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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
MadamGazelleIsMyMum · 28/05/2013 21:59

OP you could phone ahead of a visit and ask for one to be made available for you. A poster with twins did that at Waitrose and they were happy to oblige. In fact, if I remember correctly, on one occasion they promised one would be waiting, and when it didnt materialise, they gave her the whole shop for free!

TempusFuckit · 28/05/2013 21:59

This thread is great - keep it up ilovemyself, you're doing a fantastic job Grin

I had never before considered I was being utterly selfish by using a trolley which wasn't specifically designed for my particular family set up before. I consider myself suitably chastened.

Bearbehind · 28/05/2013 22:00

It sounds to me like you have some weird exhibitionist tendencies which can't be maximised unless your twins are sitting side by side in a trolley in full view if everyone in the shop.

I've never heard such lame excuses for justifying your OP.

FFS why do you and you wife have to do the shopping together in the first place.

KateShmate · 28/05/2013 22:00

I've got triplets, and obviously don't expect supermarkets to invent a new triple trolley, but having a twin one really helps.
My DTrips are 3.5 now, but when they were around 2 years old it was a nightmare having to put 1 in the seat and have the other 2 roaming around amongst the shopping, if there was only a single trolley. Having 2 contained in a seat is much easier than having 2 of them loose!
And yes, of course online shopping is easier - but like the OP has said, when you just need a few bits then there is no other option.

Shitsinger · 28/05/2013 22:01

Nooooo ! zzzzz thats too easy - it must be really difficult and stupidly complicated to go shopping Wink

flanbase · 28/05/2013 22:03

This shop that doesn't have the facilities desired by the op isn't the only place to shop. A supermarket isn't the be all & end all of food shopping. Perhaps a local market could be an idea and easy with the pushchair or small local shops that know their customers

ChewingOnLifesGristle · 28/05/2013 22:04

Zzzz 'One twin each, so a little more 1:1 time, start at different ends of the shop and meet in the middle. Half the time too, bonus all round.'

We used to do that too! (also dd1 aged 3 intow)

Ilovemyself you really are getting in a stew about something many of us have coped with already.

Original poster
Ilovemyself · 28/05/2013 22:05

Yes she knows. And like me, she would like to be able to shop with a single trolley like many other families

It's not the fact it should be easy to cope, it's the fact that they make our life as customers more difficult.

On the odd occasion we shop at the Sainsbury 15 miles away, we NEVER have this problem. That is good customer service and shows it can be done, so why should we not expect the same at TESCO.

OP posts:
Glittertwins · 28/05/2013 22:06

Jeez, there were two of you and you could not manage a normal single trolley each? I feel sorry for you as they get older then if you can't deal with something this simple. It isn't hard. One child per adult is simple compared to being on your own with multiples!

landofsoapandglory · 28/05/2013 22:07

I can't go shopping on my own because I can't push the trolley due to the fact that I walk with crutches. I am going to write to Tesco to demand they make some remote control trolleys!Wink

in the real world I shop online

Glittertwins · 28/05/2013 22:08

And if you only need a few bits, what's wrong with keeping them in the buggy and putting your shopping underneath in the basket?

apostropheuse · 28/05/2013 22:11

I can't go shopping on my own because I can't push the trolley due to the fact that I walk with crutches. I am going to write to Tesco to demand they make some remote control trolleys!

landofsoapandglory Why don't you ask a nice man or woman in Tesco to get all your shopping for you, pack it, take it to your house and put it in the kitchen for you to unpack at your leisure?

Oh no wait, you already do that! Grin

Shitsinger · 28/05/2013 22:15

Well OP if this is the worst problem you encounter as a parent then you will be very lucky indeed.
You may want to invest in a grip though - it may come in handy !

Original poster
Ilovemyself · 28/05/2013 22:18

Flan base. I wish our market was what it used to be, but it is dire. 4 or 5 stalls and that is it.

And for those still wittering on about how easy it should be you miss the point. It should be a lot easier like it is at the Sainsbury that is 15 miles further.

Zenofpetals - you forgot "double trouble "

And bearbehind. What the hell has us shopping together got to do with anything. Many couples shop together. It is part of being a family unit.

You guys really don't get the point. Yes would could have used our triple buggy and a trolley. Or 2 trolleys. Or we could have shopped on line. Or we could have driven 15 miles out of our way ( and 15 miles back). But we would like to shop in an easy manner like everyone else. It's not difficult to put doubles with the other "specialist" trolleys. It just takes a very small amount of management which they seem very incapable of doing

OP posts:
ChewingOnLifesGristle · 28/05/2013 22:19

Or one go in and get the few bits and the other stay in the car with dc. We've done that loads of times too over the years.

I find it easier to come up with a reasonable solution to the problem than to start raging at supermarkets. Especially when I helping yourself is an option.

hhhhhhh · 28/05/2013 22:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Ilovemyself · 28/05/2013 22:25

Hi oceansea,

It shouldn't matter what is between my legs, although it does sometimes result in a different reply lol.

If only they told the trolley boys where to put them it would help, but when you can find them they are normally half way down the stack. It did work for a short while but either the manager gave up or forgot.

OP posts:
landofsoapandglory · 28/05/2013 22:25

I think you'll find a lot of people have to make compromises to "shop in an easy manner." I know I do, I can not do the weekly shop in a supermarket so I do it online.

I think you are making a massive mountain out if a tiny molehill, there are solutions available to you, you just have to compromise a tiny bit.

zzzzz · 28/05/2013 22:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

zzzzz · 28/05/2013 22:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Ilovemyself · 28/05/2013 22:28

Chewingonlifesgristle. Sometimes one of us does sit in the car, and sometimes we both go in. The twins enjoy the hustle bustle of the super market and why shouldn't they.

I am happy to help myself, but perhaps if the supermarket helped the customer it might help more

OP posts:
Shitsinger · 28/05/2013 22:29

still wittering on ahem Grin

zzzzz · 28/05/2013 22:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Ilovemyself · 28/05/2013 22:30

Why is it odd for us to want the same customer experience as someone else. Just because we were fortunate enough to have twins, why should we be penalised.

OP posts:
MaryMotherOfCheeses · 28/05/2013 22:32

I can't believe you've been talking about this since 2pm this afternoon.