Helston Tesco in Cornwall Welsh signs instead of Cornish

The signs at the Tesco store in Helston, intended to reflect local language and culture, pointed customers towards bwyd môr - Welsh for seafood - instead of the Cornish term boos mor.

Elsewhere, tatws melys, meaning sweet potato in Welsh, appeared where the Cornish aval dor melys should have been used.

And where the sign for meat and poultry should have said kig and yar in Cornish, it instead read cig a dofednod, while sausages were marked up as selsig instead of selsigen.

The sign for meat and poultry should have said kig and yar (Image: Supplied)

The error did not go unnoticed by customers, particularly those familiar with Cornwall’s distinct linguistic heritage.

Dr Garry Tregidga, co-director of the University of Exeter’s Institute for Cornish Studies, said the mistake was unfortunate but also encouraging.

“This is obviously embarrassing for Tesco,” he said, “but it is great if there was the intention to have signs in Cornish. I hope there will be replacement signs put up in the right language.”

He added that the fact the problem was quickly identified reflects growing recognition of Cornish.

“What is also positive is that this mistake was spotted. This is a sign of the increasing number of people who are using and recognising Cornish,” Dr Tregidga said.

He also suggested support would be readily available. “If anyone from Tesco needs assistance putting together the new signs there are plenty of people who would be glad to help.”

The sign for meat and poultry should have said kig and yar (Image: Supplied)

Dr Tregidga pointed to the wider importance of the Cornish language, which is now officially recognised by the Government on the same level as Welsh and Gaelic.

He said this recognition offers an opportunity to strengthen Cornish identity across cultural, economic and political life, helping communities move towards a more positive future rather than remaining marginalised.

Councillor Loveday Jenkin, Cornwall councillor for Crowan, Sithney and Wendron with Cornish party Mebyon Kernow, told the BBC that bilingual signs could help normalise Kernewek, the Cornish language, in everyday life.

She added Cornwall had a long history of using bilingual signage which was generally well-received by residents.

A Tesco spokesperson confirmed the error, apologised for the “mistake,” and told the BBC that the incorrect signs had been removed.