Whilst appreciating that despite Mr Cameron insisting to the contrary, most of us are still suffering from ‘times of austerity’.

I have just completed my evening supermarket sweep and have been shocked by what at first glance appeared to be a Communist style queue for bread. A dozen customers darting from being concealed behind shelves, towards trollies the instant they were wheeled out stacked high with ‘on sell by date’ reduced goods.

One chap was loading up with loaves, no fishes but cakes, fruit salads and vegetables on a biblical scale.

A cashier told me he and employees are always waiting at this time to gather stock at greatly reduced prices for use in his Hotel.

At 10p for a large sliced loaf who can blame anyone but these items are on their ‘sell by date’ and may not keep safely.

Surely this activity is against ‘food hygiene’, ‘health and safety’ or ‘trading standards’ laws of some kind, apart from depriving others of a one off bargain at the same time.

Mike Roberts-Butler, Dolbery Road, Poole