Jewish shoppers ask Morrisons: Are you taking the pies?

Morrisons has apologised to a Jewish shopper in Essex who said he was “laughed at” when he complained that the kosher food was placed next to – and in some cases touching – pork products such as pork pies.

Mitchell Cohen, a solicitor-advocate, said he first raised the issue with a manager at the store in Loughton in mid-February, and was told it would be addressed “immediately”. But on Friday, when he next visited, he found the layout had not changed, and complained to the store manager – who laughed.

“I told him I didn’t find it funny,” said Cohen, speaking to Jewish News on Monday. “He then said that he was laughing at the store’s own stupidity, that it was ‘head office instruction’ and that he could do nothing until he was authorised.”

Cohen went back for a third time on Sunday, saw that the kosher food was still placed next to the pork products, and took several photos. “It’s either insensitivity, stupidity or deliberate anti-Semitic provocation,” said Cohen.

A Morrisons spokesperson said: “We’d like to thank the customer for bringing this to our attention and apologise. The store has incorrectly filled the shelves and will put it right.”

Have you seen something similar in your supermarket? Email: editorial@thejngroup.com