Sir – Why are we constantly subjected to being double charged on an item when doing a large shop at leading supermarkets? It seems to be a regular occurrence these days where items are scanned twice by mistake, unbeknown to shoppers.

And, if you do, by chance, happen to check your till receipt when you get home, and find you have been double charged for an item, what proof do you have that you did only have one of those items.

It was only on Saturday, April 25, 2009, that I was once again double charged for an item which cost 81p. I expect the general public’s view would be ‘it’s only pennies’, but what if every customer was accidently double charged that small amount in a year, the profit would fund a small underdeveloped country. Yes, I was given my money back, but must we have to endure the hassle of queuing at customer services after the long laborious trek up and down the aisles and why should the supermarkets make even more money out of us than they already have. How many customers do not bother to check their receipts when leaving the shop — how much profit do these supermarkets make by cashier errors!

It would not be surprising if one out of ten readers who read this, find next time they check their till receipt, an item has been scanned twice!

Lorraine Crossin, Bunkers Hill