A TUV election candidate and RAF veteran has accused Tesco of discrimination, after military personnel and veterans in Northern Ireland were excluded from an Armed Forces Day free breakfast.
Lagan Valley candidate Lorna Smyth has written to the company’s chief executive, Ken Murphy, and called for an apology from the retailer.
This year’s Armed Forces Day was held on Saturday.
As a gesture of appreciation for members of the military, Tesco offered the 159,000 regulars and 32,000 reservists a chance to avail of a free hot breakfast from any of its 301 Tesco cafés in GB.
This is the third year of the offer, although 2024 is the first time it has been extended to veterans.
The Royal Irish Regiment and Army Cadets at Armed Forces Day 2024 at Jordanstown Loughshore Park
The Royal Irish Regiment and Army Cadets at Armed Forces Day 2024 at Jordanstown Loughshore Park
Rhys Little, chairman of the Armed Forces Network at Tesco, had said: “We take great pride in our connection with the armed forces.
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“We’ve received the Gold Award from the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme twice now (2016 and 2020) and we were also the first retailer to sign the Armed Forces Covenant in 2014.”
However, many in NI have expressed disappointment that Tesco branches here were excluded from the breakfast.
Among them is Ms Smyth, who served for 12 years in the military, at home during Operation Banner and overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan.
She has written to Mr Murphy, questioning this decision.
While she commended the generosity of the scheme, she said the exclusion of those in NI was “discriminatory”.
She said: “I have read the statement which Tesco themselves have put out. In it they say how much they cherish the armed forces, how they were the first employer to sign the Armed Forces Covenant, and the breakfast is their way of thanking all UK armed forces veterans for their service.
“I just find it extremely strange and discriminatory that they have excluded Northern Ireland from taking advantage of their very kind and thoughtful gesture.
“Armed forces from both NI and the mainland UK served during the Troubles; 1,441 members of the armed forces died during that period, over 700 were killed by the IRA, yet Tesco does not seem fit to honour those who served here or suffered those losses.
“As for the reason for the exclusion, only Tesco can answer that.
“Northern Ireland is still part of the United Kingdom. I cannot answer to their hows or whys, but I do believe they need to explain their actions and their reasoning why they have excluded NI.
“Perhaps an apology would be the most apt thing to remedy this, and a recognition that NI veterans deserve the exact same treatment as veterans who live in England, Scotland and Wales. And if anything like this is offered again, then NI vets aren’t excluded.”
Tesco has been approached for a response.
by BelfastBodyBuilder
24 comments
Maybe Tesco can send them some smoky bacon crisps to make up for it.
Tesco Ext-RA
How could we not see it?
Tesco Just too afraid to offend themmuns.
First they came for my smokey bacon and I wouldn’t shut up about it becuase I love carcinogens.
Then they came for my Tesco breakfast offer and I wouldn’t shut the fuck up about that either.
I dunno why they expect Tescos to give free stuff/deals to terrorists though.
Good to see Jim is worried about the real issues
Very sensitive, aren’t they?…
It’s almost like they don’t know you exist, lads
Wish these cunts would just get a life and fuck up
Lorna Smyth is a thoroughly unpleasant character
Always knew Tesco were part of the Sliced Pan Nationalist Front.
Lidls excludes us from everything too, why isn’t he kicking off about that as well. Tesco must be his least favourite shop
(Can I just say also, I’m joking. I know they operate differently over here)
People like Jim don’t realise that fluff like this at Tesco is likely organised by some tweedy middle aged people middle management marketing drones and their nepotism-baby marketing interns, probably none of whom know that Northern Ireland is part of the UK. I also wouldn’t be surprised if Tesco stores in Northern Ireland just have an entirely separate management unit who knew nothing about this, and/or that Northern Ireland stores have independent franchise arrangements or something.
And even STILL
if you worked at Tesco and this came across your desk, if you were halfway competent you’d say “um, don’t run the soldier ad campaign in Northern Ireland, wasn’t there something about Northern Ireland and soldiers, probably best not bother, eh?”
Why is it always about sausages?
Soldiers deserve no extra benefits over normal, hard working people. We aren’t America.
Years of endless yapping leaves TUV on – checks notes – 4%
Well done TUV, getting to the foundational problems that the people of NI complain about the most, fucking breakfast.
I would say this is probably because Tesco Ireland and Tesco Northern Ireland go fairly hand-in-hand management-wise (same CEO etc), which would make sense given the logistics of sharing an island.
Besides, the marketing said Great Britain, not UK. NI is not part of Great Britain. The question might be “why did they not make it UK rather than GB” but as it stands, no one’s said NI isn’t part of the UK like Smyth reckons.
‘Not available in Northern Ireland’ was almost a given for the vast majority of offers and promotions I saw on the telly growing up. How is this different?
Surprised nobody has pointed out advertised gatherings of serving members and veterans of the British Armed Forces might not be the cleverest idea in NI.
They have to show ID at customer services.
I’m sure the intelligence gathering or direct targeting opportunity wouldn’t be missed even by our dissident fuckwits.
Bastards next thing they’ll be after our smoky bacon crisps. What? Nooooo!
People will roll their eyes at this, but while we’re in the Union that fact that the Military Covenant is not upheld in Northern Ireland is a real and significant concern to serving and veteran members of the Armed Forces living in NI
TESCIRA
How could we miss this!
I’m actually surprised this flew so under the radar but the reason for this is because all the tesco in northern Ireland got taken over by the ROI management team now and is under direct report to ROI instead of GB. Are tesco in the ra? Are they preparing for a united Ireland?
The reason was brexit, brexit made a shambles of things for operations here. I hope our TUV finest will love this answer
“We invaded and people died! Where’s my free sausage roll!”