Peter Alexander apologises after Indigenous customer alleges racial profiling at Sydney store
Australia's largest sleepwear retailer Peter Alexander has apologised and launched an investigation after an Indigenous man alleged he was racially profiled while shopping with his family at a Sydney store last weekend.
Julius Widders took to social media this week to describe the incident, which occurred when he was browsing with his wife Rose and three young family friends. According to Widders, when the group approached the counter to pay for their purchases, a staff member returned with a security guard.
"As if we were there to steal," Widders wrote in his social media post. "Once they noticed we were simply there to pay, the girls said, 'they're all good now'."
After completing their purchase, Widders confronted the security guard about what had happened. The guard repeatedly told him, "please don't go there," according to his account.
The incident left a lasting impact on Widders' wife. "We got back in the car, and my wife couldn't believe what had just happened," he wrote. "She told me over and over how embarrassing it was and I told her, don't worry about it, I'm used to it."
Widders noted the irony that Peter Alexander has previously collaborated with Indigenous artists including Natalie Jade and Kayannie Denigan on sleepwear collections featuring Aboriginal designs. "This is a brand that makes money out of Indigenous designs on their pyjamas," he wrote.
The experience highlighted for Widders how normalised such treatment has become. "I finally realised for myself how bad it is," he said. "No one should be judged or profiled solely on their appearance. You never know someone's story, and you never know how many times they've had to experience the same thing."
Broader pattern of discrimination
The incident reflects a broader pattern documented in official research. According to Reconciliation Australia's 2024 Barometer, 54% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people reported experiencing at least one form of racial discrimination within the past six months, a significant increase from 39% in 2014.
Research indicates that Indigenous shoppers frequently report being followed in stores, having bags searched, and being subjected to heightened surveillance. These experiences, experts say, echo generations of colonial surveillance and exclusion.
Company response
Widders' post attracted almost 15,000 reactions and hundreds of comments. A Peter Alexander spokesman told media outlets the company has been in direct contact with Rose Widders regarding the couple's in-store experience.
"We've been in direct contact with Rose and appreciate her willingness to work with us to understand more," the spokesman said. "We are disappointed to hear that she and her husband didn't feel welcome in our store."
The company emphasised its commitment to providing an inclusive environment. "We're committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone. We take the concerns raised seriously and we're investigating this situation to understand what happened on the day, including speaking with our store team and centre security."
The spokesman added: "We recognise the significant impact this experience has had on her, her husband and those who were with them, and we sincerely apologise for this. We will continue to work with Rose as we investigate."
Company background
Peter Alexander was founded in 1987 when the founder began selling sleepwear from his mother's dining room table. The business initially sold directly to department stores, but when one cancelled an order for 2,000 pairs of pyjamas in 1990, Alexander took out a mail-order advertisement in Cleo magazine, which attracted 6,000 orders.
The business joined Just Group in 2000 and opened its first standalone store in Melbourne in 2004. It has since grown to operate 143 stores across Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, where it launched in late 2024.
In January 2025, Peter Alexander's parent company Premier Investments sold its Apparel Brands division to Myer for approximately $817 million, retaining only the Peter Alexander and Smiggle brands.
