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A grocery store in Hayes , that 'conned' shoppers with Costcutter branding has finally removed the branded signs after two years.

The fake Costcutter store, in Coldharbour Lane in Hayes, was outed after a concerned customer contacted the brand's head office.

The source, who did not want to be named, said: “I overheard a conversation in the shop with a lady who said she'd moved to Hayes and had used Costcutter stores a lot.

“She said this store didn't have the right branding.”

Nearly a month ago, the shopper informed Costcutter's head office who said they were aware of the shop and had repeatedly told the shop owner to take the signs down.

The source continued: “This has been going on for five years and people in Hayes are being conned.

“The guy is getting the benefit of the advertising that Costcutter do and in a highly ethnic area with elderly people.

“They advertise heavily on the Asian channels, they do special incentives and people are thinking if I go in there, these things will be cheap.

“I've used the shop a few times and it definitely isn't a Costcutter, and I've been to a few around.”

Costcutter confirmed that the convenience store on Coldharbour Lane, is no longer part of Costcutter as the shop “failed to meet the standards we expect of our retailers”.

A spokesperson for the brand said: “Store standards and the service we provide for their customers are our utmost priority and following the store’s exit from our group we are taking the required steps to remove the Costcutter signage and we hope this will be concluded later this month.”

New signs have finally been ordered after a refusal to pay

Amarjeet Singh, the owner of the store, which also goes by the name Savers Food and Wine Ltd, says the shop was an official Costcutter until two years ago.

“I called the builders and they were asking for £1,500 and I thought 'why should I pay that?' he said.

“When I joined Costcutter I paid them fees, we did business for one and a half years but I didn't like the prices they were charging me.

“So we stopped and they didn't say anything about taking the board down. They can come and take the board down themselves.

“Then someone came last week and said you have to take the boards down yourself so I did.”

Mr Singh confirmed he has now ordered new signs which will take between two and three weeks to arrive.

He added: “We also have our own sign up.

“Our regular customers haven't had any problems with the branding.”

This week, a takeaway in the same road was fined thousands of pounds for hygiene offences after rat droppings and flies on food surfaces were found.