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Muslim Council of Britain said situation should have been handled better

Others said allowing workers not to serve alcohol or pork was ridiculous

Customer was 'taken aback' when the female member of staff explained she could not sell a bottle of Champagne because she was Muslim

Policy is to ensure staff who exercise the veto are given 'suitable roles'

Spokeswoman apologised saying store had not followed 'internal policy'

Influential Muslims have lined up to criticise Marks & Spencer for letting checkout staff refuse to serve shoppers buying alcohol or pork.

They described the workers' veto as ridiculous and said it was 'a policy that beggars belief'.

The incredulity among Islamic observers came as M&S chiefs issued an apology over the affair, in which shoppers at a London store were told to find another till when they tried to buy wine from a Muslim member of staff.

A spokesman for the Muslim Council of Britain said yesterday: 'An employer can refuse Muslim employees permission to be excused from serving alcohol or pork because it would impact on customer service, as has happened in this case. Perhaps the solution should have been to deploy the Muslim employee who objected to serve alcohol or pork on tasks away from the till.'

The rights of staff to observe their religious beliefs in the workplace have drawn legal and political controversy over the past few years.

Christian workers who asked not to be made to conduct civil partnership ceremonies or to give sex advice to gay couples have been sacked, and judges have ruled that those who do not like their employer's rules should find another job.

M&S store chiefs, however, told Muslim checkout workers they were entitled to abide by their religious belief that they should not handle alcohol or pork. A spokesman for the chain insisted yesterday that its rules put customer service first, adding: 'We apologise that this policy was not followed in the case reported.'

But the company found little sympathy among prominent moderate Muslim leaders yesterday.

Khola Hasan, a legal consultant who has advised the Islamic Sharia Council, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I was quite dismayed when I heard this news about M&S. I'm just wondering how far till workers can go? Are they there to police what people are buying?

SO, WHAT DOES THE KORAN SAY?

'Will a till worker refuse to process a cake that has got champagne in it or a chocolate that has got brandy in it?

'Muslims cannot eat any meat that is not halal, so will they refuse to process chicken or beef or lamb because it's not halal? I don't know how far we are going to go. I think it's ridiculous.'

Miss Hasan said that Islamic law does not prohibit Muslims from selling alcohol in a supermarket.

She added: 'I think that we have to live together and that includes Muslims. How are we going to live together if we are sitting in a shop saying, "I won't serve you and I won't talk to you because you've got this in your hands?".'

Inayat Bunglawala of Muslims4UK said: 'I have never come across a Muslim in the retail trade who would refuse to serve a customer. If you are working in that trade, I don't think anyone will hold it against you if you are working at a checkout and passing through cans of drink or packages of pig meat.'

M&S has faced a series of threats from customers who said they would take their business elsewhere rather than be told to wait for another till.

One shopper at the store involved said: 'I had one bottle of champagne and the lady, who was wearing a headscarf, was very apologetic but said she could not serve me. She told me to wait until another member of staff was available. I was taken aback.'

The M&S statement said: 'Customer service is our priority.

'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 a suitable role, such as in our clothing department or bakery.'

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Steve Doughty, Social Affairs Correspondent

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Muslim leaders slam M&S over 'ridiculous' till policy

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Muslim Council of Britain said situation should have been handled better Others said allowing workers not to serve alcohol or pork was ridiculous Customer was 'taken aback' when the female member of staff explained she could not sell a bottle of Champagne because she was Muslim Policy is to ensure staff who exercise the veto are given 'suitable roles' Spokeswoman apologised saying store had not followed 'internal policy' Influential Muslims have lined up to criticise Marks & Spencer for letting checkout staff refuse to serve shoppers buying alcohol or pork.

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A Christian British Airways employee who won her discrimination-at-work case at the European Court of Human Rights has said she is "jubilant".

Nadia Eweida said she was "jumping with joy" after the court ruled she was unfairly discriminated against when asked to stop wearing a cross visibly.

The court ruled that her rights under Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights had been violated.

The Londoner, who is still with BA, said it had "not been an easy ride".

It has been difficult, it's not [been] an easy ride but it's been worth it
Nadia Eweida, British Airways employee

Judges ruled that the rights of three other Christians had not been violated by their employers.

The other cases involved nurse Shirley Chaplin, 57, whose employer also stopped her wearing necklaces with a cross, Gary McFarlane, 51 - a marriage counsellor fired after saying he might object to giving sex therapy advice to gay couples - and Islington Council registrar Lillian Ladele, who was disciplined after she refused to conduct same-sex civil partnership ceremonies.

'Frustration and distress'

Speaking to BBC London 94.9 Miss Eweida, 60, from Twickenham, said: "Words fail to express [my jubilation]. I am jumping and went [over the top]."

The matter of wearing the cross came up in 2006 when she was first asked not to wear it to work and then suspended after refusing to remove it.

The importance of the cross

The cross has not always been the main symbol of Christianity. In the early days of the Church in Rome many believers used the fish symbol to avoid detection

Crucifixion was also a method of execution for murderers and thieves, so some of the earliest depictions of Jesus on a cross were used by Pagans to mock early Christians

The use of the cross as a symbol became more overtly popular after the conversion of Emperor Constantine to Christianity in the 4th Century

It is now the most widely recognisable symbol of Christianity, used by many Christians as an aid to prayer as well as a symbol of their faith

Source: BBC Religion and Ethics
Why is the cross important to Christians?
Miss Eweida said her appeals were turned down by BA and she lost in six UK courts.

She said: "It has been difficult, it's not [been] an easy ride but it's been worth it.

"I am very pleased that Christian religious rights have been vindicated, both in the UK and Europe, and I am also very pleased that after all this time that the European Court has specifically recognised that I have suffered anxiety, frustration and distress."

She added that she has received support from hundreds of colleagues at work, donors and human rights campaign group Liberty.

Referring to the other cases in the court Miss Eweida said: "I am very disappointed on behalf of the other three, especially Shirley Chaplin because wearing the cross is the same principle, her faith should be recognised and I fully support them in their quest for a referral to the Grand Chamber... to seek justice."

A statement from BA said the case was against the UK government and not them, adding: " Our own uniform policy was changed in 2007 to allow Miss Eweida and others to wear symbols of faith and she and other employees have been working under these arrangements for the last six years.

"Miss Eweida has worked continuously for British Airways for 13 years."

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A Christian British Airways employee who won her discrimination-at-work case at the European Court of Human Rights has said she is "jubilant". Nadia Eweida said she was "jumping with joy" after the court ruled she was unfairly discriminated against when asked to stop wearing a cross visibly.

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Asda said it would not deploy Muslims on tills who objected to handling alcohol, while Morrisons, which is based in Bradford where there is a large Muslim community, said it had widespread experience of dealing with the issue and would "respect and work around anyone's wishes not to handle specific products for religious or cultural reasons".

At M&S, Muslim staff who do not wish to handle alcohol or pork have been told they can politely request that customers choose another till at which to pay.

At one of its stores in central London last week, customers waiting with goods that included pork or alcohol were told by a Muslim checkout worker to wait until another till became available. The assistant was extremely apologetic at having to ask customers to wait.

One customer, who declined to be named, said: "I had one bottle of champagne, and the lady, who was wearing a headscarf, was very apologetic but said she could not serve me. She told me to wait until another member of staff was available.

"I was taken aback. I was a bit surprised. I've never come across that before."

Customers trying to buy alcoholic drinks for Christmas were also asked to wait.

An M&S spokesman said: "We recognise that some of our employees practise religions that restrict the food or drink they can handle, or that mean they cannot work at certain times.

"M&S promotes an environment free from discrimination and so, where specific requests are made, we will always make reasonable adjustments to accommodate them, whilst ensuring high levels of customer service."

The policy applies throughout its 700-plus stores. The spokesman said the policy of tolerance applied to other religions, so, for example, Christians who did not want to work on Sundays and religious Jews who chose not to work on Saturdays would also be excused. "This is something we decide on a case-by-case basis," the spokesman added.

Sainsbury's policy is set out in a booklet called The Little Book of Faith, which was issued by its human-resources department.

A spokesman said: "We have guidelines in place that set out the requirements and beliefs of different religions, which we have previously discussed and agreed with religious organisations and community groups.

"We treat everyone fairly, so although our colleagues on tills or replenishing stock will be asked to handle alcohol and meat, we will always work closely with individuals to ensure we are inclusive and fair to all."

Sainsbury's guidance advises that all staff - regardless of religious beliefs - are able to handle meat and alcohol. In other words, the same rules apply to everyone, irrespective of religion.

"If a [religious] belief involves not eating or drinking something in particular, they can still handle the food or drink as part of their job," said a Sainsbury's source.

The supermarket added that it would consult on a "case-by-case basis" if need be.

Morrisons said it had been a long-standing, unwritten rule that Muslim staff could opt out of serving alcohol.

A Morrisons spokesman said: "We would respect and work around anyone's wishes not to handle specific products for religious or cultural reasons, regardless of the time of year."

A Tesco spokesman said: "We don't have a specific policy and take a pragmatic approach if a colleague raises concerns about a job they have been asked to do."

She added: "It would not make sense to have somebody on the till if they cannot handle certain items."

Dr Michael Nazir-Ali, the former bishop of Rochester, who has voiced fears that Britain is losing its Christian identity and warned of the dangers of the influence of radical Islamic beliefs, said supermarket customers risked feeling uncomfortable if they were told they would have to wait to be served just because they were buying alcohol.

He said: "If supermarkets do not put up a notice saying this desk does not handle alcoholic beverages, it runs the risk shoppers could be humiliated when they get to the checkout."

Shopworkers - Christian or not - have the right to refuse to work on Sundays, although Dr Nazir-Ali believes many choose not to exercise that right for fear of missing out on promotions or losing wages.

A report issued in 2005 by the Muslim Council for Britain and the former Department of Trade and Industry considers the example of a devout Muslim asked to work on the meat section of a supermarket.

The official guidance concludes: "If you feel that you cannot handle pork as a Muslim, then you should discuss this with your manager.

"A policy that all staff must work in the meat section of the supermarket may amount to indirect discrimination since it disadvantages Muslims.

"Your employer should try and accommodate your request where possible."

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Muslim staff at Marks & Spencer can refuse to sell alcohol and pork

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Asda said it would not deploy Muslims on tills who objected to handling alcohol, while Morrisons, which is based in Bradford where there is a large Muslim community, said it had widespread experience of dealing with the issue and would "respect and work around anyone's wishes not to handle specific products for religious or cultural reasons".

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Lee Saunders, 35, had queued up at the Tesco kiosk to purchase a bottle or rose wine, some LED lights and an Xbox game for his son at the height of the Christmas shopping period.

But when he tried to pay for the £55 worth of goods, the female sales assistant told him she could not serve him and he would have to queue up at another till.

A duty manager was forced to step in and serve the father of three at the store in Feltham, Middlesex.

Mr Saunders said: "If you apply for a job surely you've got to be able to do everything within the boundaries of that job.

"The reason I was at that particular till by customer service was to get the disc for the game.

"I was just stocking up on a few bits for Christmas and picked up this £4 bottle of Echo Falls. But she asked me to queue up again."

He added: "It should have been made clear if they can't serve you certain items.

"There were no warnings or signs.

"She apologised afterwards, but she's been put in that position. It's not entirely her fault to be fair."

A tyre depot manager, Mr Saunders decided to put in a complaint to the store, and Tesco confirmed the shop worker, who was aged in her early twenties, had not served him due to her religious beliefs.

The supermarket giant also emailed Mr Saunders to say the woman was on a kiosk at his local store where alcohol is usually not sold, when the incident took place on December 13.

A Tesco spokesman said: "We take a pragmatic approach if a colleague raises concerns about a job they have been asked to do.

"We apologise to our customer for any inconvenience on this occasion."

David Upstone, a Tesco customer service executive to the board, said: "Our colleague in question requested upon starting not to serve alcohol on religious grounds.

"As an inclusive retailer we do all we can to meet each person's needs.

"Our colleague works on the kiosk as alcohol is generally not purchased in this area.

"She is aware that you shouldn't have to queue again in the future if a similar situation occurs.

"She will request another colleague to come and serve."

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Muslim Tesco worker refused to sell man alcohol because it's against her religion

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Lee Saunders, 35, had queued up at the Tesco kiosk to purchase a bottle or rose wine, some LED lights and an Xbox game for his son at the height of the Christmas shopping period.

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What was the issue with GSK in China?

What are your thoughts  there issues regarding intercultural communication and has the company encountered similar circumstances?

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China Case Study

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What do you perceive Intercultural communication to be?

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What do you perceive Intercultural communication to be?

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Search the library for e-journals for more up to date information

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Attitudes toward the culturally different

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Attitudes toward the culturally different

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Look at this document with particular focus on section two and nine.

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Attitudes toward the culturally different: the role of intercultural communication barriers, affective responses, consensual stereotypes, and perceived threat - ScienceDirect

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The psychological impact of intercultural communication barriers on intergroup attitudes was examined by testing a model of global attitudes toward the culturally different. The prejudice literature has largely overlooked the role of intercultural communication and intercultural communication in determining people's evaluative orientation toward ethnolinguistic outgroups.

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What can be see to be fine to one culture may not be in others.

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Case Study

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Personal communication - electronic