Sainsbury’s boss ‘calls customer f***ing faggot’, claims he was just talking about mother’s dinner
COBHAM, UNITED KINGDOM – MARCH 29: Sainsbury’s at Cobham on March 29, 2006 in Surrey, England. Sainsbury’s has posted better than expected sales increases for the fifth consecutive quarter. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
PinkNews Exclusive
Sainsbury’s is embroiled in a homophobia row after a store boss was accused of using an anti-gay slur.
A customer at Maidenhead Sainsbury’s Local claims a manager referred to another customer as a “f***ing faggot”.
The Sainsbury’s manager has now claimed he was just referring to his food plans – saying he wanted to eat faggots for dinner.
Sainsbury’s HQ is launching an internal investigation into the allegations.
Jack Browne, a customer at the Maidenhead King Street branch of Sainsbury’s Local, says he overheard the foul-mouthed slur from Grant, a manager at the store.
He told PinkNews: “I was in Sainsbury’s Local last night at 22.45 buying a can of Coke to get me through my night shift.
“The manager on shift was serving customers on the till next to where I was being served, when the customer walked away the manager, Grant, went “f***ing faggot”
“I looked up and asked him to repeat what he just said and he looked confused.
“I repeated it for him and asked if I had heard correct.
“He said, ‘yeah… I was joking though.’”
PinkNews contacted Grant for comment, who appeared confused about his version of events.
He originally said he knew what happened because it involved a friend of his, before switching to telling the same story in first person.
Grant told PinkNews: “I asked my mum to cook me faggots and I know you won’t believe me but I don’t even care.
“I think he was wrong to misinterpretate [sic] it.”
He added: “It was just between me and my friend and then he asked me.
“I was confused and asked him what he meant. He said I was being derogatory and I didn’t mean it in that context.
“He stormed out and I said, ‘look mate you must have misinterpretated [sic] what I said.’
“I haven’t intentionally meant to offend him and I’m sorry.”
Grant, who is a manager at the store, continued: “I’ve got quite a few gay friends, I’m not homophobic of course.
“I apologise if he felt offended.”
In a statement to PinkNews, Sainsbury’s said: “We do not tolerate discrimination in any form and are already conducting a full investigation.”
