Inappropriate Tesco substitute! WIBU to complain?

Massive congratulations on your sobriety.
You definitely need to complain to Tesco.
I used to be a dot com picker and then manager and substituting alcohol for a non alcoholic product is a huge no no. Even more so in Scotland due to the licensing laws.
Also vegetarian products should never be subbed with meat, vegan not subbed with meat or vegetarian and Free From not subbed with regular. Of course mistakes can be made by over worked or inexperienced staff but the branch really needs to know that these kind of mistakes are happening.

Don't Tesco let you suggest substitution alternatives on an item by item basis? Other online deliveries do.

So you’d accept wine when you’d ordered fruit juice or grapes Really?? Can’t you understand about non alcoholic products being different to alcoholic products?

YABU. They had no way of knowing you were a recovering alcoholic, they took it away, no harm done 🤷‍♀️ I mean, I guess you could complain that they brought the alcohol before 10am but what would that achieve apart from spoiling your big celebration this week? Just enjoy being 2.5 years sober and forget about it.

You can let them know, but there is an option to turn off substitutions or add notes for individual items you can use in future.

I absolutely would flag that up with them. It’s an irresponsible business decision. It would not be difficult to have a blanket ban on not substituting alcohol.

Yanbu - this is crap and thoughtless. I am not an alcoholic but I had the same thing with Sainsbury's; I ordered a bottle of nosecco and they sent some really cheap cava or something. I did complain because my mother was an alcoholic and I totally see how this could lead to problems

Edit to add that it isn't the pickers' fault, but they need to fix their algorithm or whatever it is that suggests the substitution

My husband works for Asda - you can complain, but it's not the pickers who choose the substitutes.

Their hand held device that tells them what to pick updates stock levels automatically and when that item is out of stock the system picks the substitute. The pickers don't know what is a sub and what isn't. (That's how it works at Asda).

You'd be better putting in you don't want substitutes.

Absolutely complain. It’s common sense to not replace alcohol free with alcohol. They need to add this into shopping order system. Good on you for not having alcohol in your system.

Definitely make them aware and the reasons why.

Sorry but I think that your are wrong about the principle.

If Tescos have taken the pament and made the delivery they have sold the item and will process a refund. Their system should not allow the item to be included in a delivery slot which breaks the terms of their licensing. The contract was done once the delivery arrived.

The shop has an extra obligation when selling under a licence.
The picker should not be substitute items which are restricted when items which have no special conditions attached are not available. If they would not substitute can of beer for a fizzy can they should not be substitute in a licenced item for anything.

Well done.

And it’s definitely reasonable to raise it as customer feedback. It’s possible to provide feedback without it being a complaint.

I'd mention it to them.
They need to make staff aware.
Congratulations on your sobriety.

Well done!

not only on your sobriety but for rejecting and standing up for the fact that such a substitution is inappropriate. You are significantly far from where you began and speaking up for yourself and others is worthwhile

Substitutions are bizarrely shit. I’ve had gluten free bread substituted with regular bread. No one is buying gf bread unless they have to! And they’ve probably had to walk to a different section of the shop to get to the regular bread

Congratulations on 2.5 years.

Yes definitely make them aware. Lots of people could not accept alcohol and as you say it's outside of the licensing laws too.

Let them know.
And yes, use a complaint to do it - it is their official feedback way.

It might not change anything in a short run, but there is a hope. Without people telling them, there won't be.

I would make them aware.

I'm nearly 6 years sober. And while it showing up wouldn't be an issue for me, it would piss me off. It is not an appropriate sub either imo.

I don't think you're being silly at all. There's plenty of reasons someone may order an alcohol free version of a product and they should absolutely not be substituting it with the alcoholic version. At worst they should have offered a different zero alcohol product, eg, if you ordered 0% gin they should have subbed with 0% wine.
I would absolutely send a complaint.

I’d make them aware - I’ve had to call their customer services for poor selections (eg short dates that aren’t flagged at collection etc) and they are always very understanding and helpful.

as PP have said, it’s likely just an error but it’s one that leaves the local store in need of training as it could be to someone with less willpower next time!

😂 There’s all sorts of ready made jokes to insert here…… Oh just made one!

id def tell them. Totally inappropriate substitution and def on the same lines as meat for vegan or gluten for gluten-free.

I had a vegan pizza substituted for a ham & cheese one - they don't seem to necessarily consider the choices that they're substituting.

Not as bad as the sub a friend of mine got - tampons instead of condoms.

I would probably raise it as a feedback opportunity. Substitutions are made by programmed systems that sort of find the next best thing and whoever picks the products will have a specific barcode it’ll allow them to scan so it’s not a human error, it’s a computer one. It would be good for them to consider in programming for sure.

YANBU, that’s really bad. Do complain.

YANBU - they definitely shouldn't substitute any alcohol-free product with one containing alcohol, it's a big no-no.

Obviously it was a genuine mistake but it would be worth flagging it with them so they can make sure it doesn't happen again.

Congratulations on your sobriety, by the way! Well done x