Sainsbury's board is about to approve a Qatari takeover bid. Alliance Boots already have done so (they are allowing their pharmacists to refuse to supply the pill on religious grounds).

Who pays the piper calls the tune.

And regardless os ahre ownership, it is ultimately the customer who pays the piper.

This customer is shopping elsewhere...
Monty | 10.09.07 - 2:43 pm | #

Good tip. I'm sure there's something in Wicca about filing documents. I'm a convert.
KB Player | Homepage | 10.09.07 - 4:51 pm | #

The evil, cynical side of me wonders how much Sainsbury's saves if it can persuade its customers to use the automated checkout to avoid a scene.
Rose | 10.09.07 - 5:55 pm | #

The Sainsbury's website explains their policy; they strive to accomodate religious peculiarities in their employees just as they do any other disability.
Don | 10.09.07 - 7:53 pm | #

Zoroastrianism will permit you to light fires everywhere.

A checkout operator could still refuse to deal with spotty teenagers by demanding ID for alcohol and refusing ciggies to under 18s.
Alec Macpherson | 10.10.07 - 9:28 am | #

And the first time one of them refuses to serve a customer who is obviously Jewish? What then?
dearieme | 10.10.07 - 3:58 pm | #

I find the stance of these Sainsburys employees baffling, not just for religious reasons where I'm not sure their interpretation of Islamic law in the process of a sale is accurate. But even if it was, if we take them by their own petard, why are they happy being paid wages from the proceeds of alcohol?
Osama Saeed | Homepage | 10.11.07 - 1:46 pm | #