Diffusers in kosher stores are making me sick

amother

Tue, Jun 04 2024, 12:12 pm

I just came back from clothing shopping in kosher stores in a major frum town. I had to leave every store within minutes because my eyes teared and I could not breathe. Even after a half hour from leaving the stores, I have a headache.I have no other allergies. In the past, I have asked stores to stop using diffusers but to no avail. I don't understand where the owners and managers bain adom lchevero is. If the diffuser is making someone sick,even just one person, shouldn't they stop using it? I just do not understand and am saddened that people just don't care about others.
We have a dog and a couple off my friends or their family members are afraid of dogs. Since they are afraid, we keep the dog away from them when they come into my house. I am not afraid of dogs but since it affects them (e.g., anxiety), I am considerate of them and make sure the dog does not go near them.

amother

Grape

Tue, Jun 04 2024, 12:15 pm

I sympathize with you. My local grocery uses heavy scent near the meat section and it is so hard to breathe. I feel sick with a headache. I try to stand back and look at everything and then hold my breath and grab the package and run! I have no answers, but you are not alone.

amother

DarkViolet

Tue, Jun 04 2024, 12:21 pm

I'm with you. I'm bH not physically sensitive, but the idea of it turns me off, and it's also very toxic to all humans, whether they have noticeable reactions or not. My local grocery also uses it, and often I can taste it on the produce, which is all kinds of gross.

amother

Sand

Tue, Jun 04 2024, 12:24 pm

amother Grape wrote:

Uch..who wants their groceries to come home scented?

I think it's insensitive to blast a scent throughout a store, especially when a customer has complained.

amother

Lotus

Tue, Jun 04 2024, 12:26 pm

amother OP wrote:

I don't understand it either. I don't get sick from it, but I often hate the scents. It doesn't make me want to shop, it makes me want to leave.

And then the clothing reek from it. I have to wash new clothing to get the scent out. You can't wear it like that.

LittleDucky

Tue, Jun 04 2024, 2:56 pm

Absolutely ridiculous. Besides being gross chemically smelling - who wants their clothing or food to be covered with that- it makes me worried about their sanitation? I mean, if they need such heavy stuff to cover up a smell, are they cleaning? What is rotting?
For the one who said their meat section has one- how old is that meat? Is there leaking meat juice that now rotted? What are they covering up?

amother

Aster

Tue, Jun 04 2024, 5:22 pm

Those diffusers make me cough. Like a choking, gagging type of cough. It's so embarrassing when I go into stores, after 5 minutes the coughing starts and I literally can't stop. I almost never go into stores anymore, I've taken to ordering online, which is ok for groceries even though it costs me more, but a tremendous hassle for clothes and shoes that I have to order a bunch to try on and then return. It makes me so angry, I feel like I'm being discriminated against.

amother

Wed, Jun 05 2024, 3:41 pm

My frum dentist uses diffuser. I now have to call the office before my appointment and as k them to unplug it. I can still smell it when I go into the office. My husband feels that it is an OSHA violation.

amother

Narcissus

Wed, Jun 05 2024, 3:58 pm

One clothing store here where I live (NY) is so heavily scented the smell stays on the clothes for months after I bought something.. its overwhelming when you enter the store and the clothes all reek of it

amother

Wed, Jun 05 2024, 4:17 pm

zaq wrote:

Why pick on frum stores? Couldn't you just say that diffusers in stores make you sick? Other businesses scent their shops as well.

Because I have only have smelled it in frum stores. I am not picking on frum stores. I get such an attitude when I ask nicely not to have one. Where are people's bain adam l'chavero? If it affect someone so greatly someone, the diffuser should not be there.

piegirl

Wed, Jun 26 2024, 7:51 am

I haven’t noticed it so much and I’m super sensitive. The stores in Flatbush I’ve found have less than bp.
Only one store I had to run out with my eyes blown up and my nose running down my face and a huge migraine and I was only there less than 5 minutes. Had to leave my kids alone to pay.
It was not a clothing store or a grocery.

I really can’t imagine the need for diffusers, except for maybe in a bathroom

amother

Snow

Wed, Jun 26 2024, 9:18 am

One of my pet peeves too. I thought I was the only one! It just is such a sickly and artificial sensation. I don't get physically ill from it thankfully but I find it gross.

I do a lot more shopping in non-frum stores and online now to avoid the issue.

amother

Cyan

Wed, Jun 26 2024, 9:23 am

Yes!! I cannot stand that so many stores in Lakewood are scented. I get sick from it too.
My new clothing smells so strong until it gets washed. There are some places where I'm confused why they put diffusers in. Why put it in the pharmacy??
When is this trend going to stop??