This week’s report on Tesco’s Israeli goods helpline may have revealed a deeper problem with the supermarket’s approach to Jewish issues.

After calling the company press office last week, our reporter was told: “It’s Friday afternoon, I would have thought you lot at the JC would have the afternoon off.”

When the reporter replied that the office would soon be closing, the spokesman replied: “Lucky you.”

Tesco claims “Every little helps”, but presumably this level of assistance was not what Jewish businessman Jack Cohen had in mind when he founded the company.