‘Dehydrated’ Lidl worker sacked for drinking 17p bottle of water
Checkout worker fired for drinking unpaid bottle of water
- A Lidl employee, Julian Oxborough, was dismissed from his job after drinking a 17p bottle of water without paying for it at the Wincanton store on 19 July 2024.
- Mr Oxborough, who had worked for Lidl for over a decade, claimed he was dehydrated and forgot to pay for the water, describing his dismissal as "a huge overreaction".
- Lidl's area manager, Karina Moon, found his explanations inconsistent and noted he had four days after the incident to report it but failed to do so.
- The company maintained a zero-tolerance policy on consuming unpaid stock, stating it was essential for their operations and that rules must be followed by everyone.
- An Employment Tribunal in Southampton upheld Lidl's decision, rejecting Mr Oxborough's claim for unfair dismissal.
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