Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think Tesco are trying it on?!

30 replies

RosiePosiePuddingPie · 08/01/2018 16:42

Just sorting my weekly shop - I usually get the same things every week, more or less (no adventurous eaters here!) but Tesco is suddenly out of stock of every type of banana apart from their organic versions. Hmm

This has happened to me before; my regular, cheaper item will be "no longer available" or out of stock for a good few weeks before it suddenly appears on their site again, essentially forcing me to buy a more expensive product.

AIBU to think this isn't a coincidence or accident? Have you noticed this at all?

OP posts:
Mrsdraper1 · 08/01/2018 16:43

I have noticed bananas being absent from the shelves in supermarkets from time to time so I suspect that there are sometimes supply issues.

Blackteadrinker77 · 08/01/2018 16:43

It's a space and timing issue.

They only have so much display and storage space and the demand is much higher due to all the new year dieters.

sausagerollsrock · 08/01/2018 16:45

Isn't there a shortage of bananas at the moment? I've noticed a few supermarkets struggling to meet the demand.

MadCap · 08/01/2018 16:47

There is some sort of disease affecting banana trees and there's some thought that we eventually won't have bananas anymore.

KriticalSoul · 08/01/2018 16:47

its not a banana shortage, yes it is their website.

Saying this as an ex employee who used to work on the checkouts, so I KNEW what was in stock, but when i did my shopping online it would tell me it wasn't available, and i'd go into work that same day, and lo and behold, there it was, in stock.

I complained about it no-end.

guiltynetter · 08/01/2018 16:49

in asda today they had barely any normal bananas either (loose)

Blackteadrinker77 · 08/01/2018 16:50

That article is 2 years old

snackarella · 08/01/2018 16:51

Don't most supermarkets not charge the extra if they have to substitute ?

jay55 · 08/01/2018 16:55

It’s not a substitute if you can’t order in the first place.
I recheck stuff I can’t order (the smallest pots of cream last week were unavailable, listed as no longer sold but came back the day before my delivery).

lemony7 · 08/01/2018 16:58

We have Tesco shopping delivered and so much stuff that we usually have is out of stock too. It’s really pissing me off!

Original poster
RosiePosiePuddingPie · 08/01/2018 17:01

Bananas are one example. It could be something that isn't fresh, like our preferred kitty litter.

I just think their website is geared up to "upsell" from time to time - but I can't prove it.

OP posts:
Mummyoflittledragon · 08/01/2018 17:07

No conspiracy. Tesco frequently brand match and refund the difference when an item becomes unavailable. They also refund short date items some of the time. I actually think the opposite and wonder how such a large profit is made from home deliveres. Do you really think management would miss out on sales of cheaper bananas if they could get them in stock? Supermarkets run on economies of scale. And reputation for maintaining good stock levels.

Reallycantbebothered · 08/01/2018 17:08

Many bananas come from the Caribbean islands which were decimated by the hurricanes earlier in the year...maybe it has something to do with that?

SirGawain · 08/01/2018 17:11

Don't do 'Shop n' Drop' but I thought you could specify no substitutes. I doubt if they have got the time to engineer substitutes just to push your bill up by a small amount.

Original poster
RosiePosiePuddingPie · 08/01/2018 17:15

Maybe so! I wonder, though, if they've done research on the habits of online shoppers and found that actually, yes, people will buy the slightly more expensive product to save themselves the inconvenience of a separate journey.

In the broad scheme of things it doesn't matter. But an extra £2 here and there that I wouldn't have normally spent if the cheaper version was in stock not only adds up for the individual but also must show an increase in sales on a nation level.

They are obviously making money - I doubt they would offer the cheap delivery slots, price match and refund if there wasn't a profit in it somewhere!

OP posts:
roses2 · 08/01/2018 17:16

This is why I don’t shop for food online.

PricillaQueenOfTheDesert · 08/01/2018 17:17

I’ve always found my shopping is upgraded on the rare occasions I’ve ordered online. Unbranded foods replaced with higher end of the same thing. I was once thrilled that the cheap wine I had ordered was out of stock and they gave me really nice bottle of something drinkable as substitute.
So I do think yabu if you think they are saying they have none of your favourite brand in, just in the hopes you will buy a more expensive alternative.

BrimFire · 08/01/2018 17:23

Actually you may be on to something. ASDA do similar and "suggest" something expensive. However you can do the " similar" search yourself and often the same item you've ordered is right there.
I think they must order them in the warehouse on different codes or something.
They ran out the 17p sparkling water for ages but turned out it had been repackaged.

Flashinggreen · 08/01/2018 17:27

I’ve never seen the banana section as full as it was in my local Tesco this morning

Original poster
RosiePosiePuddingPie · 08/01/2018 17:28

the rare occasions I’ve ordered online.

Ah, see, that's part of my theory! I usually buy the same items week in, week out. So they pull a switcheroo on my commonly bought items.

OP posts:
AVeryBigHouse · 08/01/2018 17:34

We had this with milk for about 3 weeks on the run! I sent an email to complain saying that I found it very hard to believe that there had been no skimmed milk for 3 weeks running Hmm.

Snowdrop18 · 08/01/2018 17:41

Isn't Tesco aiming for zero waste - so I would have thought they will have to under order as a massive part of that. I think that's a good idea but when I first heard of their zero waste idea, I thought, the next thing will be consumers leaving Tesco because of lower stocks.

MrGrumpy01 · 08/01/2018 17:58

Last weekend I wanted to check how much Cheerios were at Tesco. Put it in (I don't think I was signed in) and no regular Cheerios, go to the shop and there they are happy as Larry.

This is a smaller Tesco so if they have them you would think the bigger stores would.

Maybe it is trying to get rid of the service by sheath, or make people come to the store and inevitably spend more.

If I do the same on the Sainsburys site everything comes up even if then I can't get it once I am linked to my store.

Luxecalmeetvolupte · 08/01/2018 19:19

I thought it was just me OP. I couldn't order my usual Apple juice this week - have ordered it every week for over 2 years on saver pass. I actually got a delivery from Sainsbury's last week because i couldn't order half the stuff I wanted from Tesco - including ham and semi-skimmed milk - and will be getting a Sainsbo pass when the Tesco one runs out later this month. Have had similar issues before when popping into local store on same day as delivery (to pick up something forgotten) and seeing rows of stuff that was somehow unavailable to be delivered that morning.