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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think that online food shopping has really gone downhill?

75 replies

OhHeyItsSaturday · 18/07/2021 16:58

I've recently had loads of problems with online food shopping, from a range of different supermarkets.

Main problems seem to be things like fruit being mouldy and/or on its use by date, meat all being on its use by date when delivered with no mention of this by the store, frozen items being defrosted, and meat not being packed separately to other foods and then being leaky and getting 'meat juice' all over fruit, bread and other fresh items.

I have just had to reject almost an entire food shop this afternoon from a major supermarket as the whole pallet of cold food looked as though it had been sitting in a trolley in the store for hours before being put in the cold truck storage, as it was all full of condensation. Two packs of chicken had been put in a container with all other fresh food and one of the packs had a crack in it so there was juice and blood all over everything else. There was also about an inch of water in the bottom of the container which had made everything else sodden. Broccoli sent was mouldy. And the frozen items were all totally defrosted.

Has anyone else found loads of problems with online food shopping these days? And before anyone says 'go and shop yourself then', I will be doing this in future!

OP posts:
Forgottenyeti · 18/07/2021 17:02

This last week loads has been out of stock when I try to amend. The deliveries have been OK though.

LemonRoses · 18/07/2021 17:03

Sadly, I think Brexit is coming home to roost. I had a problem with many things being unavailable, so went to shop myself at lunchtime today. I started at Tesco and the majority of the fruit and vegetable aisles were just upturned green crates. Hardly any fruit or veg and what was there was not in good condition.
I moved to Marks and Spencer which was a bit better but still not exactly full of enticing fresh salad items. Limited choice even there.

I may have to shop myself, but think we are going to see it get worse before it gets better.

MyFloorIsLava · 18/07/2021 17:05

Ocado had a warehouse fire so they had lots of problems but otherwise they've been fine. Fruit in general has been a bit shit from all supermarket lately, overripe as soon as its bought.

EllaMayGrace · 18/07/2021 17:09

We ended our Ocado deliveries when our Smart Pass expired due to similar problems. But we’ve been with both Tesco and Asda since and had more of the same.

Meat which expired day of delivery/next day. Mouldy fruit, mouldy bread. Nothing seems to have any kind of shelf life. Even fruit/veg stored in the fridge has been bad within 2 days. I’ve asked for refunds loads recently.

BIoodyStupidJohnson · 18/07/2021 17:10

Yep, I’ve had this problem with Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Waitrose. Lots of short-life products.

I assumed it was Brexit-related.

Keepkondoing · 18/07/2021 17:13

I’m glad you said this, I used to shop online a lot but stopped because it was getting harder to get a slot and I’m not organised enough to plan for shopping arriving in 3 or 4 days time! Currently having to isolate so had a couple of online shops and the selection has been awful, the substitutions were ridiculous and then stuff was damaged when it arrived. I couldn’t even get a refund from Sainsbury’s as they only give e vouchers. Can’t wait to get back out to the shops again.

Derrymum123 · 18/07/2021 17:14

Went shopping at 8.30 Saturday morning. Tesco. Shelves empty. Asked the manager. Told me he had no staff overnight and driver shortages. It is the same in most supermarkets in NI. Brexit really is kicking in alongside Test and Trace. I suppose we reap what we sow.

Rosebel · 18/07/2021 17:15

No it's not Brexit. It's the fact that loads of staff are self isolating and therefore the shelves aren't being restocked.
Night staff fill the shelves where I work and 57 night staff are isolating. So when home shoppers go to pick they can't. So it's either no food picked or close to date food (although mouldy fruit and food out of date the same day is unacceptable). Another point is that home shoppers have to hit ridiculously high targets and don't always have time to check the dates.
Re the chilled food even if it wasn't in the chiller (which it should be) the bit where the food is stored to be delivered is always really cold where I work

BreakfastOfWaffles · 18/07/2021 17:15

I agree. The main problems I have experienced recently are high levels of substitutions and very short expiry dates. Pre covid/Brexit I hardly ever got subs and food lasted the week. I did think of changing shops but it appears to be universal unfortunately.

AlCalavicci · 18/07/2021 17:21

Apart from a few weeks ago when a tray had a pool of water in it due to the condenser on the truck been faulty I have had no problems .
Everything in the tray was cans / bottles so was all fine to use .

However I have a delivery due 6pm - 7pm so watch this space . . . .

WorraLiberty · 18/07/2021 17:23

Touches wood

I get mine delivered every Saturday from Morrisons and I've had no problems at all.

Noterook · 18/07/2021 17:25

Brexit related means in this instance us paying shite wages for work that people have been happy to accept as it equates to a lot elsewhere. I don't think taking advantage of overseas workers so we can get carrots for 19p is something to be celebrated really, perhaps now everyone in the chain can be paid something that resembles a fair wage; and if those who wish to work here in these roles are able to soon (I hope so, their hard work is fundamental to a lot of stuff running) they'd also be better off so happy days. Won't happen though, lots of people will blame leavers rather than capitalism.

RampantIvy · 18/07/2021 17:28

I agree, that it will mainly be staff self isolating. Some of it will be Brexit. Getting slots round here is difficult, so I go shopping. I tend to buy my veg from a local farm shop, and it is always good quality.

spinningspaniels · 18/07/2021 17:31

We had a Waitrose delivery this morning, and had a stack of unavailable items but to be fair, that's pretty normal. I don't think their online system updates well with stock availability.

We used to have Ocado but jumped ship with the terrible move to M & S. We regularly had short date/manky products then.

tillytoodles1 · 18/07/2021 17:32

I've been getting deliveries from ASDA and so far they've been fine, touch wood.

ImSoMagical · 18/07/2021 17:33

I have just had a delivery as our household are all positive 🙄 from Tesco, I shop instore every week. Stopped home deliveries couple of years ago because of issues but obviously at the moment we're stuck. Items for home delivery were limited, fruit restricted, no bananas, couldn't order calpol for my dd, other stuff not available tho I know its instore. I've just messaged Tesco as I couldn't order prepacked pears at £1.60, got loose ones for £3.92 and they're soft and battered. So yes, I agree, it's shit!

swampytiggaa · 18/07/2021 17:36

I am a picker for a supermarket. The stuff isn’t on the shelves for us to pick. What does come in can’t all go out in time because staffing has been cut to the bone since our pay rise people who leave aren’t replaced and when they do advertise they offer such shit hours no one applies. That’s without whole departments self isolating meaning that the minimal staff there have to cover other areas too.

Husband works nights at another supermarket. He says deliveries are getting smaller when the sales are through the roof. It’s ridiculous.

SpindleWhorl · 18/07/2021 17:38

I've given up online shopping. It's crap, for all the reasons given above.

I'm also CEV and immune-compromised so won't be going into busy shops from today, so I've stocked up on essentials and basics. The joys of lentil pasta and tinned tomatoes await ...

howdaft · 18/07/2021 17:41

We shop with Waitrose, I'm still happy with the quality but in the past month there's been more substitutions than normal.

bruffin · 18/07/2021 17:42

@MyFloorIsLava

Ocado had a warehouse fire so they had lots of problems but otherwise they've been fine. Fruit in general has been a bit shit from all supermarket lately, overripe as soon as its bought.
Ocados have been bad since the moved to m&s , nothing to do with the fire. Mest going off before best before, strawberries mouldy when they arrive
PattyPan · 18/07/2021 17:43

I guess I’m lucky but I haven’t had this. Had a few subs this morning but not too extreme, dates all fine, nothing damaged. I’ve sent back baguettes and tortilla chips before due to them being squashed but I’ve never had packs split open. The only thing we regularly get short dated is organic bread but it always is when you get it in store as well.

DrunkenKoala · 18/07/2021 17:53

My Sainsbury’s deliveries have been fine (same slot on a Sunday morning) only thing I couldn’t order was their apple and raspberry juice - I often find they don’t have it on at the weekend but when I do a top up shop in store mid week there are loads on the shelves, which is fine as we usually have it on Sat and Sun.

Have noticed that they don’t always have 4pints of milk so they’ll sub it with 2x2pints and they do that with other multipacks as well.

I thought that some of the shortages were caused by a lack of HGV drivers or staff having to isolate (the pingdemic) that’s going on at the moment. I’ve not heard anything about brexit being responsible and I’ve had no problem in getting pasta, passatta and other products that come in from the EU.

Tealightsandd · 18/07/2021 18:01

A shocking and radical idea to combat staff shortages (at a time when unemployment figures are high). Pay (genuine) living wage and offer better working conditions.

Rishi Sunak's decision to lose the taxpayer billions of tax revenue via the stamp duty holiday, thus further fuelling the housing crisis, has consequences. One being that housing affordability - whether rent or buy - has got even worse. Many of these jobs don't pay enough to meet the costs of living.

bellabasset · 18/07/2021 18:04

It sounds as though there are multiple reasons for delivery issues. I did my ndn's shopping for a fortnight recently due to her catching covid from her school leaver teen, yes she's been double jabbed. I know roughly what her teens eat and was able to substitute what they would eat, also able to phone and check.

Spodge · 18/07/2021 18:05

Sainsbury has gone downhill slightly but it's not totally grim. You do need to check the stuff carefully, especially the use by dates, because they don't always flag them up and it is now pretty much impossible to get hold of customer services for a refund. Unless you spot a problem in time to reject the item in question you're pretty much stuck with it, I've found.