Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be royally effed off at Tesco delivery driver

351 replies

SoddingTesco · 28/04/2020 21:10

Managed to get a slot for delivery as am officially shielding. Tesco driver turns up so I put out a big plastic box he can decant my bags into and go to the porch window to let him know he can put the bags in there.

Says he can’t. Says my order has high value items and I have to come to the door.

Fine, whatever. I open the door and stand back, explain I’m shielding as I’m classed as vulnerable.

Just laughs and asks if I want the stuff in the box.... no, I just put it out there for a laugh obviously.

Then he decides my peppers might get squashed so leans in and puts them by my feet. He goes on to explain my substitutions and goes to hand me the paperwork. We both just stand there for a bit before I take it off him. He sees this as an opportunity to hand me more bags and unpacked items even though I’ve just bloody told him I’m shielding! My plan was to bring the untouched box into the porch and leave it there but he ended up handing me half my shopping, a receipt and a bloody leaflet about shopping with Tesco.

No gloves, no mask, nothing.

I’m a bit highly strung today as I have recently lost someone close so just want to know if IABU and need to chill out or whether I should complain?

OP posts:
JustStayHome · 30/04/2020 01:39

I emailed the CEO of Tesco yesterday and got a response today. And then another reply once i had replied.

Express you concerns OP.
That's what i did.
The drivers need additional training

caringcarer · 30/04/2020 01:49

We have used Morrison's each time we have had delivery, driver unloads from truck and puts all bags on door step, knocks and stands well back from door. Tells us our substitutions still standing 2-3 meters back. We just accept what whatever they have put in. Then they go away. They must have received Covid training.

Rubyupbeat · 30/04/2020 02:36

Why not just refuse to take the bags. When he lent in tell him to stand back?
I really cant understand why you did what you did, and yet you are angry at him?.

Marchitectmummy · 30/04/2020 03:57

Op you have reasons but you were weak and from your description on here unclear. Learn your lesson and rather than expect others to follow a protocol, follow it yourself.

Its frustrating but move on forget about it, you have or have not been exposed but whatever happens that can not be changed now. Being stressed will make it all worse. It's a lesson learnt be positive in your behaviour.

Inkpaperstars · 30/04/2020 06:27

You are not in the wrong here OP.

I am not sure what some people on this thread think the distancing and shielding advice is for. They must be very confused.

I understand there is a tendency to kick back at any criticism of key workers, but there are limits to how far that should go. I know lots of people who have had tesco deliveries with no issues like this because I assume the vast majority of the delivery drivers are intelligent, responsible and perfectly capable of following the guidance as well as using their own common sense. Unfortunately you came across one who wasn't and you have every right t be upset.

I know three elderly people expecting tesco deliveries today and I would be very upset if this happened to them. It's so unnecessary and so easily avoided.

CosmicSpacehead · 30/04/2020 06:31

I work as a Tesco delivery driver, and that's not how we do it.

We DO need to see your face for high value items, which can be done at a distance.
But other than that, we can just drop your shopping in the box, or just on the floor, or I stack up the trays and let customers empty them while I stand back.
I don't hand anyone the receipt, I point to it, and just say there might be some substitutes to read. (If it's windy I might post it through the letterbox)
We are given masks, gloves and hand sanitizer to use, however the gloves are pretty useless as they disintegrate almost instantly when handling the rough plastic trays, so nobody I know wears them.

You are right to be annoyed, so I'd complain about it, so the drivers can be reminded of the procedures.
But also, don't feel bad about telling the driver to keep back, forcefully if necessary.
I have to tell some customers to keep back from me, because they still want to get right in my face, or insist I bring it in the house!

Anyhoo, good luck, and stay safe!

IKEA888 · 30/04/2020 07:34

Tesco here don't mention the subs as it's all done by email.
v strange.
I think you are more at risk touching shopping picked by someone else.

sniffysnuffler · 30/04/2020 08:10

Surprised at how many answers are attacking the OP. She clearly let the guy know what she wanted him to do and he ignored her. And she ended up taking stuff he handed to her - but it can be quite disorientating when people are very rude and ignore specific requests. The alternative is sometimes to escalate it into an argument, which doesn't come naturally to most of us.

Ilovemypantry · 30/04/2020 09:29

@MintyMabel

Washing hands would not protect OP catching the virus from the delivery driver who got too close

MintyMabel · 30/04/2020 09:30

Washing hands would not protect OP catching the virus from the delivery driver who got too close
RTFT

MintyMabel · 30/04/2020 09:32

I imagine some of them are also the ones that complain that someone in a wheelchair shouldn’t have more right, than mummy with a pram, to the disabled spot on the bus.

Careful you don't damage yourself with that massive leap.

guanciale · 30/04/2020 10:06

by letter you don't mean bojo's letter sent to all households right

Nanny0gg · 30/04/2020 10:10

@AmIAStone

yes, our sensible precautions are no contact for ever until a vaccine or immunity is proved for people. You do not know people reasons for shielding, for us that’s it. If someone has to leave the have they have to move out and isolate completely for 2 weeks before coming back. As the NY guy says, for us this illness is death.

But doesn't that apply to other illnesses for you too? How about 'ordinary' flu, which kills about what? 400,000 a year and we don't have vaccines for all the strains?

dontdisturbmenow · 30/04/2020 10:11

I emailed the CEO of Tesco yesterday and got a response today. And then another reply once i had replied
What an utter waste of histone and money but if it nake someone believe the culprit will be punished or procedures will change as a result, that must be ok!

dontdisturbmenow · 30/04/2020 10:11

His time and money.

Tulipstulips · 30/04/2020 11:12

I tip my delivery driver (when I can get a slot!) by offering them a squirt of hand sanitiser after they've done delivery, so they can feel clean after touching the substitutions I've had to handle.

Anniegetyourgun · 30/04/2020 11:35

This thread has me completely bemused. OP has had the "official shielding" letter which no, is not the one from the government to all households, but is the one from the NHS to people with specific health conditions, otherwise she wouldn't be shielding because Shielding Is Not Fun! My household self isolated for 2 weeks because I had some suspicious symptoms so my employer told me to keep them to myself for the recommended period - don't think it was Covid 19 as it turned out, but better safe than etc - and that was quite enough no fun. Imagine being stuck indoors for 3 months, not able to even potter to the shops for yourself, with the added knowledge that you are more likely to die than most people if you do contract the virus. To top it all, someone close to you has very recently died from that very thing. Drama queen you say?

Yes, some people have had the shielding letter who don't really need it, some GPs being over zealous perhaps. I presume OP knows whether she falls into that category because it's her health that she lives with. We don't, and it's none of our business. Suffice it to say that she believes she is doing the correct thing.

Add to this that there are instructions from the government and protocols within businesses as to how these things are supposed to be handled. The driver clearly did not act with regard to either of these, nor to the OP's expressed wishes in writing, as she has explained, nor to her verbal request, although she accepts she could have been firmer about the latter. But then, should she really have to? There's a bloody pandemic fgs. Everyone must know this stuff by now.

Enough with the "well if you complain he'll be sacked and starve to death and there'll be no-one to deliver your groceries anyway" nonsense. The employer won't want to sack a key worker, particularly in these difficult times. Worst that is likely to happen is being dragged in for a bit of extra training, from which, quite frankly, he sounds as though he would benefit. If he takes protocol that casually he's unlikely to be in fear of death himself. And if he'd "just had enough" after a hard day, as someone else said, he'd be a bit grumpier rather than laughing and pushing in, wouldn't he? Not having to get close to yet another customer would surely be a bonus. But in any case, would that give him the right to take it out on the customer? OP has already said she doesn't intend to make a complaint anyway. Personally, I would, but probably as a pp did would not make it identifiable. It's not about getting someone into trouble, it's about making sure everyone is clear about what it is safe and proper to do.

Then we have posters questioning why OP has even bothered to make a thread. What? Why? Take a look at this topic. How many of those threads really need to be started? I'll take a wild stab and suggest absolutely none. And yet here we all are. OP has as much right as every other user of the site to post any query or complaint she wants to on it. Just letting off steam? Sure, why not? No, not everyone's going to agree, but some have managed to do it quite politely. Others have put the boot in. CUT IT OUT. OP is having to stay indoors for her health, but even if she were a complete hypochondriac her fear is real and should receive a modicum of decent human sympathy. Pick someone tough to get tough on if you must.

Anniegetyourgun · 30/04/2020 11:38

ps Forgot the suggestions that she should have worn a mask if she was that worried. Suppose she didn't have a handy supply of masks at home at the time we all discovered they might be useful? Perhaps she could pop to the shop and - oh wait...

notalwaysalondoner · 30/04/2020 11:43

YANBU - he should follow the rules, he’s either not been trained properly or is desensitised to risk due to doing this all day every day. I would call the supermarket he came from and ask them to do additional training of their drivers.

See the same thing in supermarkets all the time - staff not keeping away from shoppers even when they can, most likely because they’ve become desensitised to the risk. My mum asked the supermarket to make an intercom announcement to staff after his happened a couple of times in a single shop and they were very happy to do so.

CarterBeatsTheDevil · 30/04/2020 11:48

I think you've had a really hard time on here, OP. This guy will be delivering to lots of people who are shielding (i.e. particularly vulnerable to Covid-19), many of whom will have nowhere else to turn if they don't get their delivery. Obviously if he says he's not putting the delivery in boxes and has to come to the door a good number of those people will feel they're being given a choice between letting him deliver at the door and not receiving their delivery.

Methtones · 30/04/2020 11:59

I'm also shielding, if this were me I'd complain. Not to get him fired or disciplined but to get him trained.

I know you've said you're not going to, but it's not on.

fivedogstofeed · 30/04/2020 12:18

YANBU. Just no. We are shielding and for deliveries I leave a couple of cardboard boxes outside with a note saying thanks. The closest contact I've had is a thumbs up through the window.

Bettiboopi40 · 30/04/2020 14:01

The Asda in my town lets us change or leave the subs they r great .

JustStayHome · 30/04/2020 14:09

@dontdisturbmenow

A waste of time and his money? How?

I emailed tesco because the tesco delivery drivers i have had every week haven't followed the distancing rules, and they are the only person i "come into contact with"
I dont want to catch the virsus over a driver not doing his job.

The person that replied to me was very helpful and understanding and had empathy.
And said they will talk again to their drivers about distancing and how scared vunerable people who are shielding get.

This happened to the OP, myself and my nan, So clearly it isn't just one driver.

aWeaponCalledtheWord · 30/04/2020 14:23

@MintyMabel i’m interested in your motivation for being so unpleasant to the OP on this thread. are you generally just not very nice, or has something about the OP touched a nerve with you?

Swipe left for the next trending thread