofessionality. I don’t have the strength to write a long blog post, but just want to highlight something. Please excuse any potential spelling mistakes as I am lazy at the moment and for some reason the spell-check doesn’t work here at the moment. I will clean up this post later. I’m just tired, but still want to share something important regarding therapists.
I’ve had several NHS therapists, all limited to six or no more than twenty week sessions. Some I cut short due to unprofessionality. My last therapist told me within the first minutes of our first telephone assessment which she almost missed, that she is on compassionate leave. Compassionate leave usually means there is a bereavement. Minutes later she told me that she is from Ukraine. This conversation is days after Russia invaded Ukraine.
So, I’m in the dilemma immediately not knowing how to proceed and find myself in the therapist position again, and as a client feeling selfish to be the client while her country is under siege. She is also the trauma therapist who kept telling me from the first session on that “talking alone doesn’t help”. And I told her later that I haven’t even started talking then and now. This therapy was EMDR, this eye-movement therapy, which makes no sense to me and didn’t do anything for me.
My first therapist after my brother died was a trainee, but I didn’t know this at first and assumed he was a bereavement counselor as I asked for this via the initial phone assessment with a NHS person. He later started to talk about some private stuff, how he was a business man before moving into therapy. He even turned up at work when I worked at Pret. He knew I worked at Pret as I just started talking about my Pret ordeal. He knew the area, but not my exact shop. But one day he suddenly stood in the shop and I completely blocked him out in my mind like having a black-out for a few seconds until he reminded me a week later in therapy session that I was very professional. Only then did I remember that I saw him in my shop.
I remember not being happy at all and communicated to him that I’m not comfortable that he just comes to my work, even though it was complete coincidence.
A psychiatrist who did a diagnosis was very “clumsy”. He would not wear a mask in the period between first and second lockdown. He would pull the chair too close to him for me to sit, in a large room. I then took another chair and sat further away from him behind a desk to broaden the distance.
As an effort to gain my trust, he told me in the second assessment appointment that his brother was currently in hospital. I didn’t respond to it but later in an email asked him to not speak about any personal issues. As he knew about my trauma about my brother’s death, he thought he could mention his sick brother to build some kind of connection. No, sir!
Another therapist I had briefly was a psycho-analyst that Pret paid for AFTER I contacted former CEO Clive Schlee, because for almost a year Pret’s HR department kept ignoring my concerns with the prolonged late shifts and then the bullying etc. Pret then paid for short-term therapy whereas before contacting the CEO in WRITING it was hard to even get an appointment with HR. This psycho-analyst at about the third session would lie in his armchair with his back resting on one armrest and his legs dangling over the other armrest as if he was at home or in a pub.
I didn’t go back to the fourth session and never returned.
I don’t know why many therapists, NHS and private, keep acting unprofessional. I don’t understand how they’re trained and if no one tells them that it is inaproprite to speak about THEIR private lives or have inapropriate body language/behaviour.
It puts a burden on the client who then switches into friend-mode or turns into the therapist trying to support the therapist whose country just got invaded or whose brother is in hospital. I communicated that with most therapists that I don’t want to know any of their private stuff, and it’s embarrassing for me to even have to tell this to therapists.
I write all this because recently I watched an interview of an actress that I don’t know. She was interviewed by my favourite talkshow host Stephen Colbert. I don’t care for most actors or guests that come on shows, but I love Stephen Colbert and love watching his work. So, I sit through all interviews of all guests, even though I’m not interested in many of them, mainly because I’m bored with movies and actors. But Stephen Colbert makes it worthwile.
Apart from the AMAZING dress this actress was wearing, she said something that had me think BINGO! Now she can afford many years of therapy, not sure why so long, but if you have the money, why not? And she doesn’t realise what a professional therapist she has!!!
I NEED a strong trauma specialist, but can’t afford it. But I so appreciate what she said about her therapist. I quote verbatim starting where it starts at around 5:37 minutes.
Quote: “I had the same therapist for about eight / nine years … I treat it [therapy] as a car where I want to do the maintenance while opposed when the car breaks down … then try to fix it in the end …
At 6:20 Stepehn Colbert asks Jessica Williams if her role as a therapist is based on her own therapsit, and she says “No” … “I don’t even know that much about my therapist.”
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Eight or nine years with the same therapist and she hardly knows anything about the therapist! THAT is a fncking GOOD therapist!!!!!!!
Further she says, “I wish I did, I’m always trying to, like, deduce what her life is, secretly. Sometimes she’ll let it slip every now and then. …” etc.
And I think, girl, you have a good therapist if after 8 years you still don’t know much about her or him. Of course after YEARS of therapy it’s just human that some personal info slips here and there, but not at the first session or early on in the therapy, and certainly not any traumatic issues the therapist may have suffered or currently goes through.
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Side note, she mentions as well that when she bumped into her therapist at the grocery store that she “dissociated” from her body as she was taken off guard to see her therapist in a private setting. This is a good description in how I felt when my early trainee therapist suddenly stood in my shop where I worked in Pret. I remember going home thinking who I saw that day but couldn’t remember until the therapist told me at the next session days later.
He started the session saying, “You’re really professional”. I replied asking what he meant. “Well, you didn’t say anything.” Again, what is he talking about? And he said that last week when he was in my shop and I just looked at him but kept walking past him without greeting him or saying anything. This is then that I remembered that I saw “someone” but couldn’t figure out who and why it’s significant. On my way home I remember very well thinking “Who did I see today? There was someone I saw…”. I thought that it must have been a famous person or so, as I served many famous people in Pret, but I won’t drop names here! 😛
So, his mentioning this made me remember. But I was in general in great shock about my brother’s death as this was about 6 months after I learnt. Seeing the therapist was then another type of shock I couldn’t process and then just “dissociated” myself llike Jessica above experienced. It’s really weird how the mind works.
When I talk about my brother’s death and how I learnt about it etc. I do NOT want a therapist to think that talking about their brother will make me open up or feel at ease. It has the OPPOSITE effect!!!
YOU are the therapist and I am the client. STOP putting the client into the position of the carer who has to again carry a burden that doesn’t belong to the client for fnck’s sake!
If a therapist ever stumbles across this blog post, please go back to the basics of what I hope they teach therapists in university to NOT share ANY personal information, especially if it has to do with your own traumas, sickness, loved ones, loss etc. And especially not at the very first session or early on into sessions!
One therapist said to me “You have a lot of insight, you should consider doing a course in counselling”. Ok, fair enough I appreciate that observation and advise. I explained that I couldn’t be a counselor because I would carry people’s problems home with me and have enough pain and trauma at the moment.
And this might be my dilemma, I am so broken inside, such a mess, but I come across very strong, with a lot of insight. I can verbalise my own trauma very well etc. And some therapists then might get “tempted” to start speaking about their stuff. I don’t know. But it makes me depressed because I feel forced to put up my guard again and slip into therapist – or friend-mode. It feels and IS unhealthy and simply unfair.
It seems like many therapists want to do short cuts, as sessions are often limited to 6 weeks, by quickly throwing in some private info that they think is similar to the client’s trauma in hopes the client opens up quick and the sessions go on smoothly.
I truly believe that many, if not most therapist should not be therapists and may have chosen that occupation or role to either fulfil their own deficits, or because it’s good money. A regular councelor can charge around £60 for a 50 minute session. A good therapist starts at £80-£100 per 50 minute session.
And if you charge that, please don’t use the client as your shrink!
So, I keep just watching good therapists that I find on YouTube and give up hope, because the reality is that without finances, you simply can’t find a “proper” trauma specialist, not in the UK. My go-to therapist is Dr. Ochberg, even his old videos. A “too-good-to-be-true” therapist.
Since my brother died and everything that unfolded regarding his death, how the police dealt with it, how I had to learn about it, how he was already cremated and so many other complications, how my friends were either helpless or careless and most abandoning me early on, how relatives dealt with it, how Pret bullied me etc. etc. etc. I have become a complicated “being”. A heavy, abnormal load.
Since my brother died and everything else that happened, I have become like this bulky, unstable, loud load that really needed a vehicle to drive ahead, next to me and behind me to navigate through life and keep other vehicles on the road safe.
I didn’t have a vehicle like this to protect me and others from this load. I bumped into other vehicles, crushing them and kept crushing myself with the load. And when a vehicle came along, at best it was more like a bicycle trying to pull a truck out of the ditch. And at worst there was none to help me navigate the load, and worse, there were tanks from several sides crushing me under the load (Pret A Manger etc.).
Where I used to be the most loyal friend, reliable, trustworthy, discreet, patient, giving the benefit of the doubt, I became the opposite of these. Partly through the trauma, through alcohol, in anxiety, anger, hopelessness, not knowing who to trust. But nevertheless, it’s my load, it’s my responsibility, it’s my fault, it’s my sh!t.
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(While searching for a picture of the escort vehicles for abnormal loads, I found this and love their name “P.A.L.S.” Priest Abnormal Load Services. Very fitting for my metaphor.)
I don’t mix the 3 “Fs” well. I have always kept them separate.
If I have family, I have family who are there no matter what. But that wasn’t always the case. If I have friends, they are not my family and abandon you quickly. And a firm, an employer should stop calling themselves a “family” to brainwash employees to work for free and work most of their waking hours spending time at the firm. And if someone offers me friendship, I don’t trust it thinking what do they really want.
I walked through Oxford yesterday with some people who are neither family, nor friends, nor a firm I work with.
The “leader” of the group was like a General who zigzagged us through the town to check off all the events they planned to see. One of the group was an elderly, but still young enough lady who had walking difficulties. She couldn’t keep up with the pace and had another lady walk with her most of the time. I spent most of the day trying to slow the General down and decided halfway through the day to give up and to also walk with the lady at the end of the flow.
I went home yesterday KNOWING that in society people who “slow down” a group / an agenda / an idea … are left behind. I refused to leave the lady struggling at the end of the line. My wish would be that all the group slow down their walk and walk side-by-side with the lady, instead of pushing ahead in passive-aggressiveness to cover everything they wanted to cover on the journey.
That’s my story. I used to have friends until my brother died. Then my friends and the firm I worked with (Pret A Manger to name them) deemed it inconvenient to walk with me at the back of the group.
My family was broken, and are now dead. My relatives didn’t help, rather the opposite.
And whatever else people want from me is just for their needs/wants/conveniences.
And whoever is left, or resurfaces or is new in my journey, I push away when drunk.
I have become high maintenance, where I used to be easy, where I used to be light (in load and radiance / neither heavy nor dark).
I still have so much anger and so many wrongs I wish to right, but don’t know where to start and if I can survive the load.
I sabotage myself, partly I think with the thought that why should I have a good life with good things and good people when my brother can’t have that anymore because he’s fucking dead and I couldn’t change that?
A favourite artist’s music used to carry me through difficult times when I thought those times were horrible, which now seem a far away walk in the park.
Julie Miller’s »At the End of the Road« which, like many of her songs she sings with her husband Buddy, describes the burdens of life in simple words:
In today’s climate, a cheesy song. And this song is from a Christian perspective where God is waiting at the end of life to carry you into bliss. I don’t believe in that stuff anymore, but the song is still a comfort, to at least hope, that I can be some “burden-lifter” to someone without being taken advantage of by false friends, or a firm that exploits without shame, and a family that is none as in some relatives, or a family that is no more, as in dead.
But as beautiful as the song is, and ringing “truth” to Christians who put their faith in the beyond, that at the end of a heavy life they might bump into a god who THEN helps them, I don’t need anyone at the END of my road. I needed someone DURING the journey ON my road, like the lady yesterday who couldn’t keep up with the pace of the group. Then two of us walked side-by-side with her, chatting and giving her the dignity that she is not a burden, but that we love to walk alongside her and explore the town, in the hope she forgets her painful back and legs. I think she was in a lot of pain, but put on brave face and refused to sit down inbetween. She was more thinking of the group than herself. And that’s the shame of our soiciety today.
The ones who really need some burdens lifted are the ones who lift wrong burdens in society.
And as beautiful a metaphor Julie’s song of faith is, it would have been hyporcisy to have said to the lady with her deformed legs and painful back yesterday, “Hey babe, keep walking, at the end of this road over there by the trainstation the journey will be lighter, I will be there. Until then, see ya la’er”.
And how cynical would it have been if I told the lady yesterday that her painful back will be lighter, and that she should just look down on the pavement where there are the invisible footprints of Jesus who carries her. Bye! I’ll meet you later at the train station where I will be there for you. The lady didn’t need to be met by the General and the rest of the group at the end of the road, the train station, but at the BACK of the road where she was left behind.
Or when I had Covid mildly in 2021 and I helped in a nearby cafe as a volunteer “opportunity” (free labour for a business!) and we still had to self-isolate by law, I informed the facilitator that I can’t come in for at least a week. She replied back that if I needed anything “next week” to just let them know. I told her a week later when I tested negative again, that I don’t need anything once I’m negative, but that I might have needed something THAT DAY when I started the week-long self-isolation and wasn’t allowed to go outside for shopping! In other words “call me once you’re better and I can pretend to be there for you at the end of the road.”
I hope the lady with the walking difficulty didn’t feel like a burden or that we showed pity. It wasn’t pity, although I was angry with the General and some of the group. I said to one of the group who was kind to the lady that I didn’t realize I joined the military when driving up to Oxford.
I want to re-write Julie’s text a little for the walking lady:
If you should feel tired and cold And if you need someone to hold you, my friend Then you should feel perfectly safe In the middle of your road There are we to carry your load with you to bear, we-ee are there So when you’ve been long on your feet With no idea when you might meet the rest of the fleet Then onto these arms you can lean
In the middle of your road There’s hopefully NOW a much lighter load for you to bear, we are here …
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The end of the road I am moving towards, where the load becomes light, is the end we all will come to. I simply cannot see an end of a road being that my life becomes “light” again, or that I won’t have anger anymore, or that I will succeed to completely stop drinking, or that I’d be able again to trust people, or that I won’t lash out in this PTSD mode, or that I can trust that there will be someone somewhere, or that I won’t be the one in my family who dies alone in a room or a hospital or a nursing home …
And maybe I can take an offer of friendship at face value without the suspicion of anyone being an opportunist. That’s my fault to be suspicious. And it’s my fault to push people away. I’m not a risk-taker. I rather crush under my load than take the risk to hope. I have no courage anymore to lose people, to lose things.
My abnormal load has become other people’s load they can’t carry. And it is not their load to carry. It is mine. But I don’t know how to shed the load in a constructive and healthy way. And if people come along to help carry some of the load or better, to move alongside the abnormal load to help navigate through the narrow roads, I don’t allow them for fear they crush or leave me in the ditch again. I prefer to crush on my own. Self-sabotage is the load to divert the “punishment” from others to myself.
All I know to do is try to lift other people’s load a little bit. A lady who can’t walk fast and is left behind by a group who has an agenda. Let’s walk side-by-side, no matter how slow.
One of my favourite Emily Dickinson poems may be a favourite because I try to give “legitimacy” to my existence by trying to not be a burden to others, but maybe be able to lift a burden instead of being one. But that’s wishful thinking.
»If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain; If I can ease one life the aching, Or cool one pain, Or help one fainting robin Unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain.«
But even a bird’s feather is sometimes too heavy for me now. I have become selfish, more than I need to maybe.
I can’t apologise anymore. I can only say that I am not the friend anyone thinks I am. I am not what you need and not what you want. I am incapable in friendships and in employment. I am useless in any relationship. That’s my end of the road, and I am there myself to stop walking with my load and just leave it be.
This blog entry will be an evolving one, because there is no answer or moral to this story.
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review.
I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret and what Shop Managers and HQ Staff say about Pret and their leadership. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review and was mentioned by the BBC.
I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review, and was mentioned by the BBC.
Upfront to the WordPress staff who always check my blog posts when I publish a new one. I’m not sure if it is WordPress policy to pass info on to current and former company heads, in this case Pret as I got a certain “visitor” again after I wrote a crucial post. WordPress already moved me into the “adult” section where they only move porn sites to. This is censorship after I believe Pret must have reported me, but I write under free speech and don’t lie, backed up with tons of evidence.
So, if a WordPress staff serves as a “snitch” to Pret, please talk to your line manager and check if this is appropriate or WordPress policy.
Thanks.
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I don’t check Pret staff reviews anymore as much like I used to, maybe once a month. But a recent review from a shop General Manager (GM) got my attention. This GM mentioned among some negative feedback on Pret that CEO Pano Christou is “exceptionally kind”.
Part quote from the review:
“Cons: Expectation to achieve work that is physically impossible, in a timeline that, when broken down, is mathematically impossible. Intense pressure leading to breaking codes and regulations is a common occurrence, and those with stronger ethics end up working up to 100 hours/wk.
Advice to Management: Instead of only setting targets and expectations, map out how they could be achieved. Consider why most management leaves the company they love so much, due to burnout.
With that said, Pano is exceptionally kind and I’m sure he would fix all these issues with more competent direct subordinates.”
And this is where most workers, even managers when young go wrong and are brainwashed. It is the CHIEF, the head of the company who is the problem and who sets the tone for the company. Pano decides on pay cuts and cut workers’ pay, benefits and paid breaks so he can get a pay-rise and millions in bonus.
And why did this GM not approve of Pano and give him the green light (check mark). This GM refrained from giving an approval or disapproval. Very weird review. Confused GM? But it shows how Pano continues to charm and blind workers as well as journalists.
It is Pano who works in Pret since over 20 years, who implements and continues an abusive mystery shopper scheme and sets unrealistic targets for his bosses and shareholders to be happy.
That’s exactly the mistake many staff make, they are unhappy with how Pret are, how they are treated etc. but they don’t attribute this to the top leadership, because like former CEO Clive Schlee, current CEO Pano speaks “kindly” to staff in head office or when they do their rounds visiting shops.
And that’s exactly their game. It’s like a “bad cop / good cop” situation. It’s all a tactic, a game where the CEO separates himself from the harsh OPs (Operations/Area Managers) who are tasked to set high targets that GMs find unrealistic to reach.
CEO Pano, like Clive before him, is the “good cop” and let’s lower ranked staff be the bad cop, but all of these execs have a common goal: make as much money as possible on the backs of low-wage workers and customers.
But THE FISH STINKS FROM ITS HEAD!
In June 2017 Pret held a one or two week seminar only for leaders and managers at the prestigious Barbican Centre on customer service. I speak about this seminar extensively on my podcast in Part 01, Part 02, Part 03 and Part 04 of labeling issues and allergy trial. All episodes will open in a new window.
I speak about this seminar as it was held a year after the first customer, Natasha Ednan-Laperouse died, but NO mention whatsoever on allergens or labeling. No training or retraining. NOTHING.
All we were “taught” was how to continue to “slime” customers and love-bomb them to gain and retain them and then bring back to the shops what we “learnt” (which was nothing new). In hindsight it seemed to me that the development team came up with this seminar where we learnt nothing new to use their annual budget. When departments don’t use their annual budget, it often gets cut for the next annual period.
That seminar seemed to me like a complete waste of time and funds. It could/should have been used to invite scientists and allergy experts in light of the first customer’s death and several injured to teach us on allergens and labeling. But no, Pret went ahead with a meaningless seminar in the expensive Barbican rooms.
The title of the seminar was called “Be Kind – Be Honest – Be Generous”. A VERY typical Pret brainwash which turns out to always be the complete opposite.
I explain on my 4 part podcast episodes above that Pret are far from kind when they did NOTHING after TWO customers died and several got injured, as well as having bullied me DURING bereavement and the systemic bullying culture that exists in Pret.
And being honest? I know from own experience how dishonest Pret are and expose some of their lies on social media.
And being generous? Let’s see how generous Pret are.
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The email invite to the seminar where I got my slot to go:
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Also, calling Pret’s training center an “academy” I felt always as a joke. In my training times in head office, I rarely learnt anything and had to train myself for years in shops searching and reading up on issues myself.
Pret’s generosity
On 18. March 2020 just before the first lockdown when the whole world was still in the air about Covid, Pret made a typical PR announcement to be giving free coffees and 50% food rebates to all NHS workers every day. All they need to do is show their NHS badge and they get a free coffee and cheaper food.
Great. Everyone went crazy on Pret’s “generosity”. And as Pret are Pret, they often make these charity announcements to cover up what they’re doing in the background to staff or other dodgy things.
The very next morning 19. March 2020 I wake up to a DM of a desperate staff that CEO Pano Christou sent an email to all shops and head office with the announcement that Pret will be cutting hours, and with it pay.
DM:
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Pret used the NHS not only for PR but as a smokescreen to hide their nasty cuts to staff. very generous!
Full CEO email here: To NHS Employees. Already low-wage Pret workers basically PAID for the NHS PR stunt.
There was only ONE NHS staff who was disgusted at this after I started swamping Twitter with this:
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Further on Pret’s “kindness, honesty and generosity”
Again, on 1st June 2022, just before the Queen’s Platinum Jubliee I woke up to a new DM by a different Pret staff reaching out to me that Pret for the 2. time this year delayed paying staff under supposedly “payroll errors”.
I immediately emailed CEO Pano Christou but openly copying in the press including Sarah Butler from the Guardian, other journalists and BFAWU President Ian Hodson who, Sarah Butler then interviewed.
Again, Pret cleverly used an occasion, just like with the NHS freebies, where the public is distracted with the Queen’s celebrations AND knowing that on bank holiday Monday all banks are closed.
Part of the DM:
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Pret’s announcement where if staff need money they can get it but with a fee which Pret supposedly would pay:
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On Instagram a staff member announced to be sabotaging Pret now, others called sick as an indirect strike action. Food and service quality would be compromised:
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Is it “exceptionally kind” of Pano to cut pay, use the pay cuts to fund NHS freebies etc. etc.?
WAKE UP EMPLOYEES!
People may ask why Pret would delay pay on purpose, simple, CEO Pano behaves exactly like a manager in Pret does. They have weekly, monthly, but most importantly quarterly targets to reach. June was moving to the end of the 2. quarter. And pay delays with constantly managers “forgetting” to pay hours helps shops and management to reach targets and get higher bonuses.
Pret settled TWICE in New York having had to repay 4000 workers close to a million dollars each time for WAGE THEFT!
Pret was also amongst UK companies being caught to pay some staff UNDER the legally required minimum wage and were then named and shamed by the UK Government.
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Or a few years ago under Clive Schlee, customers started to boycott Pret after finding out that Pret wanted to get young people to get free labour, using the apprenticeship short-term experience to not pay them except via “free food”.
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So, after I emailed Pet’s CEO copying in Sarah Butler and the press and Sarah wrote the following article, but it got drowned out by the Jubilee celebrations.
And Sarah Butler dug a little further later after I mentioned on my blog and podcast that Pano Christou received £300K pay in 2020 but didn’t spill the beans on how much he got in 2021 and 2022 after cutting wages. Then in August 2022 she reported the following:
So, in 2021 Pano got a £100K pay-rise and £4million in bonus while cutting as much as possible from low-wage staff who carried Pret through a dangerous pandemic. In 2020 Pano already got paid more than the UK Prime Minister and about the same as US President Biden. Since 2021 Pano overtook that further.
I could go on and on and on regarding Pret’s “kindness, honesty and generosity” by posting countless staff reviews on Pret’s wage theft, pay delay, missing pay as well as my own experience. But I want to end with my all-time favourite former customer tweet which I could not have put into better words!
I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment witnessed by customers: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review.
She takes responsibility while Pret blame downwards as usual.
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Let’s see some tears, hey!
But it needs to be the tears of a young blonde female.
Nothing new under the sun.
Pret will use that to say “See, not our responsibility”.
Let’s use a new business venture, a female young person to put blame on. Let’s do the usual.
You know the drill.
And it will work. Why? Because we live in a globalised situation where the trend is to suck anyone lower out of their skill, thei rights, their will.
I may not live to see the day, but I KNOW the day will come when Julian Metcalfe, Clive Schlee, Pano Christou, David Carter …
will be remembered via my blog. And as much as the media, politicians like to ignore it. All good 🙂
P.S. Pret A Manger, you have blood on your hands, also with at least one staff suicide I know of, but can’t proof. Lucky you. But I survived. Now go and keep getting off the hook.
P.P.S. keep smiling.
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I worked at Pret A Manger and survived systemic workplace bullying during bereavement that involved HR, the top leadership, HQ and even the now “retired” former CEO Clive Schlee. I declined 4 settlement offers if I am silent about my ordeal. But I rather speak out to help others. For an overview of important blog entries of my experience with Pret, please visit “My Ordeal with Pret A Manger”. The little arrow to the right next to each heading will lead directly to the post. An incomplete list on what other Pret staff say about Pret’s bullying environment: Caught in the Act Bullying at Pret. I tell my story for the first time verbally in below audio player interview on a podcast by The Adam Paradox, and wrote two articles in the Scottish Left Review.
Bullied during bereavement in Pret A Manger 
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