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Original poster

Supermarket subs, do you get subbed up?

28 replies

Redlorryyellowduck · 28/02/2022 11:05

I have an Asda annual pass (won't be renewing, they're a bit rubbish locally). I've never been subbed up, e.g order a small pack of own brand nappies, if they are unavailable they'll never send a big pack, or Pampers or whatever....I struggle to believe there are no size 5 nappies in the store, just that they have a policy of not subbing for something more expensive than you ordered.

I'm really not a cf after a freebie, but it's frustrating not getting a key item when I'm trying to stop the deadly top up shops.

Are any supermarkets particularly good / bad for subs, or does it vary store by store?

OP posts:
bluechameleon · 28/02/2022 11:28

I have a Tesco pass, and DH has done a few shifts working as a picker for them. Their policy is always to sub up. I fairly often receive a branded item for an own brand or a bigger pack.

ItsAlwaysThere · 28/02/2022 11:31

Tesco = brilliant
Asda = usually questionable

That's my experience.

Buzlightyear1 · 28/02/2022 11:31

I use teaco and always get subs normally better. The only thing they don't sub for me is a kids magazine if they are not in stock they don't offer a different one. Which is no big deal.

ItsAlwaysThere · 28/02/2022 11:32

@bluechameleon

I have a Tesco pass, and DH has done a few shifts working as a picker for them. Their policy is always to sub up. I fairly often receive a branded item for an own brand or a bigger pack.
Is that for delivery pass holders then? I do with tesco, don't with asda. Maybe explains the difference mentioned in my last reply?
AnnaSW1 · 28/02/2022 11:33

Tesco also subs for me.

Br1ll1ant · 28/02/2022 11:36

I get subs with Asda and they’re better (bigger or branded) maybe half the time? I wonder if it’s store dependent?

Gingercatlover · 28/02/2022 11:39

Tesco good at better subs near me but if you reject it, you have to chase them for your money back as they never refund you.

Skyeheather · 28/02/2022 11:39

It must vary by store because we are often subbed up by ASDA. I haven't been subbed Pampers for ASDA nappies but we have been subbed Peppa Pig nappy pants for the standard nappy pants and been give two packs of the Peppa Pig pants because there's less in the pack than the standard pack. We have also been subbed with branded crisps because the ASDA version wasn't available, Quavers for Cheese Curls and Monster Munch for Beastly Bites. Sounds like they're just mean at your store!

ifoundthebread · 28/02/2022 11:43

As a picker for asda I can tell you it's picker dependant to an extent. If your item isn't available, in this case nappies, the system will tell the picker what to sub with. Now this is where its picker dependant, some will go with what the system suggests if its available others won't, usually depending on personal experience. So I as a mother know you've asked for size 5 for a reason so will sub (where possible) with the same size. 70 year old picker Jim who's never even held a baby never mind changed a nappy, thinks a nappy is a nappy, is there really such a difference between size 4 and 5? He doesn't take into consideration your baby might be at the higher end of needing a 5 and would probably get away with using a 6 but would burst out of a 4, a nappy is a nappy so a size 4 will do. The same thing applies across all your shopping.

HouseofHolbein · 28/02/2022 11:45

Tesco generally sub up and you don’t pay the extra. I’ve had deliveries from them for 20ish years now and always been the same.

I work for Morrisons now we sub but it depends on what we have in stock and you do pay the difference. It’s sometimes frustrating when we aren’t given a sub on the device when we can see something appropriate on the shelf. No way of using your initiative there tho

ForgedInFire · 28/02/2022 11:47

I shop with Tesco and very rarely get subs, they just don't send anything. One that particularly annoyed me was a loaf of bog standard white bread. I would have been happy with anything but got nothing. When I do get subs its often a cheaper item with the difference refunded... maybe my Tesco is just rubbish

deadlanguage · 28/02/2022 11:54

Sainsburys often sub up but that’s annoying because you have to pay for it and they give you a voucher for the difference rather than you just paying for what you ordered.

sparklyponies · 28/02/2022 12:03

Tesco are the best for subbing (or actually having it in stock in the first place!). I gave up with asda last year after an order with over 30 unavailable items Hmm

steppemum · 28/02/2022 12:04

I have a Asda pass.
90% of the time my subs are great, and yes I get subbed up.

Then we went through a phase of dreadful subs, and really annoying subs.
eg order 5 cornish pasties and replaced with different brand but only 2 pasties.

I spoke to one of the drivers and he said the old head of the dept had left. He had been really good with the pickers and really on the ball, very few complaints. New head of dept awful, every customer complaining. It lasted about 3 months and then went back to high standard.

So I would say it is very much a local issue, if you have a decent manager then it is a good system, and if you don't then it is crap.

When it is good, they do sub, and will sub up and you don't pay the difference, they are also excellent about taking returns, you just give it back to the driver. I have also later, emailed and said - wrong item, poor, sub, etc etc and they will then refund that item, even though I have kept it.

TheVolturi · 28/02/2022 12:07

Asda used to be really good for this. But the last 6 months they just say unavailable. We once (last year) ordered a throw for ds when he wasn't well, it was £6. They subbed it for one that was £25!

Original poster
Redlorryyellowduck · 28/02/2022 12:13

Thank you all for the replies.

I think maybe my Asda is a bit rubbish. I've seen some of the pickers when I've been in store, they generally look young and bored, maybe that's part of the issue as @ifoundthebread says, not much experience of cooking / running a house.

Just out of interest, for those who are loyal to Tesco do you get tonnes of Clubcard points and what do you use them for? Their system seems really generous.

OP posts:
steppemum · 28/02/2022 13:17

Just out of interest, for those who are loyal to Tesco do you get tonnes of Clubcard points and what do you use them for? Their system seems really generous.

A few years ago I did a price check between several local supermarkets for my weekly shop.(not inlcuding Aldi and Lidl because I can't get half of what I need there)

I found Asda 10% cheaper, but then Tesco gave you that 10% back in clubcard vouchers and credit. So it is generous, but you pay for it on your shopping.
The other supermarkets were all significantly more. My mum shops in Waitrose so I included that, and it worked out 25% more than Asda.

That was all like for like, so own brand orange juice etc. (I buy very few brands)

steppemum · 28/02/2022 13:18

But I would say that the nice bits and bobs eg bakery, were often better at other supermarkets than Asda. (and many of them you can't include on your Asda delivery shop anyway)

Littlehouseinthebigcity · 28/02/2022 14:26

We gave up on Asda and started using Sainsburys (mostly their aldi price match range!) because of the terrible subs we were getting. Once they subbed me size 5 nappies for my newborn, who was in size 1! Clearly not somebody who had a baby....

Original poster
Redlorryyellowduck · 28/02/2022 15:40

@Littlehouseinthebigcity did you find Sainsburys much more expensive though?

OP posts:
Littlehouseinthebigcity · 28/02/2022 18:52

For my comparable shop not particularly. They do aldi price match on a lot of basic items. But if I'm ever branching out from our 'standard' shop they probably are a tad pricier.

ifoundthebread · 28/02/2022 21:47

@Redlorryyellowduck

Thank you all for the replies.

I think maybe my Asda is a bit rubbish. I've seen some of the pickers when I've been in store, they generally look young and bored, maybe that's part of the issue as @ifoundthebread says, not much experience of cooking / running a house.

Just out of interest, for those who are loyal to Tesco do you get tonnes of Clubcard points and what do you use them for? Their system seems really generous.

And chances are the pickers you see in store isn't half of them, we have pickers start at 3am, some young some old, majority bored. Some arnt scared to over ride suggested subs while others don't even know how to. Unfortunately that's luck of the draw. Hope you find some way to get your shopping at an acceptable standard.
Saladd0dger · 28/02/2022 21:58

I gave up on Asda years ago. 1 example constantly subbing my beef joints for 1 piece of steak between 5 of us lol. Switched to Tesco and not a problem at all. Save all my clubcard points for Christmas and get my food shop free. Even better now i get colleague discount

RightOnTheEdge · 28/02/2022 22:05

I've had some great subs from Tesco, much better or bigger than I ordered.
I use my points to take money off my groceries usually but a couple of times I've used them to pay for a family and friends railcard which is really useful.

sadeyedladyofthelowlandsea · 28/02/2022 22:09

Tesco & Sainsbury are a bit hit & miss. Sometimes brilliant, sometimes utterly useless/hilarious (anyone else remember the thread where a MNer had a roll of foil delivered instead of the embossed Valentines card Grin ?)

Iceland are pretty good, and either always sub up or refund you if they can't. A few deliveries last year were missing about three items (nothing major) and I got a £5 voucher as an apology without even complaining. Plus they always email you before the delivery arrives, so you know in advance if something's going to be missing.