A Tesco boss has said customers have begun asking cashiers to stop scanning their food during their grocery shop.
Talking to BBC Radio 4 Today's show, John Allen, chairman of Tesco, said customers have been asking staff to stop once their bill hits a certain amount as they continue to feel the strain of the rise in the cost of living.
He said there is an "overwhelming need" for a windfall tax on energy companies after seeing the supermarket's customers "extremely stretched", as the Manchester Evening News reports.
On a recent visit to a Tesco store in the UK, John said he witnessed customers asking staff to stop scanning items "for the first time in years."
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 [€47],' 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 something of a pinch, and lots of people are actually feeling extremely stretched. "
He added: "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."
Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter .
