FED-up bosses at Tesco’s Kidderminster superstore are introducing a new parking system to stop town shoppers “misusing” their current free provision.

The supermarket giant is to set a £5 minimum spend requirement for visitors to be eligible for up to two hours free parking on the site.

A spokesman for the store said the new system was being introduced following complaints from their customers who had become frustrated by motorists who didn’t even shop at Tesco hogging the spaces.

Drivers are currently allowed up to two hours free at the car park.

The new maximum stay is designed to allow customers time to visit other services before leaving and the only requirement for people using the store for more than 30 minutes is pay at least £5 on their shopping.

Kidderminster Superstore is one of nine Tesco stores across the country that will have new technology installed for the system, which is provisionally scheduled to go live on October 13.

Park-Shop-Reg, as the technology is known, will continue to use Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology to monitor car park usage while also generating unique parking codes on customers’ shopping receipts, to be scanned at the parking machines before they exit the car park.

Customers who park for 30 minutes or less will still be able to use the car park for free, without the requirement of spending a minimum amount in store.

The spokesman said: “We’ve received lots of feedback from customers in store that they’re growing frustrated by the lack of available parking spaces, because the facility is being misused by other motorists.

“The system will be really easy to use, generating a unique code for customers on their shopping receipts.

“As long as they meet the minimum spend of £5 in store customers will be able to park for up to 2 hours. The minimum spend also does not apply to customers who park for less than 30 minutes.”