Controversial amendments being considered to the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill are aimed at giving interested businesses a role in front line policing.

Supermarket giant Tesco is known to be among the credible companies actively looking to diversify into this area.

‘Tesco Law’ had become the lazy shorthand for the new providers of legal services who may enter the market when ABSs are licensed from 6 October this year.

But lawyers, journalists and politicians will have to find a new phrase if this becomes the supermarket giant’s preferred strategic direction.

Under the plans, Tesco managers would stand for the position of elected police commissioner that the legislation will create, winning the mandate to police the area.

Sceptics among Lib Dems in the coalition had forced Tesco Law proposals to be shelved in earlier discussions.

But warnings this week about cuts to frontline policing by the chief inspector of constabulary Sir Denis O'Connor convinced them to revise their view of the radical plan.

The Home Secretary’s PPS, Lib Dem MP for Millbank Les Wocat, told the Gazette: ‘There are a lot of advantages to this service delivery model.

‘Tesco has a great reputation for delivering more for less year-on-year, and if you look around the average superstore, or Tesco Express, you’ll see very little crime going on.’

A provider like Tesco could make savings on items like police overtime by paying frontline officers in Club Card points, in time adding double points for arrests that result in a successful prosecution.

Some two-for-one offers on, for example, cleaning (so-called ‘filth’) products could be available only to Tesco Law police.

‘We know every little helps,’ Wocat added.

Tesco’s value director Nigel Tills said in a statement: ‘I know that people will be concerned about accountability, but no community will be made to live under Tesco Law – they have to vote for it.

‘Our supply chain is organised along the "deliver at last minute" principle, and is therefore very like the blue-light service the public get from the police at present.’

A spokesman for Lidl denied that the company had any interest in replacing the CPS.

Ocado are thought not to be interested in delivering duty solicitors to attend police stations.