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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask for things that you believe have declined in quality

306 replies

JMSA · 17/11/2024 10:40

I'll kick it off with Fairy Liquid!
Has anyone else noticed this? I have a dishwasher but often wash certain things, eg my big frying pan, by hand. You'd certainly need a mighty big squeeze these days, for a proper foamy lather.
Anything else? If nobody mentions Cadbury's chocolate, I will eat the Oodie I'm currently wearing Grin

OP posts:
Makingchocolatecake · 17/11/2024 18:17

Supermarket take away wraps. Less filling.

sharpclawedkitten · 17/11/2024 18:15

baroqueandblue · 17/11/2024 17:55

Funny though isn't it - coz employment conditions and life chances for many of them aren't nearly as "special" as yours were.

No, they didn't. A whole generation of young people are not stupid or bad workers.

I've news for you - our parents thought the same of us. And theirs of them!

sharpclawedkitten · 17/11/2024 18:14

EvilsElsasPetSnowman · 17/11/2024 14:48

No but my car beeps when I reverse. If I didn’t have that I’d judge myself. But to claim people with reverse cameras are dangerous drivers is utterly insane.

Do you think that cameras are something people with poor eyesight get installer?

Think about it - if you have cameras that show all areas why would you avert your eyes to look at LESS than that?

Or are you one of these people who hates progress and thinks things were better when life was harder

No, I use my camera. But I also use my eyes and I wouldn't claim not to need to look because I have a camera. Which you did in your first post which is why people leapt on it.

Lovelysummerdays · 17/11/2024 18:04

Foy19 · 17/11/2024 13:34

@ocsober you shouldn't be on the roads. What would you do without your precious reversing cameras?

You can definitely see more with the camera. My car doesn’t have them but my work car does and I prefer reversing that as you can see directly behind the car/ the 360 viewpoint / helpful guiding lines for tight spots.

BalletCat · 17/11/2024 18:01

gannett · 17/11/2024 11:34

I think it's great that young people think they deserve better than to be on the receiving end of customers' superiority complexes.

I don't really require anything more of retail staff than to process my transaction quickly and efficiently, and if I need actual help then to provide it if they can. I certainly don't expect or require them to smile or do any emotional labour.

You don't expect people to smile when delivering customer service? 😵‍💫

The whole basis of good customer service is at least pretending to give a shit about your customers.

baroqueandblue · 17/11/2024 17:55

EvilsElsasPetSnowman · 17/11/2024 16:13

I mean those are legitimate complaints but not a reason to be shit at your job.

Gen Z parents raised an entitled generation told them they’re special and a cut above the average. This is the result I guess.

Funny though isn't it - coz employment conditions and life chances for many of them aren't nearly as "special" as yours were.

BinkyBeaufort · 17/11/2024 17:19

Yep, I've just returned a couple of items to Sainsbury that I couldn't try on in store. Will stick to bread and veg from now on.
Trying to buy jumpers last winter was hopeless. Everything cheap, tacky and itchy. In the end I bought two cotton(ish) zip- necked tops from the Next men's section and they've been great. Might even get another this year.

Wishfives · 17/11/2024 17:17

@ShinyAppleDreamingOfTheSea I used to love the George clothes, usually well made, and easy to look after washed well and stayed fairly good I used to have most my work clothes from there. I don't think it's just George clothes that are worse if say most brands now. I popped to m&s to buy a friends child some joggers + top and the quality was so bad I didn't buy.

ShinyAppleDreamingOfTheSea · 17/11/2024 17:12

@Wishfives I'll admit that the only thing I've bought from there recently was a long sleeved T shirt (95% cotton, 5% elastine) but that seems pretty good, nice and thick. But I'll take your word for it with the other stuff. I find it off putting that they've closed their fitting rooms.

thisisntmybeautifulhouse · 17/11/2024 17:05

EuclidianGeometryFan · 17/11/2024 11:25

Clothes.
So much horrible, artificial fibre, thinner-than-tissue, crap.

I always put my fingers on the inside of the fabric and look to see if I can see through it. So hard to find a decent thick tee-shirt or blouse - I can see pink fingers right through the fabric.

I hardly buy any clothes now.

Yes!

Especially pants. Such thin material and lasts for 5 seconds before it falls apart.

Wishfives · 17/11/2024 16:50

@ShinyAppleDreamingOfTheSea I've returned every item of clothing bought from George in the last 18months this year has been shocking and the winter clothes are definitely "less" quality than previous years, the coat section smells like bin bags!

ShinyAppleDreamingOfTheSea · 17/11/2024 16:44

user2848502016 · 17/11/2024 12:16

George at Asda clothing, always liked it for basics, kidswear and sleepwear etc but this year the quality is shocking!

Their summer clothing was awful - quite thick polyester fabric for summer dresses - but I thought their winter season stuff looks OK? No different to normal anyway.

PassingStranger · 17/11/2024 16:44

Air fresones pumas that pump out the fragrance now and again in the room.
Useless, made them smaller and even on tje highest setting, the smell isn't that powerful.

ShinyAppleDreamingOfTheSea · 17/11/2024 16:35

GenerousGardener · 17/11/2024 11:14

Sensodene toothpaste. Haven’t bought any for a while. Got a tube on offer, what a disappointment. Nasty watered down runny stuff that almost emptied itself down the sink the first time I used it. Won’t be buying it again.

There are several different types of sensodene toothpaste- I find the Rapid Relief one is OK, but, yes, the one we've got at present is slimy and keeps falling off the brush.

Oliveoily · 17/11/2024 16:28

Bananas!!! Why do they have black all running through them? They're always mushy and black. I have tried multiple supermarkets and all the same. Please someone tell me where to buy some nice fresh bananas?!

jaundicedoutlook · 17/11/2024 16:14

For those disappointed with basic clothing items, I’d recommend both Uniqlo and Community Clothing - both wear and wash well and the simple stuff doesn’t have the weird design flourishes you see on lots of high street stuff like M&S or Next.

Buymeonce is also a good resource for well made household items.

EvilsElsasPetSnowman · 17/11/2024 16:13

baroqueandblue · 17/11/2024 15:33

But I find customer service is full of morose and sulky young people raised on TikTok to believe they deserve better, who think they don’t owe it to their job to put in a bit of hard work in. They’ve been brainwashed into thinking that is acceptable to see older women who don’t simper and stay quiet as a “Karen” And now we all have to be in the default position that someone has a MH issue or is having a bad day so asking where flaxseed is, or telling them you’re unhappy because your food did have the ingredient in you asked to be excluded, or asking for a bit of extra help is being a bothersome “Karen”. IMO it’s led to a generation of poor customer service and I find it very irritating.

Yes it's so hard when your staff get uppity about not having a decent contract or a chance of getting a foot on the property ladder.

Times have changed, don't you think? And not for the better!

I mean those are legitimate complaints but not a reason to be shit at your job.

Gen Z parents raised an entitled generation told them they’re special and a cut above the average. This is the result I guess.

ExpressCheckout · 17/11/2024 15:53

Annwithout · 17/11/2024 12:35

I thought it was just me! What did you switch to? I'm always so disappointed when I've put something in to soak 😞

I've switched to Bio-D now, it's a bit more expensive, but you need much less - when you first put it in the water, it doesn't seem to work, but give it a few swirls and it foams up very well.

I started using it when there was a bottle in a NT cottage we stayed in.

TheFluffyTwo · 17/11/2024 15:48

AInightingale · 17/11/2024 15:13

I don't think I'll ever buy a 'women's' umbrella again either. Got so fed up with these things made out of willow twigs and moth wings that 'look nice' that I went into M&S having thrown mine in a litter bin and bought a men's folding one. It's a revelation, it's like, weather-resistant. Amazing.

Honestly, just apply this rule to everything! Men's razors, pjs, t-shirts - I buy a lot of these instead of women's as they tend to be better quality unless they're specifically aimed at trendy, "metrosexual" young men.

I expect there's a good commercial reason for the difference (presumably simply what will and will not sell) but that's my observation and I buy accordingly!

ClareBlue · 17/11/2024 15:43

spanieleyes22 · 17/11/2024 14:55

Quality street!!! Wrappers are awful and they honestly taste rank. Most of them. They taste a bit like calpol! To me...

Yes, that's the taste I was trying to identify. I have asked for nobody to buy them for me at Christmas. We used to share box on Christmas day but they are like some chemical experiment now.

baroqueandblue · 17/11/2024 15:33

But I find customer service is full of morose and sulky young people raised on TikTok to believe they deserve better, who think they don’t owe it to their job to put in a bit of hard work in. They’ve been brainwashed into thinking that is acceptable to see older women who don’t simper and stay quiet as a “Karen” And now we all have to be in the default position that someone has a MH issue or is having a bad day so asking where flaxseed is, or telling them you’re unhappy because your food did have the ingredient in you asked to be excluded, or asking for a bit of extra help is being a bothersome “Karen”. IMO it’s led to a generation of poor customer service and I find it very irritating.

Yes it's so hard when your staff get uppity about not having a decent contract or a chance of getting a foot on the property ladder.

Times have changed, don't you think? And not for the better!

GrannyWeatherwaxsHatpin · 17/11/2024 15:31

Supermarket clothes. I occasionally used to find some really nice clothes in Tesco, Sainsbury’s etc but Tesco clothes look really cheap now and ironically they aren’t cheap at all. Sainsbury’s does have some decent stuff but they closed atoll their changing rooms so they can fuck off.

In fact, clothes in general. Even expensive brands are cheap looking - I was shocked by Toast who sold a jumper with fabric so thin you could see through it.

goingtotown · 17/11/2024 15:28

Mince beef in Vacuum packs.

ClareBlue · 17/11/2024 15:28

You can still find great places to eat out, friendly retail staff and shops, quality clothes. Just avoid generic chains where staff are not invested, and why would they be, and buy and consume less and spend where it makes a difference to them and you. Goats have maintained their standard of excellence, so if you can, get two.

Msmoonpie · 17/11/2024 15:27

Airlines and flights.

Expensive but much poorer service than 10-15 years ago. Covid didn’t help as a lot of them did away with food/drinks and never properly introduced them. No reduction in fees though.

Flying is now a stressful experience. Might try business class next time - although business class with one airline I looked at apparently only offer drinks at mealtime !