Currys Removes Palestinian Flag from Staff Badges After Customer Complaints

Currys has scrapped staff name badges featuring Palestinian flags after complaints from Jewish customers who said they felt uncomfortable and unwelcome in stores.

The high street retailer, which operates around 300 stores across the UK and Ireland, had introduced the badges as part of an inclusion initiative, allowing staff to indicate the languages they spoke. However, after several complaints, Currys has now removed all world flags from name tags and is exploring alternative ways to inform customers about staff language skills, according to The Telegraph

Customer Complaints and Allegations of Bias

The issue was brought to Currys' attention after UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) wrote to the company, warning that allowing staff to wear Palestinian flag badges could be perceived as creating 'a hostile and intimidating atmosphere' for Jewish and Israeli customers.

One Israeli customer said he felt 'insecure and unwelcome' after being approached by a sales assistant wearing the Palestinian flag while browsing for a television in a Cambridge branch on 8 February. The timing of the incident coincided with widespread media coverage of three Israeli hostages—Eli Sharabi, 52, Or Levy, 34, and Ohad Ben Ami, 56—being released by Hamas in a visibly malnourished state.

The customer told staff: 'I'm sorry, it's not personal, but I'd like to continue on my own. It's hard for me because of the flag.' When another employee attempted to assist, a manager reportedly told her not to serve the man, labelling him 'rude'. He then left the store and bought a £1,500 television elsewhere.

In a separate incident in August 2024, a Jewish customer in Hemel Hempstead said he requested not to be served by a staff member wearing a Palestinian flag badge, only to be reprimanded by other employees. He claimed that after he took a photograph of the staff member, he was 'ejected from the shop' and followed into the car park, where the staff member took photos of his family, car, and registration number.

Currys later said the staff member had taken the photograph in response to an 'offensive gesture' allegedly made by the customer.

Symbolism of the Palestinian Flag and Legal Concerns

UKLFI argued that the Palestinian flag, while widely recognised as a national symbol, is often used to express political solidarity with the Palestinian cause and, in some cases, opposition to Israel. They suggested that allowing its display in a retail environment could be misinterpreted as taking a political stance, potentially violating the Equality Act 2010 by creating an 'exclusionary and hostile atmosphere' for Jewish and Israeli customers.

The group proposed a neutral alternative, such as a badge stating 'I speak Arabic' in Arabic, to indicate language skills without referencing national identity.

Currys Responds and Issues Apology

Currys has since apologised for the incidents, acknowledging that some customers felt unwelcome in its stores. A spokesperson for the company said: 'We are sorry to learn of two instances where customers felt unwelcome in our stores due to flags displayed on colleague name badges.'

'As part of our commitment to inclusion for both our customers and colleagues, these badges have included world flags to signal languages spoken. We have reviewed our use of flags on these badges, and the use of all world flags has been discontinued. We remain committed to an inclusive Currys where everyone feels welcome.'

The retailer has not yet confirmed what alternative measures will be introduced to indicate staff language skills, but it has reaffirmed its commitment to inclusivity while ensuring customers feel comfortable in its stores.