A Belfast man has been taken to court by Tesco for repeatedly claiming his bag of apples was a bag of carrots, which are around a third of the price.
Aidan Martin Devlin, 53, pleaded guilty to 12 counts of dishonesty making false representation at Nowtownards Magistrates Court, in relation to thefts committed in June and July this year in which he made a financial gain and Tesco made a financial loss.
A fraud charge over events on 13 separate occasions recorded during this period was withdrawn, the Belfast Telegraph reported.
Mr Devlin is understood to have labelled his bag of apples as a bag of carrots at the fruit and vegetable weighing service offered at the Newtownbreda Tesco.
The supermarket’s website shows a kilo of loose apples will cost an average of £2, while loose carrots are priced cheaper at 60 pence per kilo.
An estimated £1.6bn worth of food and other goods is understood to be stolen each year by customers at self-service tills, with 19 per cent of people having owned up to stealing items at these checkouts.
The Belfast Telegraph reported that Mr Devlin remained silent as he was told to co-operate with the probation board by the Judge. The case has been adjourned for four weeks.
