Thank you so much. I was thinking I had destroyed my future over this and now I can breath again. Thank you!

Thank you for this. I will definitely be away from there for the 3 months and I'll probably avoid it for much longer. One thing on the RLP letter got me very worried though: "(...)your data could be held on a database of civil recovery incidents, which could be made available to a closed member user group, for the purpose of employment screening". 1) Will they keep this information even if I pay the fine? 2) Can my future employers really find this?

Thank you for your answer, but I think you didn't understand what I meant. I meant I can stay away for the 3 months, no problem, but will I be still banned after 3 months if I do not pay RLP?

I am very embarrassed to admit that I have been caught shoplifting at Tesco. I took a £5 lipstick. I will certainly never do this again as it was one of the worst days of my life, be assured of that. =( I have read many posts about this here. They sent me a RLP letter asking for £89.50. I don't have this kind of money. When the incident happened, they made me pay for the lipstick so they lost no money at the end. I was so terribly sorry that they did not call the police and banned me from that particular Tesco for 3 months. I read your advice about not paying anything to RLP. If I do not pay them, will I be banned from that Tesco for life? I don't want my friends and boyfriend to find out and although I think I can avoid going there for 3 months, at some point it might prove very difficult to not go (it's a big 24h Tesco very close to my house and the place where I study). It was a very stupid mistake, I have never done this before and I really don't want people to find out. So my question at the end is only this one: If I do not pay RLP, will I be banned from that Tesco for life? Will they be able to know it's me as I walk through the door? I'm too afraid of the humiliation if I try going there to find out.