To consider boycotting waitrose for this?

[mycatlikestwiglets]

I bought some Waitrose sesame oil this week. On the label it's described as "for seasoning salads, stir fry's and oriental dishes" (offending grammar highlighted). Surely Waitrose of all places should be checking this stuff? Is nowhere safe from the rogue apostrophe?

Just for supermarket grammar war comparison, I found the following in my kitchen:

Asda Chinese Stir Fry Oil

Tesco Toasted Sesame Oil ('Delicious in stir fries...')

(wondering if Asda has sneakily avoided the plural. No mention of stir fries in the blurb.)

I emailed EDF energy the other day to explain that it's = it is and that the possessive is simply "its" after seeing the wrong version on their website. I haven't had a reply yet.

I am oddly enjoying the current fashion for "Better than half price" offers, mainly because I imagine their advertising departments having heated debates on the relative merits of "less than half price" and "more than half price" before settling on the equally ambiguous "better". Better for whom?

Ok, this is what I'm thinking of sending to Waitrose customer services:

Dear Waitrose

I bought a bottle of Waitrose own-brand toasted sesame recently and, upon using it for the first time, I noticed that the label describes it as, among other things, for seasoning "stir fry's". If you are unaware of the problem with this, I would direct you to the rogue apostrophe; the plural of "stir fry" is "stir fries". I understand that both Tesco and Asda have managed to avoid this error on their own brand sesame oil.

I must admit that I had assumed an organisation such as Waitrose would employ people with a reasonable knowledge of English grammar for writing your labels, or at least ensure someone with high standards of literacy checked this type of thing before labels went to print. However, as that doesn't seem to be the case, perhaps you might create a suitable vacancy? There is no place for rogue apostrophes in serious business.

I understand that you were also alerted to this issue back in February but no response to that person was ever received. I would be very grateful to receive your comments.

Yours faithfully

A disgruntled (and pedantic) customer.

Very good, but you missed the word 'oil' in the first sentence.

You could also direct them over here if they weren't sure on anything

Although I see the problem, I'd think you were a massive twat to send that email.

Although I see the problem, I'd think you were a massive twat to send that email.
Yup. Can't put it better than that.

If Waitrose reply saying you're a massive twat then they probably have bigger problems than rogue apostrophes.

Ahem.

First sentence, second paragraph - "its" instead of "your", please. "Standard" of literacy, not standards

In my defence for being so annoying, I used to proofread broadsheet adverts for a living. Infuriating task.

Outside Game last week

6 day's to go

I nearly went in..

Ahem, massive apologies to the proofreaders . In my defence I am sleep deprived due to DD (hence having time on my hands to draft emails to Waitrose ).

They probably would think I'm a total twat, but then maybe they'd realise it was tongue in cheek

mycatlikestwiglets Your e-mail is rather more coherent than mine which was:

Subject: Grocers' Apostrophes

Text:
Who write's your label's for food's????

Phoenix

I did email Tesco about the toilet roll packaging. I didn't hear back, but the 'less lorries' slogan isn't on my most recent loo roll purchase...

mycat I think it will amuse them. Especially with the use of words such as "shocked" and "dismayed".

There is a honking grammatical error in one of my DC's books. When I explained this to DC, DH said I sounded like a total twat.

Thank's for this thread. I now, like, shudder daily in silence at all the abysmal grammar, LOL.

Fings aint wot they used to be! That's for sure

I've boycotted The Entertainer since I saw this gem a few weeks ago.

I think you should email them.
I 'told off' Cadburys for saying that a recipe required a shot of expresso on the their website. They changed it.

If no one stands up for these things then standards will only slip.

I need to start taking decisive action too. I see stuff like this all the time.

Glad I'm not the only one who feels so strongly. Let's start a revolution people!

Spring - I'm in!

Please send the email. If people think you're a twat, that's not your problem. I wish more people cared about grammar.

My dad is the unofficial Waitrose Grammar Tzar! At least I'm certain he thinks that. He and my mum go to their local Waitrose most days and he is ALWAYS finding little errors like this. He relishes the opportunity to point them out, particularly illegal apostrophes! He isn't a twat in general life, he's really lovely and he is sort of laughing at his own pedantry but only sort of!

Ooh a few hours without checking the thread and it seems support for The Email is growing . I may just have to send it. Will report back!

Go for it :) I spent a happy afternoon once tweeting every grammatical error in the welsh bacc prospectus to WJEC. They never replied. Weird.

Mind you, this thread makes me feel less nerdy about my phone signature/disclaimer...

'Sent from my BatPhone.
All extra apostrophes, grocers' or otherwise, courtesy of Apple. Oxford commas are my own. '