German boss sacked after spying

Berlin - Discount chain Lidl has sacked the head of its German operation after the firm was found to be spying on its employees and collating information about their health, the company said on Monday.

"Lidl's board has released director for Germany Frank-Michael Mros from his duties with immediate effect," the company said in a statement.

"The board is therefore drawing the consequences from the recent accusations regarding data protection," it added.

Mros will be replaced by 59-year-old Juergen Kisseberth, the company said.

A report in Der Spiegel magazine earlier Monday, based on documents found in a rubbish bin, said the company compiled information last year and in 2009 on employees' private data.

Comments like "operated for a tumour, but benign," or "wants to get pregnant, impregnation not working," were noted on files entitled "state of health," the report said.

The supermarket chain, which employs around 53 000 people in Germany, was rocked last year by a scandal after it hired private detectives to watch employees with hidden cameras.

Lidl was found guilty in that affair and ordered to pay a fine of €1.5m.

- AFP