Anger as halal supermarket told to stock pork or close

The Good Price mini market in the northwest Paris suburb of Colombes has been told by local authorities it will be shut down for good if it does not start stocking alcohol and pork. The halal supermarket has been accused of not upholding part of its lease deal, which states it must act as a ‘general food store’.

This follows complaints from local residents who have bemoaned the lack of access to a wider range of food products in their area, according to reports.

The manoeuvre by the local Colombes council has caused anger online with one Twitter user, under the account @NigelSimpsonUK, claiming the move smacks of “segregation and cultural racism​”.

The mayor of Colombes, Nicole Goueta, has previously visited the store when she reportedly told business owners to diversify the product range, according to an article in the Telegraph​ widely published in the French and British media.

Local authorities are reported to be taking legal action to have the shop’s lease, which expires in 2019, revoked. The case will be heard in October this year.