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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be fed up with all the NHS discount codes?

384 replies

YouDoYouHun · 24/01/2021 02:13

Don't get me wrong, I have a lot of respect for NHS workers on the front line dealing with the pandemic, that's not what this thread is about, but AIBU to have had enough of shops and businesses offering NHS discount only? Generally, this isn't a new thing and has been around since last March, but this past week or so I have received quite a few emails from various shops/businesses (I won't name) including national and local, offering discount codes for NHS staff only. Great, they deserve it....but what about everyone else too? What about supermarket workers? Council workers? Labourers? Delivery drivers? The postal service? What about the people who have lost their jobs too? Granted, disposable income will be low to non existent so frivolous online shopping purchases will likely not be high on the priority list, but wouldn't that be more reason to offer a discount? for people struggling? How about a pandemic discount code so everyone can enjoy a treat rather than just singling out the NHS and sending the message that unless you work for the NHS you are undeserving?

The NHS also covers a huge variation of roles and I don't particularly find it fair that Mary who works behind the scenes gets the discount just because she is an NHS employee but Barry who works in a supermarket doesn't receive any discount because he doesn't work for the NHS? Not the greatest example, but you hopefully get my point.

This isn't meant to sound grabby. It's not about the discount. Shops/businesses are struggling too and don't have to offer any discount at all. My point is, if there is going to be a discount offered, why effectively invalidate other professions by sending the message that they haven't worked hard enough/suffererd enough to receive the 'prize' that is a discount code?

YABU - what are you talking about? Only NHS employees should receive discounts.

YANBU - This pandemic has affected us all in different ways and we shouldn't be made to feel any less important because we don't work for the NHS.

OP posts:
Forthelols321 · 25/01/2021 21:06

@rawlikesushi

"The issue is that the NHS also employs hundreds of thousands of admin / managers / paper pushers who are nowhere near the front line and never will be. In fact they've been working from home since March. And they have pensions / decent salaries and job security that most people right now can only dream of,and many of them have already been vaccinated despite no or very little patient contact."

And why should those fuckers get a 10% discount or a free coffee eh?

Honestly, listen to yourselves. Imagine being someone jealously assessing someone's entitlement to a discount code or a perk. What a mean-spirited thread this is.

This ❤️

So many of these threads on MN now, what about me I work for X, Y, Z? What about me I work in asda and am at huge risk, what about me I deliver food all round the country 😴 give it a rest, it's a discounted coffee for god sake.

As a side note, companies will offer this as the NHS is a massive employer and it greatly benefits them financially (obviously, what else would they do it!?) nobody runs a company on the goodness of their own heart for god sake.

Doublefaced · 25/01/2021 21:13

@NSt21

YouDoYouHub, oh do shut up.
Yeah. Shut up.
PrivateHall · 25/01/2021 21:48

What a ridiculous thread. As other posters have said, where are the threads objecting to student/OAP discounts?

No, I am not underplaying that there are awful situations that NHS staff are dealing with day in and day out. I am purely saying, there are other occupations that are also in the same boat

Seriously op, are you having a laugh? Sorry, nope, there are not 'other occupations' dealing with what many NHS staff are at present. This comment makes it glaringly obvious that you really and truly have no clue what NHS roles involve. Some of the 'what about me' posts on here lately have been truly upsetting to read.

If it makes you feel any better, I genuinely have no idea what you are talking about. I have not availed of any NHS discounts in the last year, I guess I don't have as much time as you to browse emails etc to find them. I hope that makes you feel better op that I didn't actually save any money due to the pandemic. Perhaps you will be furious though that I have benefited from extra pay, sorry Sad My boss rings me at least once every single week begging me to come in for an extra shift you see.

Anyway, as has been said by many yet ignored by op, ultimately retailers have the option to offer discounts to whomever they please. I would be delighted to see it rotated to different groups, month to month, but we don't actually have the power to make that decision op, only the retailers do. You cannot force 'parity' onto retailers op, so long as they don't base offers on 'protected characteristics' (eg offering a discount based on sexual orientation or ethnicity) then they are free to do as they please.

The strange thing about this post is that no one else seems to have received this huge volume of emails offering NHS discounts that OP has......

Mamabear12 · 25/01/2021 21:56

I think mainly it’s genetics. Some people just don’t lose weight easily. I could tell you what I do, I’m 5’8 and 61 kgs (have three kids and youngest is 13 months). I gain 23+kgs with each pregnancy and it all comes off naturally after, w no effort. I do breastfeed though. But I was also slim before having kids and weighed 58-60. Anyway, I walk everywhere as we don’t have a car and I don’t like taking a bus. But I tend to stay in our area and we have shops near by, park etc. I take kids and dog to the park twice a day. I eat 3-4 times a day (proper meals). For example today I had granola nut cereal w full fat milk. Chicken Cesar wrap, orange juice, cheese onion crisps. Slice of Brie. Twix barA (two bars that came in one packet). Salmon with veggie egg fried rice I made myself. One slice of bread w butter and honey. I think this is all of what I had. I might be missing something. But anyway, I always go to bed hungry (even if it seems I eat a lot). I think I suggest food quickly as I’m always hungry at this time.

EmmaGrundyForPM · 25/01/2021 22:26

@Mamabear12 I think you've posted on the wrong thread!

BungleandGeorge · 26/01/2021 00:32

@PrivateHall

What a ridiculous thread. As other posters have said, where are the threads objecting to student/OAP discounts?

No, I am not underplaying that there are awful situations that NHS staff are dealing with day in and day out. I am purely saying, there are other occupations that are also in the same boat

Seriously op, are you having a laugh? Sorry, nope, there are not 'other occupations' dealing with what many NHS staff are at present. This comment makes it glaringly obvious that you really and truly have no clue what NHS roles involve. Some of the 'what about me' posts on here lately have been truly upsetting to read.

If it makes you feel any better, I genuinely have no idea what you are talking about. I have not availed of any NHS discounts in the last year, I guess I don't have as much time as you to browse emails etc to find them. I hope that makes you feel better op that I didn't actually save any money due to the pandemic. Perhaps you will be furious though that I have benefited from extra pay, sorry Sad My boss rings me at least once every single week begging me to come in for an extra shift you see.

Anyway, as has been said by many yet ignored by op, ultimately retailers have the option to offer discounts to whomever they please. I would be delighted to see it rotated to different groups, month to month, but we don't actually have the power to make that decision op, only the retailers do. You cannot force 'parity' onto retailers op, so long as they don't base offers on 'protected characteristics' (eg offering a discount based on sexual orientation or ethnicity) then they are free to do as they please.

The strange thing about this post is that no one else seems to have received this huge volume of emails offering NHS discounts that OP has......

Perhaps they’re deliberately targeting non NHS staff so they can look generous but not actually give anything away?
Whiskyinajar · 28/01/2021 10:11

Whataboutery is annoying.

If you are a retail worker you're getting a discount as a perk of staffing .
Nearly all private companies offer benefits in working for them.
When I worked in a school I got cheaper access to a gym
When I worked for Tesco years ago I got a certain percentage of discount.

Nearly all employees offer something.

In the NHS I got nothing except an occasional discount on car insurance and I'm never sure if it saved me anything really or not.

I've never ever had free coffee, discounted coffee etcbut never thought to ask for discounts.

LolaSmiles · 28/01/2021 19:55

The strange thing about this post is that no one else seems to have received this huge volume of emails offering NHS discounts that OP has......
It is most interesting.

It seems like every few weeks there are posters ready to have a good old moan about NHS staff and teachers.

beautifulstranger101 · 29/01/2021 10:25

@Whiskyinajar

Whataboutery is annoying.

If you are a retail worker you're getting a discount as a perk of staffing .
Nearly all private companies offer benefits in working for them.
When I worked in a school I got cheaper access to a gym
When I worked for Tesco years ago I got a certain percentage of discount.

Nearly all employees offer something.

In the NHS I got nothing except an occasional discount on car insurance and I'm never sure if it saved me anything really or not.

I've never ever had free coffee, discounted coffee etcbut never thought to ask for discounts.

Yes- this.

I cannot believe in the current climate there still exist people as whiny and as petulant and bitter as this OP. PLENTY of my friends get discounts because of where they work. One of my friends works as an air hostess for virgin and gets discounted flights because of it - should I throw a strop and stamp my feet because I work "just as hard" as her and deserve a discounted holiday? Another friend works for a designer label and gets 20% off- again, WHY NOT MEEEEEE?. Bloody hell.

Absolutely pathetic.

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