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An Argos employee proposed an idea to save it £1.5million – and received a £10 gift voucher.

Driver Mark Heslehurst said he emailed several notions to the catalogue giant’s new owner Sainsbury after its boss wrote to staff asking for any cost-cutting suggestions.

The single dad claims he was invited to present these at Argos HQ in Milton Keynes, Bucks.

“Some they liked, some they discussed, some they rebuffed,” he said.

(Image: Birmingham Post and Mail)

“But one that stuck was for Argos vans to use only Sainsbury’s petrol stations to refuel. The chairman wrote to thank me for my ideas,” said Mark, 52. “Five months later a circular informed all staff of the new policy to fill up only at Sainsbury’s forecourts.”

Mark says he wrote to a senior manager and was told the move saved the firm about £1.5million.

He was later called into the office and given a £10 voucher as a token of thanks, he claims.

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(Image: PA)

“That irked me a bit, as I’m a part-time driver on minimum wage and I know how much money the idea has saved them,” said Mark, of Middlesbrough. “I live in a one-bed flat and have spent the last six years sleeping on a camp bed so my son can have his own room.

“I’d hoped for some career advancement so I could provide for him better. I’m disappointed.”

“There’s a discrepancy between £1.5million and £10.”

Argos said they had already thought of the idea, saying: “We always appreciate colleague feedback but on this occasion we already had the suggested measures in place.”