Food could be given to the needy

“Can you slice this for me?” I asked the staff member nearby.

“Sorry, I don’t know how to. I can try and find someone else if you like.”

I said it didn’t matter and then got a pre-sliced one.

Fairly mundane and boring until two minutes later she took some big, pink rubbish bags marked “not for human consumption” and began to stuff the loaf I’d been thinking of buying, and all the others into them one at a time.

I asked her what she was doing and she said that at a certain time each night, all the unsold bread has to be thrown away.

It cannot be sold at a discount. It cannot be given away.

Realising she was simply following orders I hunted out the store manager who said that it is Tesco policy not to reduce the price or give the bread away. It has to be chucked into the bin.

I mentioned that outside both front and back store entrances were two homeless people, sitting in the pouring rain begging for change. Why not give the loaves to them?

“Sorry, I can’t. I’d like to but I can’t. Tesco policy,” he said looking a bit embarrassed. Tesco, you suck!

Lance Manley LLB (Hons), Regent Street, Leamington