Muslim M&S staff don't have to sell pork or alcohol

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rascal

rascal

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Marks & Spencer has told Muslim staff they can refuse to serve customers buying alcohol or pork.
The policy was revealed after customers who were trying to buy alcohol from a Muslim shop assistant in London were told they'd have to use another till.

The company's decision has highlighted a split in the supermarket giants over religious staff and whether they should be excused from certain jobs and shifts.

At M&S, Muslim staff can politely ask customers buying alcohol or pork to choose another till.
The move is in stark contrast to that at Sainsbury's where guidelines state that there is no religious reasons why they can't handle the goods.

Meanwhile Tesco said it would treat each case on its merits and Asda claimed it wouldn't ask Muslims to work the tills if they objected to handling alcohol.

The customer who was refused to be sold alcohol told the Telegraph: “I had one bottle of champagne, and the lady, who was wearing a headscarf, was very apologetic but said she could not serve me.

"She told me to wait until another member of staff was available.

“I was taken aback. I was a bit surprised. I’ve never come across that before.”

A spokesman for M&S said: “We recognise that some of our employees practise religions that restrict the food or drink they can handle, or that mean they cannot work at certain times.

“M&S promotes an environment free from discrimination and so, where specific requests are made, we will always make reasonable adjustments to accommodate them, whilst ensuring high levels of customer service.”
The spokesman said that their policy would be applied to other religions, including Christians who did not want to work Sunday's and Jews who choose not to work Saturdays.
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I can somewhat relate to the colleague as when I was working checkouts at Sainsbury's I often had to serve customers buying the Daily Mail, but I just had to grin and bear it. The M&S colleague should have done the same.
 

Aye but Christian staff in B&Q don't have to sell timber and nails if it offends them.

Inside 40 posts, nailed on.
 
Little things like this, step by step.

I think everyone who disagrees with the brutal slice and bleed out halal technique should refuse to sell that as well.

I don't have facts but there are rumours that a lot of what we eat is halal anyway.

Slowly but surely.
 

The spokesman said that their policy would be applied to other religions, including Christians who did not want to work Sunday's and Jews who choose not to work Saturdays.
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Which, assuming it's correct and is recognised by lower / middle management as being company policy means this is a storm in a teacup which Daily Fail and Torygraph readers will fail to recognise. If they can get the staff in the right places without offending their religious beliefs then who cares ?
 

I would have 'politely' said to her that I wasn't forcing her to drink the alcohol and she should do the job she is paid for and serve me a product that is legal for me to buy in this country.

By not standing up to this nonsense (of course without resorting to being rude and aggressive) we are part of the problem enabling people to think his is fair practice.
 
rascal said:
Actually, you're quite right. I should have refused to sell the Daily Mail.
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No, because it is legal for someone to buy it so you should do your job and sell it when requested.

It's all a bit besides the point really. It is forbidden for them to drink alcohol. Not handle it. I'm all for religious sensitivity but it comes to a point where you've just gotta say 'yo, stop being so silly'.
 

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