There was great excitement at Obiter Towers last week. For a few short minutes, it seemed the much heralded ‘Tesco Law’ had finally arrived. And the Gazette had missed the scoop.

An article in International Supermarket News revealed that Tesco had launched an online legal services website. Tesco law was really here at last! But there was something slightly strange about the story.

It quoted supportive comments from ‘Constitutional Affairs Secretary’ Lord Falconer, for a start. Surely he hasn’t held this title since 2007? Wasting no time, the Gazette was straight on the blower to the supermarket where Every Little Helps. What’s all this about a legal services website? Is it probate? Conveyancing? What areas of law? The Tesco press officer was bemused. ‘No, we are certainly not about to launch any new legal web offering,’ was the response, ‘though we have for some years sold do-it-yourself will packs online’. Hmm.

So Obiter called the supermarket magazine itself, and spoke to assistant editor Riad Beladi, who had apparently already received quite a few calls on the subject, such was the general excitement.

Alas, it turned out that the magazine had made a bit of a gaffe, and the story had already been taken down as soon as they had received a call from Tesco. A story from 2004 had somehow resurfaced and the magazine had published it in error, failing to check with Tesco or check the date.

So much for the Gazette’s front page. But Tesco has promised this much; if and when it does decide to launch itself on the legal services market, it will be sure to let Obiter know.

Watch this space.