Tesco shrugs off pyjama complaint

Tesco has said shoppers wearing nightclothes in its stores is "not a big issue", after one customer asked it to refuse to serve such people.

A customer at the Salford store posted his request on Tesco's Facebook page alongside a picture of two women wearing pyjamas and dressing gowns.

Chris Cooke said he had seen shoppers dressed similarly on "a regular basis".

Tesco said it did not have a dress code and staff used "common sense" in talking to customers about the issue.

Mr Cook's post, which he has since taken down, said: "Dear Tesco, please can you put a rule in place that people like this will not be served in your stores."

He added that it was "disgusting" and went on: "Who doesn't have time to get changed into clothes to go shopping?"

Tesco's customer services team responded with a post saying that "many of our customers have told us that they feel uncomfortable when they see other shoppers wearing unsuitable clothing in our stores and we do try to find a balance that everyone is happy with".

However, a Tesco spokesperson told the BBC: "In general, it's not a big issue "

The Facebook complaint had "generated a lot of discussion "and a lot of people were commenting on that one post, he added.

He said there was no ban on nightwear in its stores and nothing had changed as a result of the Facebook complaint.

"We do not have a formal dress code in our stores and colleagues use their common sense and discretion when speaking to customers about this issue."

In 2010, a Tesco store in Cardiff asked customers not to shop in their pyjamas or barefoot.

Notices were put up in the chain's supermarket in St Mellons saying: "Footwear must be worn at all times and no nightwear is permitted."