Sainsbury's - ZERO common sense!

[DM1209]

My 12 year old daughter was diagnosed with Covid last weekend.

She has been very, very unwell with 2 hospital admissions and an intensive course of steroids and antibiotics, which she is still taking.
At its peak, her temperature rose to 41.6, she couldn't breathe effectively and she ended up on Oxygen. Her pulse oxygen dropped to 93, at which point I was told that if it dropped to 92, she would be ventilated - we have had the week from hell. She is also Asthmatic.

I'm a lone parent with 2 younger children. My daugter is now home and recovering for which I am very thankful.

Here's my AIBU, I have a Sainsbury's delivery coming. I called their customer service to let them know we have a positive case of Covid (I've even put a sign on the door so delivery people don't knock and wait) and that we are isolating.

I called Sainsbury's customer service and asked them to please ensure that the groceries were put in cardboard boxes or bags and left at the front door, rather than loose and unbagged on the ground. This is because they don't use carrier bags anymore when delivering.
I was then told that it is not the stores responsibility to bag the groceries and unless I left bags from inside my home, at the front door so the driver could bag them when he/she arrived, they would leave the groceries loose on the ground.

It is a £300.00 order, I say that to give you an idea of the size of the order.

Where is the logic!!??

Was I being unreasonable to not want to have my monthly shop piled up on the ground? Or to not want to take bags from my house (I don't have enough anyway!) for their poor driver to handle and to then have to bag my groceries at the front door!?

My mind is well and truly blown.

I think you are being considerate OP, but they cannot meet your request. They probably shouldn't have asked you to put boxes or bags from your covid positive house either because of the potential risk to the driver. Those that think the driver should leave the crates outside a house with a known covid case for the customer to unload are being unreasonable.

I don't know what the solution is, other than switching suppliers as you've done, or asking a friend or neighbour to collect bagged shopping for you from click and collect. Hopefully this delivery will see you through until your daughter has fully recovered

It's about a proportionate response.

Of course it is. People wearing gloves and masks aren’t going to catch the virus from bags outdoors. Your reaction isn’t proportionate given the evidence on how the virus is actually spread.

How about some bin liners? Or if you don't have any ads them to your order. Ps I hope your daughter recovers quickly OP.

I get Sainsburys deliveries and while the driver stands back I put it into bags and take into my kitchen. The drivers day is much longer with this new process as I find it difficult and slow to bend down and lift and carry heavy items.
Tesco no longer offers bags at all here. Iceland still have bags and they have free slots at only a couple of days notice, unlike the other shops.

Put boxes or better still plastic crates/large bags for life wiped down with bleach outside ready. They have a delivery system and can't change for one person

@ImMoana

OP.

My DD has also had it badly and we relied on a big shop from Tesco to get us through the 2 weeks. I forgot that the items would come loose in the crate. We advised the driver from an upstairs window that we had a positive case. He sat in the van while we emptied each crate. It took a very long time but it was the best we could do in the circumstances. I know they would have bagged it had I asked.

But that's what we always do with sainsburys, empty crate by crate

YABU. They don't provide that service. They can't make any exceptions because then everyone would want the same service. Doesn't matter if it's £300 or £3000. They don't provide that service.
I understand you are having a really bad time and hope your children are okay but they weren't being unreasonable and did offer a solution.

TBH OP I’m far more shocked at what you and your daughter have had to go through.

That’s awful and terrifying.

OK we'll just need to agree to disagree on what is proportionate

Sainsburys deliver in crates, they will put the crates outside your door then ring the doorbell and retreat. You take your stuff out and then they will take the crates back when you go back inside.

If I'm organised I have the laundry basket ready to chuck stuff into, if I'm not I just put it all on the floor inside the house before moving to the kitchen. I appreciate £300 is a lot of stuff but its not going to be sat on the ground outside your house.

They offered you a solution and you don't like it.

That's not illogical, that's on you.

I had a delivery from Tesco today. The notes on my account state that I am disabled and require help from the driver. I provided him with several large bags and asked if he could fill them with the groceries. All my previous drivers have been happy to do this and then leave them beside or just inside the door. I dont expect drivers to come inside or stop social distancing. Today the groceries were either loose or in huge tray liners of which he said "thats not heavy". Well it may not be heavy for you sonny but Im 76 years old and disabled with arthritic joints. He seemed reluctant to help me so I have sent my comments to the CEO executive team. I would advise you to do the same.

I hope your daughter gets better. No wonder OP is worrying about Sainsbury’s. Wouldn’t you be if you had that level of stress and worry?

Please be kind people.

my biggest issue was leaving anything from inside my house, outside for someone to handle. Granted transmission would be very, very low if at all. But why take the risk with someone else's loved one!? Who gave any of us that right!?

How do you think your shopping was assembled? It was all handled by human beings. If the bags were supplied by Sainsbury’s they’d be handled by the shop staff and the driver. You’re stressed and it’s making you unreasonable.

@DM1209

Thank you for the responses.

For those asking, no I don't have boxes or crates at home as I mostly shop in store, leaving online slots for people that can't. I booked this slot because I knew we would be home for 2 weeks minimum and we needed groceries.

I think it was a relatively simple request during a really crap time and it wouldn't have been difficult to fulfil. I also would have paid extra had they told me to.

I've cancelled the order and gone with Amazon Prime instead who I've been told deliver in paper bags.

Honestly I think you guys deserve takeaways for a bit. Don’t worry about the big shop just yet - only get the bare minimum for day to day essentials

You’re stressed and it’s making you unreasonable.

Hmmm do you think this makes you sound like the better person @VinylDetective?

Oh I see you cancelled, that's a bit drastic but it has been a stressful time for you. Like I said they would have left it in crates for you to bring in so your things wouldn't have just been left on the doorstep and you could have just emptied into your house while they stood back. I imagine Amazon prime will be the same, just the crates will have paper bags of goods in.

If your problem was the groceries being left on the ground, you could have put out some weighed down sheets, or table cloths, and then lifted them by the corners, or just take the groceries in the bags that you have.
Even your laundry basket might have been of use.

Should you have this problem again, or any pp reading this.

The reason I started getting sainsbury deliveries was because I have a bad back. I was struggling getting shopping into my boot.

Since they removed bags, they now expect me to get on my hands and knees on the doorstep and remove items from a crate. They should bring something to deliver their crate at waist height

no I don't have boxes or crates at home as I mostly shop in store, leaving online slots for people that can't.

Actually, do you not use reusable bags when bringing groceries from the supermarket?

Or you could have put out bin bags.

@VinylDetective

my biggest issue was leaving anything from inside my house, outside for someone to handle. Granted transmission would be very, very low if at all. But why take the risk with someone else's loved one!? Who gave any of us that right!?

How do you think your shopping was assembled? It was all handled by human beings. If the bags were supplied by Sainsbury’s they’d be handled by the shop staff and the driver. You’re stressed and it’s making you unreasonable.

Inside the house has a confirmed case of covid. You are mixing up two different things

I'd cancel and order with Ocado!

OR- put a few plastic tote boxes or cardboard boxes outside for the driver to pop your shopping in- they won't have to touch them to do that!

It’s a mild inconvenience for you that will just happen once this month.

£300 for a months shop isn’t a lot though. £1 to feed each person a day? Amazing!

Just a reminder that the virus doesn't cross the skin.

The driver could touch any contaminated surfaces and then desinfect their hands. That should be normal procedure anyway. We don't know who is infected and who isn't, even without symptoms.

It's absolutely no skin off the ops nose. She's trying to be responsible and thinking about the driver and his risk.