He took a Coke and two slices of bread: Now the supermarket owes him over $50,000
A late-night snack during the graveyard shift cost him his job, but a court ruled the supermarket had to pay—big time.
A Spanish supermarket chain has been ordered to pay nearly €48,782 (about $52,000) to an employee it fired for taking a Coca-Cola and two slices of bread during his shift—a decision the court deemed unfair.
Fired over a soda and bread—but there’s more to the story
The incident happened in April 2022, when the employee, working the night shift, grabbed a Coca-Cola and two slices of bread. The company claimed he didn’t pay—something all employees are required to do.
However, the worker insisted he left the money on the register but couldn’t get a receipt because the system was shut down at the time. He also accused the company of failing to check whether there was extra cash in the till before accusing him of theft.
Despite his defense, the supermarket fired him in June 2022, prompting him to take the case to labor court. Initially, a lower court sided with the employer, ruling that the termination was justified. But the worker refused to back down.
The court’s decision: unfair dismissal and a hefty payout
Appealing the ruling, the worker argued that the supermarket did not properly verify the facts before firing him. A labor union backed his case, pointing out that it’s common for night-shift employees to leave cash at the register and even use surplus bread that would otherwise be thrown away.
After reviewing the case, the Superior Court of Justice of Galicia (TSXG) ruled in favor of the worker, stating that his actions did not constitute misconduct. The court determined that the dismissal was unjustified, ordering the supermarket to pay him €48,782 in compensation.
Additionally, the court stressed the importance of properly verifying evidence before firing an employee, reinforcing the need for fair and transparent dismissal procedures.
Original article written by Beto V. Álvarez, translated with the assistance of AI and edited by Greg Heilman.
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