M&S Retailer Faces Boycott Over Allowing Muslim Staff To Refuse Alcohol And Pork Sales

British retailer Marks & Spencer came under scrutiny on Monday after it was discovered that Muslim employees are allowed to refuse customers when selling pork and alcohol, the Agence France-Presse reported.

A Facebook page, with more than 8,000 supporters, has been created for the boycott of the chain after an "extremely apologetic" Muslim checkout worker informed a customer that they would have to wait for another employee to sell them a bottle of champagne.

It's forbidden in Islam to drink alcohol or eat pork.

According to Agence France-Presse, religious beliefs of employees are taken into consideration when the retailer tries to appoint them in a "suitable role," said M&S, Britain's biggest clothing retailer, as well as, seller of food and homeware. Beliefs concerning the restrictions on foods and drinks of employees are respected.

"We regret that in the case highlighted we were not following our own internal policy," a company spokeswoman said. "As a secular business we have an inclusive policy that welcomes all religious beliefs whether across our customer or employee base."

The policy was an offense to "common sense," the "Boycott Marks and Spencer" Facebook page said.

The issue came in limelight when an unnamed customer told the Daily Telegraph that a Muslim worker had apologetically refused to sell them champagne at a London store. Instead, the customer was asked to wait for another employee to become available to make the purchase, AFP reported.

"I was taken aback," the customer told the newspaper. "I was a bit surprised. I've never come across that before."

According to AFP, the row highlighted differences among British retailers' policies on whether staff should be allowed to refuse to sell certain products on religious grounds. Supermarket chains Asda and Morrisons & Tesco also allow their Muslim staff to work away from cash registers if they aren't comfortable handling certain products. But the head of high street retailer John Lewis said staff should not have the right to refuse to serve customers.

"This is taking it one stage beyond common sense," managing director Andy Street told BBC radio.

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