Currys has scrapped staff name badges featuring Palestinian flags after complaints they were causing distress for Jewish customers.

The high street giant said it had introduced a policy of allowing Palestinian flags on staff name badges as a way of indicating to customers that they spoke Arabic, as part of its “commitment to inclusion”.

But after several complaints the firm is now “exploring alternative ways” to signal the languages spoken by its staff.

UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI), which represents two of the shoppers, wrote to Currys warning that it could be in breach of equality law by creating “a hostile and intimidating atmosphere for Jewish and Israeli customers”.

Jewish and Israeli shoppers had reported feeling insecure and unwelcome by the sight of staff wearing name badges adorned with the flag.

Recent cases have occurred where the wearing of Palestinian symbols at work has caused friction among employees and customers.

In October 2024 Amazon took down a company video of an executive wearing a pendant shaped like a map of Israel with a Palestinian flag imposed over the top.

One of the Currys shoppers, an Israeli national, complained after they were approached by a sales assistant wearing the Palestinian flag at a Cambridge branch while browsing for a television set.

The incident on Feb 8 came shortly after the broadcast of distressing scenes during the release of three Israelis who had been taken hostage by Hamas.

Looked visibly malnourished

Media coverage showed gun-wielding fighters surrounded by Palestinian flags escorting Eli Sharabi, 52, Or Levy, 34, and Ohad Ben Ami, 56, who looked visibly malnourished and emaciated from their ordeal.

After being approached by the Curry’s staff member, the Israeli customer said: “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.”

UKLFI said that when another employee offered assistance a manager intervened, telling her not to serve the Israeli shopper because “he was rude”, at which point he left the store and bought a £1,500 television elsewhere. Currys said it was investigating the incident.

The Israeli customer, who asked to remain anonymous, told The Telegraph: “The incident has certainly left me feeling insecure and unwelcome. I felt that my right to professional and unbiased treatment was compromised.”

In another incident a Jewish customer who visited a Currys store in Hemel Hempstead in August 2024 said he had asked not to be served by a staff member wearing the Palestinian flag on his name badge.

The shopper said he was reprimanded by other staff after he took a photograph of the sales assistant wearing his name badge and flag.

UKLFI claims that after being “ejected from the shop” the customer was followed by the same staff member, who then proceeded to take photographs of his family, their car and its registration number. Currys said the photograph was taken in response to an offensive gesture said to have been made towards the sales assistant.

‘Badge made me uncomfortable’

The customer told The Telegraph last week: “The badge made me uncomfortable because it was unnecessary and was clearly there to make a political statement. It was the treatment after that which shocked my children and I.

“We were effectively refused service because we were Jewish. I never expected to be treated that way in Britain.”

UKLFI said that the flag could cause upset as a symbol of support for the Palestinian cause and opposition to the state of Israel.

They said it could also be interpreted as indicating support for Hamas’ attacks on Israel on Oct 7 2023.

UKLFI warned Currys it could be in breach of the Equalities Act 2000 by allowing staff to wear a symbol which would “create a hostile and intimidating atmosphere” for Jewish and Israeli customers.

It added: “Furthermore, there are other ways of indicating that the staff member speaks Arabic. He could wear a badge saying in Arabic ‘I speak Arabic’.”

Currys said: “We are sorry to learn of two instances of customers feeling unwelcome in our stores because of 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.”