Customer service is our number one priority. We regret that in the highlighted case this was not delivered to our usual standards. - M&S PHOTO: MARKS & SPENCER FACEBOOK PAGE
An unnamed customer told the local newspaper they had tried to buy a bottle of champagne from an M&S store in London, but the member of staff "was very apologetic but said she could not serve me" and asked the customer to use another till.
M&S has a policy that tries to accommodate employees with different religious beliefs.
“Where we have an employee whose religious beliefs restrict food or drink they can handle, we work closely with our member of staff to place them in suitable role, such as in our clothing department or bakery in foods,” said a spokesperson for M&S.
The policy applies throughout its 700-plus stores.
This incident caused quite an uproar when the news surfaced on British websites and social media.
The BBC quoted Khola Hasan, an Islamic law consultant, who said that she thought the M&S employee's refusal to serve the customer was "ridiculous".
“I don't think the Islamic ruling is being so difficult that Muslims cannot cope in society," she said.
In comparison, other retailers said they would work with their employees on a case-by-case basis to let Muslims avoid handling alcohol or pork, and would allow similar exceptions for other religions.
The episode has caused many loyal customers to take it up to social media sites to express their frustration.
Angela Phillips, a loyal customer posted on the official Marks & Spencer page saying “If M&S go ahead with this they are going to lose so many loyal customers… if they do not want to serve people with pork or alcohol they shouldn't work in the food hall… simple!”
A Facebook page by the name of “Boycott Marks & Spencer” has surfaced the social networking site with over 7,844 likes in just a little less than 24 hours.
Following the uproar on Facebook, Marks & Spencer issued a press release that stated “Customer service is our number one priority. We regret that in the highlighted case this was not delivered to our usual standards.”
Stressing on their implemented policy, the statement added “This policy has been successfully implemented over many years and does not compromise our ability to offer the highest level of customer service.”
COMMENTS (66)
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@paki v paki: Well your logic is tough to refute . IF this girl were so bad then she would have been rude or shouted or created a fuss. Instead she politely refused. I think she did the right thing by being true to herself and not hurting the customer by shouting. She did the best in her circumstances. Its the fault of the store in this case. They should have checked with her before allocating her that stall.
@Rakib: She took up the job in a store that makes money by selling alcohol. She has no problem in getting paid from that money but doesn't want to sell it herself. How is that not hypocrisy. Selective implementation of beliefs and expecting others to adjust to your own double standards is really shallow in my opinion.
Secondly she knew the store sells alcohol before she started so should not have taken the job if she can't perform the required duties. It's not rocket science. No warped logic can defend her actions. The store is only trying to be politically correct cause the Muslim community will play the minority and discrimination card. Either way now stores will think twice before hiring Muslims cause of her senseless actions which is sad.
@Lala Gee: For you, I guess? I don’t even need a visa to enter UK.
Yes,to go illegally in container ships,you dont need visa.....
@Samar_Yz:
"@Lala Gee: I have a feeling LalaGee is bitter for being kicked out of the UK. Angoor are khatay I guesss"
LOL. Angoor are khatay! For you, I guess? I don't even need a visa to enter UK.
P.S. @All others, ET Mod in not allowing my responses despite my repeated tries. I'm not sure even this will get through moderation.
@abdul: "its was not a insurance company, it was Wonga a short term loan company which charges over 7000% interest, it targets vulnerable people in society, so if you borrow £70 you pay back £7000 so newcastle players actions were justified"
Yes, and then one of the footballers was pictured gambling in a casino a couple of weeks later, and suddenly agreed to wear the shirt. Hypocrite. Still think his actions were justified?
@Stranger: With respect, you've completely missed the point. If you don't want to handle certain goods, that's fine - no one has a problem with that. The problem is accepting a job in which you're expected to handle those goods, and then refusing to do so.
Looks like there are Muslims only in Pakistan. Muslims in other nations do not seem to have the same issues that Pakistani Muslims have. This is getting more ludicrous by the day. Who asked this Muslim to work in in an outlet where liquor is sold?
I lost several jobs mydelf where I needed to serve the and I declined while my fellow brothers have done so but because of this Allah swt has given me much more than I expected. everything I went for Allah swt rewarded me. Someone has to take a stand if something goes against her religious rights and if they can accomodate her in clothing or other section then good enough else there will be another better opportunity waiting somewhere else for her. Not all Pakistanis are hypocrates. I pay all the taxes with all honesty from my business and I know alot of Pakistani fellows who does the same. there might be small % who gives bad name to all.
@ Nadia: "British society is tolerant and Muslim society isn’t"...... society is made by people. the same people who are in britain or in other secular countries(as minority) become liberal (since they have no other option). and the same people in the region where they form majority become so strict that they start imposing their own belief on others forcefully.
@Wake Up: Her religion was no secret & Muslim sensitivities are not unknown out there. We do not have any input here whether she did/didn't inform the Hr Dept at the time of joining. (I once had a lady working for me who made it clear while joining that she will never handle any work connected with Israel!)There is no hypocrisy involved if you consider the concept of individual, and not shared, responsibility for sin so she is no way answerable for M&S as such. Whatever, here it is her belief & nobody's (other than of M&S) business really.I salute this rather unusual lady for her conviction however bizarre it may appear to any body. And I salute M&S & UK. Her employer who pays the salary (and not charity) doesn't call her hypocrite & has no issue with her. If some customers have a problem the Customer Service/HR will find a solution like reassigning her. If M&S doesn't like her let them get rid of her but it appears she must be a valuable human resource. Store has no issue, law has none; busybodies too shouldn't have any.
The reason we fail and project a negative image in the western society is because of our failure to assimilate, acclimatize our-self to the norms. No one is asking anyone to do bad things, go against religion. Fa more immoral activities are done in Pakistan as well.
While studying in US in the 90s, I categorized Pakistani's into 3-categories.
1/ Sheltered all their life, got a severe culture shock, homesick, "mama's boys" and within 2-3 semesters went back. 2/ Party hardy as they saw freedom, their idea of western society norms learned from American movies. For 3-4 semesters were the most party hardy boys on campus. And then suddenly 1-day you see them in local masjid, grew beards, turned holy. 3/ These were the boys who knew how to control, assimilated in the local culture, led a balanced style.
So now Jews Shop Staff will not serve "Non-Kosher" Meat Product or Various Meat Dishes cooked in Ghee or Cream etc, The Hindu Staff will not serve Beef or Veal or Halal Meats (As Hindus and Sikhs prefer to have Non-Halal i.e. Jhatka) or Roman Catholic Shop Staff will not serve Red Meat on Friday etc. etc! . Cheers
@ LalaGee it is accommodating because they have put her in a place she wouldn't have to touch alcohol giving her special treatment. And on top, about this whole other minorities thing, other minorities have no issues with British way of life, Sikhs, Hindus, Jews have no issues with eating in a restaurant that serves Wine or sitting in a place where it's non-vegetarian food also. When they mean minorities who can't do certain things, it's mainly talking about Muslims. Anyways, Muslims have issues with integrating in to society and although they hate this country and its unislamic laws, they don't mind ripping off the benefits system which must I add fraud is also unislamic. I don't claim to be the most perfect Muslim but I do try and follow as much as I can
@and the guy about how I'm not making sense, I'm saying that British society is tolerant and Muslim society isn't. And I'm admitting that. Tomorrow if British society didnt want to be tolerant then it has a right to do that. Muslims are the least tolerable and I as a Muslim will admit. Muslims can never be secular or liberal and Islam doesn't accept that either.
The thing is why was the employee working then? British muslims mostly Pakistanis become insanely conscious about religion to a stupid extent.
This kind of attitude will not even be tolerated in Dubai even. My sincere advice to Pakistanis in UK and all over who have problems in the west due to religious beliefs is to move to Saudi Arabia.
Pakistanis would be happy there because the new Pakistan that is now come up seems to be emulating Saudi Arabia.
@Huma: She gets paid from the sale, Am sure she was aware M&S sells alcohol and meat products, in reality if she was religious she would be aware of that..
@MA: You are generalizing. I agree there are many hypocrites but what if the the employee in question didn't apply for mortgage or any interest based financing? Hence he might not be a hypocrite, so basically you dont have enough information. Besides everyone in this world no matter what religion is a hypocrite. So if the employee doesn't want to server alcohol due his reasonable or unreasonable religious restrictions, get someone who can. I am pretty sure M&S will have many employees who are willing to server alcohol
@S: She acted as per store policy, why is there any issue with that? And those talk about being a Muslim in UK, I am a Muslim in UK too, and if u r a practising Muslim things can be tough. My team mates go for drinks every Thursday, I used to go along and drink coke, in 2-3 hours they will be all drunk and I will be sitting totally out of sync with them. And then at times they start discussions abt Muslims in dregatory manners. And yes this has effect on promotions as well. This is just one example. For people who don’t know, there have been 22 attacks on mosques (including patrol bomb attack) since Woolwich incident. Hatred is rising against Muslims day by day and that is why I am leaving UK.
And believe me you wan't be able to live anywhere in this world except Pakistan. You guys are unique "Muslims" who can't think anything beyond hypocracy where ever you go.
@S:
And how about rights of other minorities in Pakistan or Middle East?
@S: And how many times poius Muslims pegions tried to blow up subways, buses and airports in UK?
@defer: Do you mean to say "Muslims" never evolves and will remain tribal people for ever?
Why don't we think this through? It's very possible that the girl was not supposed to be working at the till. Afterall M & S has already said thy don't place people in roles they might not be comfortable with.
I am sure the girl had to work on the till as backup only and due to Christmas rush. She was also polite. There is no need for anyone to get offended or make a big deal out of this.
Let people live. And it's easy o make generalisations about the British or Muslims but this was two people talking to each other, not official reps of the communities.
In any case if this customer represented the British and he/ she published it on social media, surely that doesn't show an accommodating attitude.
As for the salesperson, everyone agrees that this was her personal belief nod not that of Muslim majority in UK.
@1984: its was not a insurance company, it was Wonga a short term loan company which charges over 7000% interest, it targets vulnerable people in society, so if you borrow £70 you pay back £7000 so newcastle players actions were justified
@Stranger: So why work in such a environment you are not forced if you apply for a job in McDonald's and then after getting employed say I wont serve a Big Mac etc. because its against my religion, That does not make sense in the end your wages are made up off all items sold and not just the permissible ones , she is just a silly billy in reality if she is so religious she should not be working in such a place full stop,, DUH.
@Stranger: That's the strangest argument ever. If you don't want to touch/sell such things then don't take up a job where you will have to touch/sell these things in the first place. First you take up a job and then refuse to do the requirements of the job inconveniencing customers. If that's not hyporacy then I don't know what is. This person should be fired on the spot for not doing an acitvity on the job that was apparent in the job description before they started. Marks & Spencer's sells alcohol, didn't she know this when she applied ?
It's stupid to take up a job where you will have to do things that are against your beliefs. ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU AS WELL AS THE WHOLE WORLD KNOWS THIS FROM BEFORE.
I think this girl was right . If some one asks me to touch pork or beef or even fish for that matter I would refuse. I have not done it for several decades and my caste does not allow me to do this anyways . I admire this girl's guts . I also liked the way in which she 'politely' refused.
@Rakib: The hypocracy is amazing of some muslims. Happy to get a salary from the same organization that earns money by selling alcohol (among other things including clothes etc.) however do not want to sell alcohol (scan it at the counter) directly themselves. If alcohol is an issue, this person should not have anything to do with any organisation that is remotely earning any money from alcohol. What a joke. Muslims should not do anything that could be against islam if they believe so strongly about it. Selective implementation of religious beliefs as per ones own convenience and expecting others to adjust to it just makes no sense. @Nadia: So basiclly what your saying is that its ok if the laws in KSA and Pakistan are discriminating against minorities cause they are religious and conservative states but the secular UK should accept non sensical requests from muslims or other minorities cause in a secular country all beliefs are welcome. To any rational and thinking individual it makes no sense. Why should the UK change its culture on the whims of a population that doesnt want to integrate in the first place. Im sorry you cant have it both ways. If there is a problem in integrating with the way of life in the UK then KSA and Pakistan are places where these beliefs can be practiced without any issue. @S: People make fun of all kinds of things including peoples ethnic backgrounds, accents, religion etc etc. I know my faith and belief is strong thus I have no problem with people making fun of my religion and also saying that the system is against you cause your muslim is rather shallow. Its your choice that you dont drink alcohol and go to bars whether its due to religious beliefs or abstinance. Social aspects are as much part of the job as working hard, crunching numbers or whatever one does. Though I would hope that it shouldnt impact promotions or your rating, it would be naive to think that nepotism doesnt exist in all organisations. Its upto you to find your way and not to start complaining.
PS: Im an Hindu (vegetarian) in Germany (where 90% people eat non-veg in both meals) and the only foriegner and non-white person in my office. We have plenty of meetings in steakhouses or places where being vegetarian is looked at like being crazy. The view is often shared by clients but I rather enjoy the discussion cause we have different view points. I have heard jokes such as you eat the food of my food since im a vegetarian. I can always cry about being discriminated against if my rating is poor or if I dont get promoted cause its easy to play the victim or I can accept the reallity and find a way to succeed inspite of the the situation. No one is forcing us to stay. Fight it out and prove yourself or quit but quit complaining cause all it shows is weakness.
Hope the moderators let this through
@Lala Gee: I have a feeling LalaGee is bitter for being kicked out of the UK. Angoor are khatay I guesss
If muslims after getting so many benefits in united kingdom are still not able to integrate into the society..i dont think they will ever integrate ever..i stay in UK and muslims are not perceived as progressive(rather regressive) and suffer from ghetto mindset...i.e. the other one is the enemy.
I dont think anything can be done about it. Also, I do not think that the UK will be tolerant forever...and the muslims take their privilages for granted and abuse the culture that gives them these freedoms......considering that islamic counties have no tolerance for people of other religions and focus on coverting and suppressing these minorities...
Moslems appear to discover their religion rather late in the day esp at Christmas.- OK they have made their point and it is being respected by M&S. I have seen lots of moslems at the till having no hesitation in serving the customers of anything they request. Short term attention to a problem which does not really exist is unfortunately going to backfire on moslems---more unemployment!
@It Is (still) Economy Stupid: " If not why the world should accommodate one minority and the same minority in the majority state refuses to extend similar accommodation to other minorities. Accommodation to minorities is not a birth right it is a courtesy and a reciprocity is expected.
Btw as far as i know Muslims are not in minority in the world.
In a way, she is doing a good job. Because of her, many other muslims will not be hired and and hence, will not be committing a sin.
It is better to die of hunger or live off charity than do alcohol transaction on behalf of your employer.
@It Is (still) Economy Stupid: I have no issue with what uk government does with other groups and minorities. I am a Muslim and I don't believe in homosexuality but I do not discriminate and if the law doesn't directly effect me, it doesn't make a difference to me and also otherwise now that gay marriages are legalised if Muslims were so offended even the extremists would have left by now but they wouldn't - even if niqab is banned, they won't leave. On the whole thing about Saudi Arabia and Pakistanis being accommodating to minorities and Ahmadis, you have to bear in mind that UK is a secular and liberal country whereas these two are religious and conservative. If UK for whatever reason tomorrow throws Muslims out and turns Puritan Christian and etc etc it has a full right too. And Pakistan is already a hypocritical state filled with hard liners and liberals constantly in clash with each other and an patriarchial society and KSA is a supremacy Wahhabi state and these two will never change so I wouldn't bother either.
@LalaGee if this is not specially accommodating then what is. Islam is completely different to their way of life but they have accommodated it to fit in to their society somehow.
@Lala Gee
Any pork shops in any of your islamic countries? Do you think any of your islamic countries would allow building of mandirs, churches or synagogues? Does these Islamic countries allow non muslims to have lunch/dinner during muhharum? Do these islamic countries sell alcohol? So you see UK is very accommodating. Its people like you, who fail to understand an appreciate their accommodating system, are bringing on the rightist parties in mainstream and i say for good reasons too.
@ET
either explain what is wrong in my post, or please post
@Lala Gee: Why don't you go to a Muslim country and see what they give to minorities even Muslims get treated as trash in most so called Muslim country's hence the reason they flock to uk etc many have hardly worked yet they still get benefits and lie to bring there whole clans, Two faced hypocrites at there best who give true Muslims a bad name!
@Lala Gee: Give me any example showing that Muslims in the UK are given some special favor or being accommodated in a way which the other communities are not given or entitled to. Perhaps you should read this: "http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markeaston/2010/11/work_benefits_and_ethnicity.html" You will note that Pakistani and Bangladeshi (majority muslims) are the highest receipents of social security and tax credits. Our wages are also the lowest because we do not pay emphasis on education as the Indians do. The M&S saga will make the stats even worse because anyone who wants to hire a muslim will have to think deep and hard.
@Lala Gee UK is accomodating Muslims by letting them into the country and giving them access to healthcare, employment and welfare. This means less for average British person because now they have to share everything with Muslim immigrants.
There is difference between co existing in peace and integration and co existing in peace. Co existing in peace is very much possible. But British has a problem with that, they want integration, and integration is not possible without giving up aspects of Islam.
She acted as per store policy, why is there any issue with that? And those talk about being a Muslim in UK, I am a Muslim in UK too, and if u r a practising Muslim things can be tough. My team mates go for drinks every Thursday, I used to go along and drink coke, in 2-3 hours they will be all drunk and I will be sitting totally out of sync with them. And then at times they start discussions abt Muslims in dregatory manners. And yes this has effect on promotions as well. This is just one example.
For people who don't know, there have been 22 attacks on mosques (including patrol bomb attack) since Woolwich incident. Hatred is rising against Muslims day by day and that is why I am leaving UK.
Its strange how Muslims think of Islamic laws only at places where it suits...
Recently,3 Muslim Newcastle players refused to wear the kits as it had an insurance firm logo on it and according to them insurance is wrong as the money they pay is used for money lending...
But I've never heard any muslim in US,UK say that he will not pay for auto insurance and will personally pay the damage he causes in an accident fully.....Because they know its too costly to involve in an accident if they dont have insurance...
Also the poor muslims of UK get free insurance from the govt and the middle class pay from their pocket....
Hypocrisy
@Nadia: Thanks for your honest assessment. I would like to know if you would support accommodations for other minorities such as Sikh's right to wear turban or members of rainbow coalition? Would you write a letter to local Embassy of KSA and other Muslim countries stating that this country (UK) had been wonderful to Muslims.Would they extend similar courtesy to other minorities in KSA. Would you be willing to write a letter to High Commission of Pakistan and ask them to accommodate Ahamadiya people? If not why the world should accommodate one minority and the same minority in the majority state refuses to extend similar accommodation to other minorities. Accommodation to minorities is not a birth right it is a courtesy and a reciprocity is expected.
@Nadia I stand witness to what you have written. I back you 100%.
@Nadia:
"@Lala Gee: I am a Muslim living in UK. We get everything here and most are accommodating to everything."
Believe me I know all that whatever you wrote and much more. I myself have spent quite some time there and many of my close relatives also live in the UK since generations providing me an accurate source of information. Please don't think for a moment that I don't know or appreciate the freedoms and the fair treatment UK government has extended without discrimination to all her citizens irrespective of their color, race, or religion, save for the individual cases of discrimination. My previous comment was In response to someone's claim that Muslims are getting special treatment in the UK and are being accommodated in special ways. I simply rebuffed those claims based on the fact that UK government cannot discriminate by law, and hence they cannot extend any special favors to, or give extra benefits, or accommodate in special ways only one community and deny the same to other communities. Therefore, any claim of special treatment being meted to Muslims simply cannot be true. I hope you'd now understand what I meant.
@Samar_Yz:
"@Lala Gee: What about all the mosques that they’ve built with taxpayers’ money? Not to mention all the benefits that low income Muslim households receive each month…"
Here I try again to explain things in the most simple way.
1- What ever the UK government do or pay is according to their own laws, and laws were never made specially to benefit Muslims only, nor Muslims are the only community benefiting from those laws.
2- Muslims also pay taxes (everyone in UK has to pay 21% GST on every purchase + Income and other kind of taxes as well), and if a part of those taxes collected is spent back on them according to laws is not a favor or accommodation in any sense of the word, but rather an obligation on part of the government.
Give me any example showing that Muslims in the UK are given some special favor or being accommodated in a way which the other communities are not given or entitled to.
@Lala Gee: I am a Muslim living in UK. We get everything here and most are accommodating to everything. We have mosques in every city, youth clubs for Muslims, madrasahs, we have Halal supermarkets (Turkish food Centre one of the most famous), we have Halal shops everywhere, we are not forced to go in to clubs or drink alcohol or so anything unislamic, we live in a country where we even get benefits and a free medical system and free education and they even allow us to learn Arabic, Urdu in school and learning about Islam among other religions is compulsory. They even when I go school in a Christian school where we are meant to wear skirts-they allow Muslim students to wear hijabs, any form of Muslim identity they have and long shirts up to their shoes and on Eid and Ramadan they provide us with prayer rooms and write Eid Mubarak on boards for us and allow us to be excuse from Pe for Eid and we have Islamic workshops and Unis also give Islamic classes and we can protected by police equally, we are allowed to work in any job withit discrimination and many companies allow us to wear Islamic forms of dress although the niqab has come in to debate recently but this was because a person in the burkha threw acid at a woman and now the person will never be found because the face was covered and an terrorist escaped from a mosque with niqab in (although I think they should allow people to wear niqabs), Basically we have freedom to be Muslims and even freedom to insult their government and their police and their army and burn their way of life and shout at them for what they do (mainly the extremists, search Anjem Chaudhry) and they still accept us....yet we still hate them (I don't). Btw there is halal KFCs in Muslim majority areas, much to the anger of the non Muslim population who say Muslims get everything on a plate (I agree LOL we do and yet many amongst us still hate them and the country).
The Muslim staffer should just leave this job and look for work somewhere else if it's against his beliefs
These are testing times for Muslims at large & many at individual level strongly believe that moving away from religious practices is the cause of divine wrath and for redemption one needs to go back to the basics of Islam. For some it means renewing their allegiance by reverting to obvious symbolism. During stress people are known to have become more inward looking & orthodox in observing practices that may not make sense to others. In some religions people fast or give up their favourite foods, some decide to go on pilgrimage & do penance & some become literalists like the lady, whose tale here edifies, not her so much as M&S.
What a load of dribble, All the above comments especially from people of Pakistan who have grown up on bribes generation after generation even been fed by relatives who have gone abroad these same people sit judgement while the thieve off the people who have fed for years there forefathers are the reason Pakistan is a black hole in fact this country and its people are the most despised in the world, Pakistani folk bring shame on the people who died for this land,,, HYPOCRITS off the worst kind!
Classic case of conflict between personal and business ethics... In the end, she should do what is required of her job or quit
@Samar_Yz:
"Britain for being so accommodative (there’s a halal shop at every corner)"
Accommodating someone means you're giving up something in order to accommodate. Allowing halal shops does not require any kind of sacrifice or giving up and hence is not relevant example. Moreover, they already allow 'Kosher' meat which is also acceptable for Muslims in place of Halal meat.
She went to work and didnt want to work. So typical pakistani. M&s should just fire her.
Lack of knowledge is widespread among Pakistani Muslims, especially. We like to take both extreme's, either for religion or against religion. Islam asks us to not buy, sell or advertise alcohol. The buying alcohol is self-explanatory however in regards to selling alcohol, the reason behind that is that we are not allowed to make profits for ourselves from the sale of alcohol.
In this case, she was not selling alcohol and as a result making profit for herself, rather she was processing the item through the checkout for someone who already had the intention of buying alcohol. The fact that the other person had the intention of buying alcohol means she was not even advertising the product for sale.
If you work for a huge organisation, where hundreds of products are on-sale and your job is on the counter, all your doing is processing those items for the individual. There's nothing wrong with that.
Individuals with lack of knowledge really do bring a shame to the Muslims without having prior knowledge of Islamic Law and its requirements.
If this Musalman was not happy serving a customer, why was he working for M&S in the first place...........silly chap, whoever he was!
So it is okay to work for a company who's profit is generated through selling alcohol but you dont want to do what you are getting paid for and then expect the company to pay you and respect your beliefs? How about you follow your employers policy and quit if it is not in line of your religious beliefs. No matter how apologetic you were when you refused a customer in my opinion it was wrong.
This is what is called literate illeterates. She really should consider immigrating to a halal country and spare the UK of this hypocracy.
It is the United Kingdom, not Islamic Republic of Pakistan or Kingdom of Hypovrite Saudi Arabia; If you think UK does not suit you, then go to either option country stated here; You can then practice the talibanized islam as most of them idiots in those countries do;
This is very disrespectful to a country that has been so accommodating to so many immigrants irrespective of their religion and culture. The kind of double standards exhibited by staff member in this case are beyond any sane mind's grasp, she did not know the salary she was driving had a fair share from what she was refusing to sale? She should have not joined this job. And Instead of integrating and respecting the host country's culture and values, people like her making it difficult for natives,
Nobody forces you to work for a business that sells alcohol, pork or whatever. If your religious beliefs are contrary to what the business sells then don't go to work there - simple.
1857 rebellion in India was because of similar reasons.
If this what they have to do,they should not work there.they must choose 'halal' shops where they can keep their faith.If that is also not possible they should return to their 'home' lands
This employee should be penalized. She wasn't buying the alcohol herself. It's none of her business what a customer wants to buy. If she has a problem selling alcohol then she should not be working for M&S to begin with. It's foolish people like her who malign Islam by making their own and the life of others difficult.
Most of the "Muslims" i have come across in the UK are nothing but a bunch of hypocrites. They would proudly not sell alcohol in their stores on religious grounds, not eat KFC because the chicken is not "halal"... but would happily take out house on mortgage, get a car on finance, earn interest on their savings, show lower or no income so they could enhance their monthly benefit payments.
Most of the "Muslims" i have come across in the UK would proudly not sell alcohol in their stores on religious grounds but at the same time would milk the benefits system to enhance their monthly incomes. Their alibi is that Britishers have ruled us for years, now its time for payback!
This is what happens when minority asks for accommodation for themselves and refuses to offer the same accommodations for others. When this lady was hired she knew that part of the job was to serve alcohol otherwise she had the right to refuse to accept the job. Once she is is on the job she asking for accommodation on religious grounds. I am aware of Muslim who own Subway, A&W or European Meat Deli sell pork without hesitation. Similarly Muslims drink alcohol too. I am sure this person will not extend her support for other minorities of Rainbow coalition.I pity her education and the school she went to.
UK Muslims need to relax and integrate into society! They should appreciate Britain for being so accommodative (there's a halal shop at every corner).