Cleaning worker ate supermarket grapes and her company was fined NT$5,000

According to the Economic Voice "Tianxia Company" report, when consumers go to supermarkets to buy things, they want to see neat shelves and a clean shopping environment. When it comes to cleaning, supermarkets usually entrust cleaning companies to do it. It can be said that supermarkets and cleaning companies have a mutually beneficial relationship, but recently there are two such companies, because a grape is about to part ways.

The Tesco Huangcun East Store in Daxing District, Beijing, and the cleaning company will terminate their cooperative relationship tomorrow. The reason is that cleaning staff Lao Qin saw a few grapes scattered on the shelves while working and ate one. This brother's behavior was discovered by the supermarket, which decided to fine Mr. Qin's cleaning company 5,000 yuan. The cleaning company did not recognize the fine. It is believed that the supermarket used this as an excuse to force the cleaning company to terminate the contract. Because the previous cooperation between the two companies was not pleasant.

Business cannot be done without righteousness. The fine for eating a grape is 5,000 yuan. We don’t know what Tesco’s basis is. Judging from the amount, this small grape is indeed not cheap. It is almost as good as Jin Doudou.

What standards can supermarkets use to offer such prices? In this regard, Li Guangyu, a partner at Beijing Mingtai Law Firm, believes that it may be more appropriate to pursue liquidated damages of 5,000 yuan, because the fine gives people an unequal agreement. If he has any basis, I believe that the cleaning company must have signed a cleaning service agreement with the supermarket. This agreement may provide for losses caused by improper behavior or how to hold people accountable. If he has any basis, the 5,000 yuan may be based on this agreement. Because the supermarket and the cleaning company are completely equal entities, whether he has the right to set this price depends on whether the agreement between the two parties contains this stipulation. Second, even if there is a stipulation in this agreement, it is obvious that one grape is definitely not worth 5,000 yuan. If the contract is very unfair, the cleaning company can request to change the contract through the court if it has objections.

Supermarkets and cleaning companies are equal entities. Do they have the power to impose penalties? Li Guangyu believes that fines will give people a feeling that both parties are unequal subjects. For example, the fines are imposed by the management agency and the person being managed.Of course, the contract itself can also be written like this, which means that I can fine the other party for breach of contract according to the contract. I don’t think this word can be used. It may be more appropriate to use “pursuing liability for breach of contract”.

Similar to this kind of dispute, is there a better solution? Li Guangyu said: I think this kind of fine is definitely beyond the common sense of ordinary people. From my personal inference, this kind of agreement may not be included in the contract. It may be that the supermarket did not get along well with the cleaning company in the past. The supermarket may have found such a reason to terminate the contract.

As for the dispute between the two companies, the party involved, Mr. Qin, did make a mistake. He ate grapes in the supermarket. This is a fact.

Mr. Qin explained: If there is a shortage of manpower in the fruit and vegetable area, he will be asked to help. At that time, he saw some grapes scattered on the shelf and thought it would be a pity to sweep them away and throw them away, so he picked up one and ate it. Unfortunately, this scene was captured by a supermarket camera.

The biggest fear in supermarkets is losing things, so many supermarkets have strict regulations and measures. Therefore, disputes caused by people suspected of stealing supermarket products are not uncommon. Supermarkets have also been criticized many times for being too overbearing or causing infringements due to forced searches.

The act of stealing food from the supermarket is morally despicable. Supermarket shopping itself requires a kind of trust and tacit understanding from both parties, and a more humane approach to the problem.