Tesco To Make Recommended Grammer Changes

Tue, 02 Sep 2008
 
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Tesco is to change the wording of signs on its fast-track checkouts to end a long-running and heated debate over whether the signs are linguistically correct.

The supermarket giant will replace its current "10 items or less" notices with signs reading "Up to 10 items" after being told by language watchdog, The Plain English Campaign, that the signs should use the word "fewer" instead of "less".

"We are in the process of changing this signage," said Tesco chief executive Sir Terry Leahy. "In all new stores the signage will now read 'Up to 10 items.

"We will then follow a programme of replacing existing signs in stores undergoing refurbishment or as and when signage needs to be replaced."

A spokesman for The Plain English Campaign commented: "Saying up to 10 items is easy to understand and avoids any debate."

He added that "Fewer" should be used when talking about items that can be counted individually, and that "Less" is correct when quantities cannot be individually counted.

It is not the first time that Tesco has been accused of using inappropriate English by the language watchdog.

In July the retailer was criticised for over repeating a message on a bag of mixed nuts, with consumers being told four times that the bag contained a mixture.

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