Tesco has U-turned and apologised after initially refusing to reimburse an elderly widower for his saving stamps following his wife's death.
Marvin Hyde's wife Veronica died on November 19 2023, after being diagnosed with cancer only four days earlier.
During a clearout, Marvin found a Tesco saving stamps "book" worth £76. However, the stamps expired on December 31 2023.
After taking them to his local Tesco store in Farnworth, Greater Manchester, he says he was told that there was nothing that they could do to reimburse him.
Tesco superstore in Farnworth
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Marvin, 79, who lives in Farnworth, said: “I found the stamps in January, and I got in touch with the manager at Tesco's in Farnworth, and they said they were very sorry for my loss, but there was nothing they can do.
“I understand they are out of date, but we always go to Tesco every week and she gets the stamp savings. It’s not about the money because I would give the money away to charity, or if I just knew four people, I would give them £20 each because there are people with nothing.
“She saved them up throughout the year for Christmas shopping for all the family so she didn’t have to think about how much was being spent and so she could be organised.
“It’s just wrong, and I can’t understand it because there must be some way to give me the money.”
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The scheme was suspended last year
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The scheme allows shoppers to buy stamps during the year to save up. The stamps can then be used on Christmas shopping.
Although they ended the scheme on October 16, customers had until the end of last year to use any existing ones.
Marvin added: “I was in a state. In circumstances like this where the person has lost someone I thought is there nothing they can do? Everybody told me how sympathetic they were, but there was nothing they could do.
“I didn’t have a proper Christmas, I just had my son and daughter come round, because there was nothing anyone could do because I wasn’t in the mood for anything.
“My wife never wanted for anything, and I put her under my umbrella, and we didn’t have much money to start with, but I worked seven days a week and we were comfortable and happy.
“She was a wonderful woman and nobody on this earth who loved anybody like my wife.”
A spokesperson for Tesco told The Bolton News: “We were really sorry to hear about this.
“We have contacted Mr Hyde to apologise and are sending him a giftcard to cover the value of the savings stamps.”
Tesco also said they would encourage customers with queries of this nature to contact their central customer service team.
Marvin says he is “grateful” for the giftcard, and glad this has been sorted.