Ex-Tesco boss John Allan says he was thrown ‘under the nearest bus’ over groping allegations
FORMER Tesco chairman John Allan has said he was thrown “under the nearest bus” over misconduct allegations that led to him stepping down.
The ex-retail chief, 74, said there was “absolutely no substance” to claims he acted inappropriately – but admitted making an “ill-judged remark” over an employee’s figure.
Allan was accused of touching a Tesco employee’s bottom during a shareholder meeting last year.
The business grandee – a former President of the scandal-hit CBI – was also accused of touching another woman inappropriately at the business institute’s annual dinner in 2019.
But Mr Allan told Sky News yesterday: “There’s absolutely no substance in any of these allegations. I am completely innocent.”
However the executive – a former Home Office mandarin – did accept making a comment about a female employee’s figure, for which he “unreservedly apologised”.
He said: “I thought she was looking a bit sort of miserable and I wish to heck I had never used the word figure now and I never will again.
“I think if I had stopped by saying ‘that’s a very nice dress, it suits you very well’ I might not have gotten myself into the difficulties that I have, but it was well-intentioned, it was my intention to cheer her up.
“Obviously it was an ill-judged remark, it had the reverse thing.
“What I’ve learnt I think is that one has to be terribly careful about what you say to people.
“So look, I put my hand up to that one. I said something with good intentions.
“I don’t think I was particularly fairly treated, but that’s life.”
He added Tesco and Barratt Homes – where he also had a senior role – had felt it was easiest to “propel me under the nearest bus”.
Mr Allan officially left his role as chairman last Friday after eight years at the top of the UK’s largest supermarket chain.
Mr Allan had faced four claims over his personal conduct.
Tesco said it made “no findings of wrongdoing” against Mr Allan and added he was already set to leave the retailer before allegations were made.