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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To feel like crying in Tescos

143 replies

bluebeach · 10/02/2011 15:28

I am 8 and a half months pregnant and very hormonal so just having a moan really.

Have just popped to Tescos and as usual ended up with a basket full of shopping. Having lugged it round the shop I got to a free checkout isle and put my basket on it. A highly 'efficient' store manager approached me and asked me to take my basket to the basket isle at the other end of the shop as people with trollies wanted to use the isle I was on (looked around, no one behind me). Ok I thought, but then looked to the other end of the store where the basket isle had a queue. I said 'look can't I just go through here' I had a massive basket full and really didn't fancy hauling it to the other end of the shop and then queuing.

Looking at me like I was being very unreasonable she was then verified as a man came up behind me with a trolly with about 10 things in...much less than what I had. '
"see, other people need to use this isle'.
Actually feeling like crying I then had to carry my basket to the other till and wait about 10 minutes till I could pay. In the mean time, the trolly man whipped through and then isle again stood free. I would have put up more of a fight but I was so knackered after going round the shop and thought I would probably just cry in front of everyone if I tried to protest.

I know she will have had some kind of quota for keeping queues down, but it was just sh*t customer services.

Sorry rant over!! Tescos is bollocks anyway, I'm never shopping there again.

OP posts:

LadyOfTheManor · 10/02/2011 20:11

I wouldn't have moved, they can't force you to pick a different aisle. If I didn't feel like a fight (unusual for me in Tesco) I would've asked her to carry the basket to the other till. I hate people who work in Tesco, they are all arseholes, I think it's how they train them.

Astronaut79 · 10/02/2011 20:15

Write a letter. I'll do it if you like, they're used to me.

In fact, I once wrote to complain about a letter I had received in response to another complaint, because I didn't like the tone.

chippy47 · 10/02/2011 20:17

Well worded letter to the store manager outlining the situation and the distress caused. And mention you are not obliged to shop with Tesco as you have a choice plus with a family on the way your weekly expenditure is set to rise quite a lot. Minimum £50 vouchers on the way. They hate losing customers.

tigitigi · 10/02/2011 20:18

tell the local paper - revenge cold etc

thefirstMrsDeVere · 10/02/2011 20:19

astronaut Me too! I am always writing letters. Its a hobby

Never nasty, never asking for anyone to be sacked or whatever, but I do love a letter of complaint.

LadyOfTheManor · 10/02/2011 20:21

I got a new camera and £40 gift card (Which I sent back out of protest and they sent it back again).

As a soon-to-be-mum you might want to remember that they'll be fleecing you in a matter of weeks, on a regular basis, until your child is 18.

TubbyDuffs · 10/02/2011 20:23

I would have asked him to bring me a trolley and emptied my basket into it.

Astronaut79 · 10/02/2011 20:23

My letter writing has become a bit of a joke amongst, well, pretty much everyone who knows me 'cos my first response is always: Write a letter!

In fact, dh actively encourages me. ALthough if I'm honest, that's kind of the equivalent of giving a pestering toddler some crayons for a bit....

LadyOfTheManor · 10/02/2011 20:26

When I was 8 months pregnant, my sister got married in a huge marquee in our grounds, my mother sent ME to Tesco to fetch 35 litre bottles of water.

After I had hooked a little Tesco lad at the till, I then tried to make him push the trolley to my car, and put them in the boot.

He said he couldn't leave the till but he could ring the bell for someone to do it.

They sent a disabled woman, about 3 foot tall with a, not too sure the PC way of saying this, deformed hand (kinda bending inwards).

Obviously she couldn't manage any better than me. So I wrote a letter complaining that I was vulnerable and had no help, and that they were exploiting this poor woman.

£50 to me. Score.

thefirstMrsDeVere · 10/02/2011 20:28

ME TOO! My DD used to say 'write them a letter mum!' Now my OH says it (I also suspect a bit of crayon distraction). My mates get them to write them if they have a problem too. I should charge.

VivaLeBeaver · 10/02/2011 20:29

I think this must be a new Tesco policy as I've had this happen twice in a week to me in Tesco. Directed away from the queue I was in and had to go to the basket till Of course some fucker got in the queue infront of me before I got there and I had to wait ages.

Ripeberry · 10/02/2011 20:35

I tell you what. If they did that to me I would just leave the basket there and walk out!

twolittlemonkeys · 10/02/2011 20:40

Ludicrous. I'd have handed him the basket and walked out - and reported him to the area manager. Shocking. AFAIK baskets can use whichever aisle they like. What a muppet. Definitely write a letter/ ring and complain.

mumoflittlemouse · 10/02/2011 20:42

Hmm, I was just about to do my online shopping with Tesco, but d'you know what? I think I'll just register with Sainsbugs and give them my money instead.

Disgusted with your treatment there and beyond speechless that such a ridiculous policy exists!

Can't decide if I'd hate it to happen to me or love it to, now that I've had the chance to prepare my response in advance.....

Poor you hope they send you plenty of vouchers to cheer you up

tassisssss · 10/02/2011 20:45

bluebeach, that's so rubbish.

i had something similar when very preg with dd2 (and SPD), nipped into Morrisons with dd1 who was about 20 months. I only needed about 6 things but put dd1 into a trolley as I couldn't carry her, didn't have buggy and she was rubbish at walking. I nipped to the basket aisle, again no queue (as had under 10 things) and the woman wouldn't serve me as I had a trolley - aaaaargh!

BootyMum · 10/02/2011 20:51

This is disgusting and I think you should have cried and made the miserable bugger look really bad...

I am now 40 weeks pregnant [baby actually due today!] and was shopping earlier in M & S and the lovely security guard there ran to get me a trolley as he was so concerned at my condition [I had been carrying a basket which was getting rather overfilled]

Also went shopping in Sainsburys a couple of days before Christmas [absolute mayhem] and had helpful staff there running to fetch me items that I had forgotten and then opening a check-out especially for me [totally off their own back, I didn't ask for any special treatment but must have looked tired and harrassed, result ].

This is the way you should be treated! I actually wrote a complimentary email to Sainsburys management at the time, I was so impressed by the customer service.

I definitely agree you should write to Tescos to complain, they need to know how unhelpful this person was. You may get some vouchers for your effort...

WidowWadman · 10/02/2011 20:57

Complaint should get you a £10 shopping vouchder. What an idiot.

mrsinkpen · 10/02/2011 22:17

I totally agree with geordieminx, you were treated outrageously. This doesn't make any sense. Sometimes there is just no explaining the actions of people. Complain if you want to but try and put it out of your mind, don't give her any more power to bother you.

domesticslattern · 10/02/2011 22:20

Complain. You'll definitely get something out of it.
Then shop on line. Supermarkets are even worse with a baby.

Original poster

bluebeach · 11/02/2011 08:08

Exciting impending birth bootymum good luck with everything!

Love everyones complaining stories. I might email Tesco's with a link to this thread!

The Tescos in question was in Tetbury, Gloucestershire.

A bit of an update, my OH got back from work yesterday and without any prompting at all marched off to Tescos after me telling him what happened.
He spoke to the manager, who although was sympathetic said that it actually was their policy to encourage basket users to go to basket tills so keep trolly traffic moving. He pointed out to her (which I hadn't even realised) that the basket isle is 10 items or less and I clearly had more than that (he showed her my receipt of 19 things).
He asked her what she personally would have done and she said she would have carried the basket for me over to the basket isle.

FFS why not just bloody let me through the isle that was free and that my basket was on.
I'd seen the free isle, thought I was on the home straight and nearly out the door, the window of 15 minutes where I wasn't in danger of weeing myself was nearly up, why would you mess with a clearly massively pregnant woman?!!

Anyhow ,he has made a formal complaint and they have my details so will see if I hear anything.

I know its not a massive deal but as they say 'Every little helps'...my arse!!!

OP posts:

FindingStuffToChuckOut · 11/02/2011 10:18

"Complain. You'll definitely get something out of it."

or in my experience of dreadfully being fucked over by Tesco's when I was 8 months PG, complain, and find out they truly don't give a shit at all. Voucher my arse - I didn't even get an apology!!!! (can't be bothered with full story here but just believe me Tesco were so so so in the wrong)

figcake · 11/02/2011 10:29

I sympathise - I remember being turfed out of an empty first class carriage by Southern while the train was moving. I had SPD and had walked through the whole train unable to find a seat. I could not hold back the tears as he would not even let me wait until the next station

KnittedBreast · 11/02/2011 10:31

i would have ignored her and carried on

TobyLerone · 11/02/2011 10:34

I'm not pregnant and am perfectly healthy and able-bodied. I still would have told that manager to get fucked if she wanted me to move from an open, empty checkout to one with a queue at the other end of the store.

Definitely complain. Write a very strongly-worded letter. Not enough people complain about bad customer service, so it never gets improved.

What a bullshit, made-up rule! No baskets in the trolley checkouts indeed.

YANBU at all.

StayingDavidTennantsGirl · 11/02/2011 13:04

"Now let me get this right - you want me to walk away from an empty checkout, with my heavy basket, and go and stand in a queue, and take far longer to check out my items. Am I a second class citizen because I have not got a trolley and am only purchasing a few items??"

I can absolutely understand the staff encouraging people with baskets to go to the basket checkout if it will get THEM checked out quicker - but to suggest that people with basket should queue for longer and take longer to check out their purchases just in order to leave other checkouts free for people with trolleys is absurd.

Today I might be in the store purchasing a few items and using a basket, but at the end of the week (and at the end of every week) I will be doing the weekly food shop, which averages out at about £130 pw - and if you treat me like a second-class citizen now, maybe I will take my regular custom to Sainsburys, and you will lose my annual food shopping bill in excess of £6760!!

I do shop regularly at Tesco, but I do it online - they have just delivered my weekly shop (and my lovely dses who are on half term have put it away for me) - but if I were being treated like this in the store, then I would be registering with Sainsburys. I am seriously considering writing to Tesco HQ about this particular policy - and I wonder how effective it would be if a number of us did.

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