Black Friday: Tesco Criticised by Manchester Police Chief Sir Peter Fahy After Chaos at Stores

Tesco should have done more to beef up its security at its stores on Black Friday (28 November), the Manchester police chief has said.

Chief constable of Greater Manchester Police (GMP), Sir Peter Fahy Tweeted he was "disappointed" that stores did not learn their lesson from last year's panic ahead of today's bumper retail sales.

Scuffles broke out at shops across the country as retailers slashed the prices of items including widescreen televisions, tablets and clothing.

Officers in Manchester were called to Tesco stores in Irlam, Stretford, Wigan, Failsworth, Middleton, Hattersley, and Walkden.

GMP today arrested a 42-year-old man on suspicion of assault at a Tesco store in the Green End area, taking the total number of those arrested in Tesco stores in Manchester during the Black Friday sales to three.

Fahy called on stores to alleviate the strain on his officers. The events of last night were totally predictable and I am disappointed that stores did not have sufficient security staff on duty," he said.

"This created situations where we had to deal with crushing, disorder and disputes between customers. It does not help that this was in the early hours when police resources are already stretched.

"Across Greater Manchester large supermarkets already make significant demands on policing through calls to shoplifting, anti-social behaviour and thefts of fuel from their petrol stations – much of which is preventable.

"We just ask these stores to work with us to reduce the demands on policing and reduce the risks of disorder and crime."

No one at Tesco was available for comment when contacted by IBTimes UK.