Pret A Manger has dropped plans to pay teenage interns in sandwiches after an outcry over its attempts to attract more British workers after Brexit. The chain wanted to offer a week’s unpaid work experience to hundreds of 16 to 18-year-olds, but has been forced into offering its standard hourly rate after a proposed boycott. One in 50 applicants to the chain are British, Pret says, and managers fear a recruitment crisis if European Union workers stay away from Britain after it leaves the EU. Under the work experience scheme, Pret said participants would shadow staff to “get exposure to aspects of our business, including food production, customer service, social responsibility and financial control”. It was proposed they would receive free food for their efforts.

Source: The Times March 25, 2017 12:00 UTC