Tesco boss' worrying admission about struggling customers as he demands change

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A Tesco chief has revealed he is hearing of struggling customers in stores asking checkout staff to stop scanning products once their grocery bill has reached a certain amount.

The supermarket chairman, John Allan, raised the alarming issue amid the cost of living crisis when asked by the BBC what he would like to see in today's Queen's Speech to Parliament.

Mr Allan said there is an “overwhelming need” for a windfall tax on energy companies after seeing the supermarket’s customers “extremely stretched”.He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “First of all, I think action to help people cope with a very, very sharp increase in energy prices. READ MORE: Portugal announces major change to travel rules for holidaymakers from the UK “It’s harder for people to mitigate energy than it is with food, and I think there’s an overwhelming case for a windfall tax on profits from those energy producers fed back to those most in need of help with energy prices.“I think that would be the single biggest thing that could be done.”He added that he thinks energy companies are “expecting it” and doubts “they would actually be much fazed by it”.Mr Allan then spoke of Tesco customers asking checkout staff to stop scanning items once their bill has reached a certain threshold.He said: "I was hearing for the first time for many years of customers saying to check out staff, 'stop when you get to £40,' or something, 'I don't want to spend a penny over that.' You know, as opposed to having everything checked out and settling the bill at the end.“So I think a lot of people are feeling, you know, something of a pinch and lots of people are actually feeling extremely stretched.”His remarks come after BP and Shell reported bumper profits earlier this