A customer has kicked up a stink with PayPoint and media in Bedfordshire after his local Costcutter insisted shoppers bought additional items to use the service.

Angry Paul Moran contacted Bedfordshire News and PayPoint to report a Costcutter in Ampthill Road, Bedford, for refusing to let people pay gas and electricity bills unless they buy extra goods.

He told his local paper that he first became aware of the shop telling customers to buy extra products 12 months ago when it happened to an elderly lady in front of him in the queue.

“She had just £10 in her purse for gas and electricity, but when she tried to pay for it she was told she had to make a purchase,” he said.

“She ended up having to buy a tin of vegetables and then had less money that she could use for her gas and electric.”

He added that he had also been told he needed to purchase items in addition to his PayPoint transaction.

The Costcutter store is the latest retailer to ask customers to buy something following PayPoint reducing commission caps last year.

In November last year, West Lancashire MP Rosie Cooper angered retailers when she accused them of “pure greed” for charging customers to use PayPoint services.