A Muslim who claims he did not know Tesco sold alcohol is suing the store for religious discrimination after having to carry crates of drink as part of his job.
Forklift truck driver Mohammed Ahmed, 32, worked in a distribution depot for eight months before quitting 'in protest', an employment tribunal heard.
He claims he was forced to leave because handling beer, spirits and wine is against his strict Islamic beliefs and that he was victimised when he asked the company to give him another role.
Mr Ahmed, who was raised in Saudi Arabia, told the tribunal he had no idea his job entailed handling alcohol when he started work last September at the depot in Lichfield, Staffordshire.
When he realised it did, he asked to be found different work but alleges that one of his supervisors told him: 'You do the job or go home.'
He admitted, however, having shopped in Sainsbury's, Lidl and Asda, and noticing alcohol was on sale there.
Mr Ahmed, of Derby, who is suing the firm for racial discrimination, victimisation and harassment, should learn the outcome of the case later this week.
Saudi Arabia's enforcement of strict Sharia law regarding alcohol is among the harshest in the world. Sentences include several months' imprisonment for simply drinking beer, and it is not unknown for offenders to be given lashes as well.
A spokesman for Tesco, whose £63million Lichfield depot has around 1,000 workers, said: ' Managers are trained to be culturally sensitive and have an open-door policy to staff for issues like this, as everyone is welcome to work at Tesco.'
(Abridged from an article in the Daily Mail)
I think it is prudent to withhold all opinions. Let us wait and leave it up to the courts. Then we shall know the outcome.