First signs of all-out basket war outside Tesco over the 5p bag charge?

The confrontation eventually ended when another shopper approached Khalia and offered her a spare plastic bag.

An argument over a shopping basket may be the first time the 5p charge for bags has turned ugly.


Shopper Khalia Smith was confronted by store security as she walked from a Tesco in Leytonstone, east London, holding one of the shop’s metal shopping baskets in her hand.

The 21-year-old filmed the confrontation in which she claimed she was only using the basket to transport her shopping to her car, and intended to return the basket afterwards.

During the encounter one of the security guards can be seen holding on to the basket, still filled with food.

Khalia said: ‘I hadn’t even got to my car when the security guards chased me and then grabbed my basket and wouldn’t let go.

‘It was very embarrassing. My banana and my receipt fell out on the floor when he grabbed it.

‘I already had bags in my car so I was trying to help by not wasting plastic, but instead I was humiliated in the car park.’

Tesco has since offered Khalia a £10 voucher and said they will look into the incident.

However Khalia said she is now unsure if she will ever visit the store again.

Khalia Smith (right) and Nayima Alie who where confronted by the security guards (Picture: SWNS)

A Tesco spokesperson said: ‘We work hard to give great service and we were sorry to learn of this incident. Our store manager is investigating what happened and we’ve apologised to Ms Smith.

‘We want our customers to have the easiest possible shopping trip so of course any customer who wants to can take their basket to their car; all we’d ask is that the basket is returned to the store afterwards.’

Metro