Court Awards Thousands to Supermarket Employee Fired for Eating Snack on the Job

A court in Spain has ruled in favor of a supermarket worker who was fired for eating a snack on the job, awarding him thousands in lost wages.

The incident unfolded in July 2023 at Mercadona, a major supermarket chain in Spain. The employee ate one croquette –– a popular Spanish food made from ham, chicken or cod –– from the store's deli section after hours, knowing it would be thrown away, as reported by the Associated Press.

While the company maintains strict policies prohibiting employees from eating unpaid foods, it was reportedly common practice for workers to eat leftover items marked for disposal.

The worker won a ruling in May 2024 from a lower court, which ordered the store to give the man his job back along with compensation. Mercadona appealed, arguing that the dismissal was justified under company policy.

However, the Superior Court of Castilla-La Mancha upheld the earlier ruling. Mercadona is now required to pay the worker €39,700, or about $41,800, in lost wages, along with an additional €600, about $633, in legal fees.