NATIONAL readers have told of their anger at Tesco after we reported on the supermarket "rubbing salt in the wounds" of Scottish football fans.
A member of the Tartan Army contacted The National after their evening shopping trip to a Glasgow Tesco revealed the store to be playing Vindaloo by Fat Les.
The song's lyrics include the line: "We're England! We're gonna score one more than you."
The disgruntled customer said the store had shown "little or no regard for their customers in Scotland," calling the situation a "complete joke".
READ MORE: Tesco ‘rubs salt in the wounds’ of Scotland football fans with English anthem
They told The National: “Scotland have had a wonderful achievement this summer, reaching a major final for the first time in 23 years. Not once over the last month when I was in a Tesco did I hear any Tartan Army songs being played – they had a chance to help boost national pride, but instead this is just salt in the wounds to any Scottish supporter.
“Of course we should want England to do well, but to blatantly ignore the fact that a huge part of your customer base will not be supporting the English team is nothing but blatant ignorance.”
Many of our readers commenting on social media and on our website were frustrated by the Union Jackery exhibited by Tesco.
Stephen Donnachie said: "Boycott them. I barely buy anything out of there or Morrisons. I go to Aldi but even they are starting to get back with the union jacks. I don't think we can escape it."
Paul Wilson said: "Tesco, all the media, the majority of businesses and now Alistair Campbell playing Three Lions on the bagpipes and Lorraine Kelly cringing at him. Tesco, like the rest, don't just show little regard for customers in Scotland. What they always do is show little regard for those outside England."
READ MORE: Alastair Campbell's 'bizarre' It's Coming Home bagpipe stunt panned
National reader J Oliver added: "It's simple, if you don't like what they do, don't give them your money. Frankly the refusal to remove deforestation practices from their supply chain is a bigger problem than playing a daft tune. This supermarket consistently puts profit ahead of people and planet. And please folks no England bashing, this is a shop decision, not representative of a country."
Peter Cullen had a word of caution for the supermarkets: "Dangerous game Tesco and Morrisons are playing. Perhaps that's why Lidl are building more stores in Scotland. Let's vote with our feet."
Marie Jo McCrossan, meanwhile, had sympathy to spare: "The thing is… football is the only saving grace that the English have at the moment. They’re stuck with a cabinet in Westminster that couldn’t be given away for free from Paddy’s Market. It’s only a game…"
READ MORE: UK media accused of ignoring Brexit problems to promote Tory 'fantasy island'
Ronnie Brown offered up an explanation: "The in-store radio for most supermarkets and chain stores are based in the head offices, most of which are based in London."
Tesco isn't the only supermarket to have ruffled feathers with the Tartan Army, however.
During the ongoing Euro 2020 tournament Alex-Lee MacDonald visited a Morrisons store.
"Was in Morrisons straight after England-Germany game and they seemed to be playing Queen – We're The Champions on a loop. Not sure if it was coincidence," he said.
The blunders by Morrisons have been going on over a long period, as user John King noted: "Morrisons was playing Three Lions on their tannoy a week before the independence referendum in 2014."
User The Endless Death on Twitter shared a story of hope for those dismayed by Union Jackery: "Worked with Tesco a long time ago, and remember the store got sent a load of St George's cross stuff to be put around the store for the World Cup in Japan – store manager took one look at it and told us to bin the lot."
Some didn't find the story quite as problematic.
Alan Mitchell asked: "Is that really important amidst all thats going on?"
Lee Gilray said: "This is a silly story. Who cares really?"
Unionist columnist Alex Massie, retweeted by Baroness Ruth Davidson, wrote: "The National continues to provide the answer to the question, ‘Why do you hate Scotland?’"
READ MORE: Everyone is talking about Alex Massie's coffee stain on Question Time
LibDem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton – in the news recently after being mocked over his response to a Nicola Sturgeon gif – retweeted our story, adding: "*from our guest Editor and Scottish Resistance co-founder: Sean Clerkin"
Scotland being knocked out stings even more now – we'd love to see how English shoppers would have reacted to Flower of Scotland blaring in supermarkets down south...
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