A MAN has been banned from Co-operative Food stores for life after being accused of hiding reduced-priced milk to get the price dropped.

Peter Jenner, of Infirmary Walk, Worcester, was seen hiding half-priced organic milk during a visit to the city’s Angel Street store in February.

He claims he had hidden the milk to buy it later as he had forgotten to get money out of the bank, but when he returned to the store he was barred from entering and told he would be banned.

Weeks later, he received a letter informing him he was banned for life from all Co-operative shops, with store staff citing a “series of incidents” where he had hidden goods and later demanded further price reductions.

“It is really embarrassing to receive a letter banning me all because I hid a carton of milk. It made me feel like a shoplifter,” said the 52-year-old, who has been using the shop since 1991.

“There were several times over several months I put by or hid items to purchase slightly later because I had forgotten to take money out.

“I have always gone back and got my stuff and I have never asked or demanded more money off.

“They think I have pushed my luck, which maybe I have. What I was doing I shouldn’t have been doing.”

Despite Mr Jenner’s claim he only put by items when he had forgotten his money, the store claims he was doing it to get a further reduction.

A spokesperson for The Co-operative Food said: “Following a series of incidents, over several months, where the customer was regularly seen hiding reduced items within the store in the morning, only to return later in the day to demand further reductions when the ‘use by’ date had almost elapsed, we have advised this individual he is no longer welcome in our stores.

“We had received a number of customer complaints about this behaviour, and on occasions his actions meant hidden items became unfit for sale.

“As a community retailer, our store teams pride themselves on great relationships with their customers, and we would not take a decision like this lightly.”

Mr Jenner now says he wouldn’t want to shop in the Co-op again because of the way they treat poor people.

“I think they have a bad attitude towards a poor person,” he said. “I no longer want to shop there. I will take my money somewhere else.”