Sobeys withdraws appeal of discrimination decision as company faces boycotts

HALIFAX — One of Canada’s largest grocery store chains has withdrawn its appeal of a human rights decision that found a Sobeys employee discriminated against a black customer.

In a statement, Sobeys said Friday it had reached a settlement with the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission and would apologize to Andrella David, pay her $21,000 in compensation, and develop a staff training program on racial profiling and discrimination.

The company faced a boycott by a group of 19 churches in the province demanding the company acknowledge racial profiling as a widespread issue.

A Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission independent board of inquiry determined last year that staff at a store in Tantallon, N.S., discriminated against Andrella David in May 2009 after falsely accusing her of being a repeat shoplifter.