A devout Muslim family is furious after receiving a hamper of wine and champagne jam during Ramadan as a grovelling gift by their bank.

HSBC, which advertises itself as being sensitive to cultural differences around the world, sent Waqar Basit and his wife a hamper filled with wine and alcohol infused jams.

The bank sent the hamper to Mr Basit's home in Gap Road, Wimbledon, as a goodwill gesture for mistakenly making charges to his account.

But the gift did not have the desired effect as it arrived at the family’s home on Eid - one of the most holy days in the Muslim calendar.

Mr Basit said: "My wife took the package and opened it up in front of my father and my mother and when she opened it was a basket with a red and white wine and some other boxes of jam and things.

"My father just looked at my wife and just thought what had she ordered?

"She said what is this?

"We saw the HSBC ribbon around it and at that point she got really angry and just threw it outside.

"It was particularly disrespectful during Eid which is a very holy day for us."

During Ramadan Muslims fast for month and alcohol is strictly banned.

The 32-year-old said: "It’s a very holy month.

"To even be close to those sorts of items is not good at all.

"I know they don’t put a note on each person’s account but the name should give you a clue.

"If there is a complaint and someone is sent a goodwill package it is courtesy to give them a call and ask, is this ok?"

A spokesperson for HSBC said: "HSBC sent Mr Basit a hamper as a goodwill gesture, although the hamper was predominantly filled with biscuits, cakes and jams, we should have sent an alternative gift as it also contained some wine.

"This was clearly inappropriate and we have apologised to Mr Basit for the offence caused."

 

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