WAITROSE is tightening up its free coffee policy to reduce overcrowding in its cafés and to stop people taking unfair advantage of the perk.

A spokesman for the Stroud branch said: “Customers are still welcome to their free coffee if they make a complementary spend in the café.

“We are just making sure that we are looking after the customer experience in the café area.”

Shoppers are still able to wonder round the supermarket with their free coffee as they do their shopping and stop for a coffee fix at the perch tables at the front of the store, in the wine area and near the patisseries.