Two shoppers attempting to buy £200 worth of food that they intended to pass out to for the homeless community have been stopped by Tesco staff who said that they were “buying too much”.
Peter Chamberlain and Michael Taub, a Jewish faith leader, were confronted by supermarket workers in Brent as they tried to purchase tinned food for the Saint Laurence’s Larder charity, which provides fresh food for those who struggle to make ends meet in the community.
Mr Taub said in a Facebook post: “Shame on you Tesco Brent Cross”
“Incredible really. So many children and families here on and below the poverty line! Never happens in Sainsbury's.”
Speaking to Metro, Mr Chamberlain said: “I didn’t notice at first, I was still too busy packing the bags. But then Michael stopped me and said, ‘We’re not allowed to buy the food’.
“When we asked why, the manager said that we were “taking away other customers’ choice”.
When the pair reportedly told the supermarket they were buying the goods for the homeless, the manager replied : “Well how do we know that?”
A spokesperson for Tesco told the Independent: “We do have to ensure there are products available for everyone, so our colleagues use their discretion when customers are buying in bulk.”
“We apologise for any inconvenience caused for Mr Chamberlain on this occasion. We are looking into whether St Laurence’s Larder could benefit from our Community Food Connection programme, which links our stores with local charities and community groups to supply them with good quality surplus food,” the spokesperson added.
