Tesco hit by checkout failure

Tesco has been rocked by an IT failure that has resulted in its main checkout tills being down in up to 150 of its larger stores this morning.

A Tesco spokesman said the problem with its electronic point of sale systems was caused by a routine IT update last night and that between 100 and 150 stores were affected.

Customers in the affected stores are being advised to use the self-service tills and staff are doubling up on those check outs to help out customers.

The Tesco spokesman said that many tills were now working again and staff were “working damn hard” to ensure that the problem was resolved as soon as possible. Local newspapers have reported snaking queues in some of the affected stores. Tesco has more than 2,000 stores in the UK.