Muslim supermarket checkout staff who refuse to sell alcohol are being allowed to opt out of handling customers’ bottles and cans of drink.
Islamic workers at Sainsbury’s who object to alcohol on religious grounds are told to raise their hands when encountering any drink at their till so that a colleague can temporarily take their place or scan items for them.
Other staff have refused to work stacking shelves with wine, beer and spirits and have been found alternative roles in the company.
Sainsbury’s said this weekend it was keen to accommodate the religious beliefs of all staff but some Islamic scholars condemned the practice, saying Muslims who refused to sell alcohol were reneging on their agreements with the store.
So even though Muslims themselves object to this special treatment, Sainsbury is going ahead with it anyway. Whatever happened to simply taking the employee aside and saying "It is perfectly legal and acceptable to sell alcohol in this country and it is part of your duties to do so. However, if you have a moral objection to working here, you can collect your things and leave. Now."
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