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Original poster

To think that Tesco don't give a monkeys - twin trolley issues

234 replies

Ilovemyself · 28/05/2013 13:52

I have been having an on and off battle with my local Tesco (the only supermarket without driving 13 miles or so) for a while.

Ever since my twins were born I have struggled with trolleys.

When they needed the reclining seat trolleys, they were always tucked away at the back so I had to pull out 10 or 20 trolleys to get them out. I would the have to clean them as they were always filthy (I did find a manager once and gave him a handful of really manky baby wipes from where I had cleaned one)

Now they are in the normal trolleys, I always struggle to find a twin one. They are normally half way down a row of trolleys because the trolley boys don't seem to have a brain cell and put them there.

I have complained to the store manager and have even been on a customer focus group where I made my feelings known about the trolleys. I was told then ( over a month ago) that trolleys were on order.

Today, after searching the lines of trolleys in the dry storage area, I had to check all of the trolley bays in the car park, in torrential rain. There were none, so I had to put one twin in the seat and the other in the trolley (which I detest as it isn't fair on the next user to have dirty shoes in the bottom of a trolley)

Should I really kick off about this now?

OP posts:
Shitsinger · 28/05/2013 20:03

The Op describes the Twins as wearing shoes...
presumably then they can walk and if that is the case then a double trolley is required . The type of trolley that we have all used Confused rather than a specific tiny baby twin trolley??

Bearbehind · 28/05/2013 20:05

So you've managed to ask them to find you a trolley without too much trouble April that's all I'm suggesting the OP does if she doesn't happen to trip over one when she opens her car door.

uggmum · 28/05/2013 20:05

It used to drive me mad when my 2 were little. My local supermarket only had 1 trolley suitable for me. I needed a trolley suitable for a baby and a toddler and 1 trolley for a large supermarket is unacceptable.

I know I could have had the toddler in the seat and put the car seat in the trolley but you can hardly fit any shopping in.

The answer is not for you to do your shopping on line or think up magical ways for you to shop with your twins. It is not unreasonable to expect your local supermarket to cater for your needs. It sound like your Tesco is badly run.

arethereanyleftatall · 28/05/2013 20:05

Whoops blueberry. Whilst attempting to argue against me you have proved my point. Tesco are indeed a business, and have made their decision to not stock many twin trollies as per original.post.

ChewingOnLifesGristle · 28/05/2013 20:11

Agree with Bear. It is tricky but many things are with young children in tow. Eating out, parking, shopping, swimming - all hard but it's how it goes.

Your dc grow into a new phase with different needs and then that becomes the 'new' all consuming set of problems. The previous dilemmas, no matter how pressing today, will be replaced. Life/Tesco isn't necessarily going to iron it all out unfortunately.

Online shopping is the easiest solution.

poorbuthappy · 28/05/2013 20:12

My point was that Tesco in Newport had no twin seat trollies at all.
Going to customer services was not going to remedy the situation.
Going to a different supermarket did!!

BlueberryHill · 28/05/2013 20:20

Actually no I haven't, the Tesco I shop at have 10 / 12 toddler twin trolleys and a similar number of twin baby trolleys. Maybe the OPs Tesco is just badly run.

Glittertwins · 28/05/2013 20:23

April, I do have twins who are now 5. I know what it was like re the trolleys hence I had the shopping delivered rather than have the issue week in, week out.

OP - The delivery saver makes deliveries less expensive than a couple of miles trip in the car with the price of petrol being so high, it would be worth it for your convenience too.

Blueskiesandbuttercups · 28/05/2013 20:25

No I don't think online shopping is the answer,it's expensive and twin mums need to get out.Petrol is pricey and I used to combine food shopping with errands.

I had this problem with 3 under 15 months.Got followed by the manager and ejected from Asda when I put the third in the trolley so that isn't the answer.

People are very selfish,the amount of parents I used to see with 1 child using a double trolley- gave me the rage.

Answer- switch to Sainsbos- far more trolleys and nicer staff.

Glittertwins · 28/05/2013 20:27

I wouldn't count going to the supermarket as "getting out". It isn't any more expensive on deliveries than petrol getting there now.

Blueskiesandbuttercups · 28/05/2013 20:33

It is if you pay for deliveries and to go into town.

Some of us share cars,couldn't afford expensive cafe trips or outings.I and most of my twin friends classed shopping as getting out.

When I could get a double trolley it was a lot less stressful(and cheaper)than running round a soft play area.Food shopping can be very educational too.

LoveBeingUpAt4InTheMorning · 28/05/2013 20:36

Grin @soupy

Shitsinger · 28/05/2013 20:43

I would have given my left ovary for online shopping when mine were little !
Oh dear god the peeing in the trolley seat springs to mind Blush
Surely if you do a big enough shop most deliveries are free or you can get a delivery pass ( Ocado 6 months free) .
why on earth if you had 3 under 15 months would you make your life more complicated ?

meglet · 28/05/2013 20:43

I had the same problem with Tescos 4yrs ago - I can hold a grudge Grin.

They kept all the double trollies out of the way (heaven knows why)
so I had to cross the car park, go into the store and queue at customer services (with a 2yo and baby in a car seat) and wait for them to go and get me one. Why they couldn't keep the double trollies in, y'know the car park next to the cars was obviously beyond them. One ignored complaint letter later and I never shopped there again.

Bearbehind · 28/05/2013 20:48

meglet it seems they can't win. In your case they kept the trolleys aside so people who didn't need them couldn't use them and that still wasn't good enough.

I do feel sorry for all these poor store managers who fail to realise how important some people are.

Original poster
Ilovemyself · 28/05/2013 20:48

Trapper. Apart from handing the manager the dirty wipes ( to show him how dirty his trolleys were) i have always been polite when I speak to them. I always find it works best. You have just assumed that because I said I had handed the wipes to a manager and asked should I kick off that I have been rude or loud.

When you are polite and you are promised things that do not happen what should you do then. Get upset probably.

Don't guess or assume - if you had asked I would have told you that I didn't get angry with them

OP posts:
apostropheuse · 28/05/2013 20:56

In the olden days, pre online online grocery shopping, when I had four small children under the age of four and a half, I either went shopping alone when my husband returned from work - or I went with him and we managed the children between us. Sometimes he went shopping on his own.

I fail to see how anyone would actually consider food shopping being like some kind of fun family outing. Surely it's just one of life's necessities that you do in the easiest way possible.

BlueberryHill · 28/05/2013 20:57

I know poor managers. After all, the people just want a small facility in place for them to use, so that can shop and spend their money there with a bit of assistance. Just customers after all, oh hang on, why is the shop there again?

Bearbehind · 28/05/2013 21:02

blueberry they can offer 'a bit if assistance' by finding a fucking trolley when asked. I am astounded at how entitled some people are and how it seems to be expected that people in the service or retail industry seem only to exist to make life easier for the 'chosen' ones.

Original poster
Ilovemyself · 28/05/2013 21:03

Barebehind. Read before you make such cretinous statements as "but which are not placed directly under your nose".

As I said, I searched the whole car park and couldn't find one.

And it is an obvious suggestion to replace them all with doubles - if some TESCO stores can do it then why not all.

You may not mind getting soaking wet and searching for ages, but there are simple answers ( like getting the trolley boys to put them all in one place) but that for you would be too simple

OP posts:
meglet · 28/05/2013 21:07

Maybe Tescos just don't have enough double trollies. I've not had a problem at sainsburys or had to go trekking across the car park for a double.

Tescos were already on my hit list anway when they substituted the totally wrong size nappies in my on-line shop, hence me shopping in the store.

zzzzz · 28/05/2013 21:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Shitsinger · 28/05/2013 21:08

Why on earth would you get soaking wet when you could stay at home ,keep dry and have a coffee while your DC play and you do your shopping online ??!!
The you can stay in and a nice man brings it to you baffled Confused

cakebar · 28/05/2013 21:09

I had 3 under 4. I shopped in Sainsbury's where they had a few but you had to hunt, after a bit I used to go straight to customer services and ask them to get me one. They were happy to. Each time they said they had more on order but they were taking a while. Once they couldn't find me one so I guess they were all in use. Eventually the promised ones turned up and now it is easy to find one.

DIY stores - rarely have a suitable trolley combo. It is easiest to put kids in pushchair, go to customer services and give them the list and ask them to get it or ask someone to walk round with you. I have never been refused this, they have always been happy to help (mainly Homebase/B&Q) and they load the car for you too :)

Bearbehind · 28/05/2013 21:09

More fool you for looking round the whole car park rather than asking then. I'm thinking that might be an exaggeration anyway- what did you do with the children whilst this search took place.

Some Tesco stores are newer than others so the new ones might have decided to buy twin trolleys but that doesn't mean the old ones can afford to do so.

To be honest, I don't think there is any reasoning to be done with someone who thinks highly enough of themselves to have a user name of ilovemyself I think it explains a lot.