Sandwich Not Thrown Away but Given to Homeless... Uproar in France Over Dismissal of 30-Year Employee

Fired for Giving Leftover Sandwiches to the Homeless
Food and Beverage Brand Says "Violation of Waste Disposal Regulations"
Online Criticism Grows, Calling the Action "Inhumane"

An employee who worked for a food and beverage brand at a French airport for 30 years was fired for distributing unsold sandwiches that were about to be discarded to homeless people, sparking controversy. The food and beverage brand stated that the dismissal was due to violation of waste disposal regulations, but online reactions have criticized the action as inhumane, with calls for a boycott emerging.

Promotional photo of the French food service group SPP, which fired a 30-year veteran employee for giving discarded sandwiches to homeless people. This is unrelated to the specific content of the article.

According to France 3 and other media on the 14th (local time), Mr. A, who worked for 30 years at a food and beverage brand inside Marseille Provence Airport in southern France, was dismissed last month for violating regulations. Mr. A was an employee of SSP Group, which operates various food and beverage brands such as Starbucks and Pret A Manger on consignment at airports and train stations worldwide, and he was responsible for the counter and beverage preparation at Marseille Airport.

After finishing work around 8 p.m., he distributed sandwiches and food items that were unsold and about to be discarded from Starbucks and Pret A Manger to homeless people at the airport, as well as airport cleaning staff and security guards, in a public area monitored by closed-circuit television (CCTV) within the airport.

Mr. A claimed, "The management and airport operation officials were aware of this. There was overproduction (of bread, etc.), and my supervisor said it was better to continue like this. Disposing of the items outside the airport would incur costs."

However, SSP dismissed Mr. A for violating regulations. They stated that discarded items must be disposed of in designated trash bins rather than being taken out arbitrarily. SSP Group explained, "Such items must be thrown into waste disposal containers, and all losses must be recorded in the inventory management system on the day they occur."

After being fired, Mr. A said he was so shocked that he could not sleep. However, he does not regret his actions and said, "I am proud of sharing food." Currently, he and three other colleagues who were dismissed for the same reason have filed an objection with the labor committee.

Olivier Faure, leader of the French Socialist Party, criticized SSP through his social media and announced a boycott. X

As the dismissal became known, criticism against SSP has grown in French society. One netizen pointed out, "There are fools who prefer to 'throw away' unsold items in the trash rather than giving food to hungry people," and asked, "What kind of country are we living in?"

Olivier Faure, leader of the French Socialist Party, announced on his social media that SSP’s response was "inhumane" and called for a boycott of Starbucks and Pret A Manger. He emphasized, "The employees must be reinstated," and added, "Brotherhood in France is not a fault. It is respecting our republican values."