Free from items shouldn’t be replaced on shopping

[LimeSupper]

We get a weekly home delivery from a major supermarket. We order free from items because there are allergies in the house, as well as coeliac disease. Last week our Birdseye Free from fishfingers were replaced on the weekly shop by home brand free from fishfingers. It was said hurriedly at the door and we said that’s fine. I’ve been SO ill this week, just happened to be looking at the packet and realised the fishfingers are Free From FISH! So they’re vegan fishfingers, not gluten free. AIBU to think that supermarkets should not be just substituting free from items with any other substitutes?? I just think it’s so bloody irresponsible. Yes I accept fully that I should’ve checked it and not trusted the word of the driver who probably didn’t know the difference anyway - lesson learnt. It’s the way it’s called Free From, it’s a range that’s usually fine and now it seems to just be free from anything at all. You’d think there’d be some sort of check?? If someone orders a product without an allergen in it (gluten or milk or nuts or whatever it is) then don’t send them a replacement with that one just say sorry we don’t have the item or anything similar.

I agree that they can’t possibly know why you bought a particular product - the Free From ones were gluten free but maybe you choose them because they don’t contain soya or whatever.

Well, it's unlikely she chose them because she didn't want fish so why substitute something that is absolutely not what she ordered?

I'm lactose intolerant and I often get given goats milk instead of lactose free milk. It's annoying because an oat or nut milk would be OK, but not goats!

I get it OP! I once had a free from pudding and was given a gluten containing burrito instead 🥴

I've had meat sausages substituted for veggie ones (looking at you Morrisons).

I agree with the idea of there being some sort of prompt for the pickers from substitutions, if it's a vegetarian/vegan item don't replace it with anything not plant based. If it's a gluten free "free from" avoid anything gluten based. Lactose free the same that way at least any allergy sufferers won't spend weeks or months suffering if we accidentally don't notice or someone else accepts the item at the door (DH accidentally did this once with a gluten free instead of meat free and I ended up needing hospital treatment).

It would be good if there was a clearer flag for that type of substitution, but I guess they don’t want to take that responsibility for ensuring - with non expert v rushed pickers - that they are exactly right on the allergens.

I know it’s not the same thing at all and has no health implications, but I once had a packet of birthday balloons substituted with a sturdy plastic water bottle with nice bicycle patterns all over it. I can usually see how the subs minds were working, but this one really threw me!

Yabvu for cooking it without reading the label first. I have an unusual allergy (not a common one which would be in bold or have its own range like free from) and i have been reading food labels basically since I could read. It's not a hardship, it takes two seconds.

Even brands I use often can change recipe- Pret recently changed their bread so I can't have most of their sandwiches. I read the labels every time before I take a bite even if I've bought the same thing before. It's your responsibility to take care of your own health as an able bodied adult who can read, sorry to be blunt

@Tomnooktoldmeto

I use Asda as we’re all coeliacs, vegetarian and have allergies too so life it fun!

I always untick every single box for substitutes. In the information box it informs the picker we’re coeliac, vegetarian and have allergies

Regularly get substitutes what else can I do? At least Asda refund without quibble if they slip one through

We get an email so I know what’s coming or not and I always screenshot changes for DH if I’m not there so he should refuse them but he’s autistic and sometimes forgets. I just request a refund but it is irritating

Just so you know, it doesn't inform the picker of anything. We don't see any notes or additional information given on the order. We don't see a name for who's orders we are picking.

If it's that important, go and get your own shopping.

@pepsirolla

I wonder how thorough they shop anyway. I ordered a click and collect shop at sainsburys. I wanted currants for a cake I received an email at 9am saying currants our of stock.Went to collect it at 10am and popped into shop too for other bits, there was a shelf full of currants! Doubt it had just been restocked.

Your shop would have been picked way before you even woke up. The delivery of raisins probably wasn’t even in the shop at that point.

@Questiontellme

No the pickers just need to engage a braincell....or be given better training we've had so much of this, I have a gluten intolerance DC CMPA, we're constantly getting gluten versions, I.e nairns oatcakes, today's was the best, vegan croisssnts substituted for All Butter Croissants 👌🤣

Nope, subs are YOUR responsibility to check. Something else has been provided, it’s up to you to either reject or accept.

I sometimes think customers need to engage their brains and realise shoppers don’t toddle around the shop wondering what you might like instead of that item that’s out of stock. They’re doing 7 other people’s shopping too.

As has been said, go yourself or hush. 🤫

With the Tesco app you can tick substitute or do not substitute for each item once in the basket. For example, I always do this for shampoo as my dd can only use a certain brand. Next time just tick this box for all the free from items so you know you will only get what you ordered.

I've spoken to Tesco about this kind of substitution before and suggested that they sort out their computer programming to cater for this as they told me the pickers only go on what they are told by the handset.
This I can believe as I have gone immediately to the shop after getting a delivery that was missing stuff and found it on a different shelf - if the picker had used common sense, they'd have seen it.
We can always tell if a parent or older person has picked our stuff because the computer subs are overridden and we get a sensible change

sorry but I do tink you are being unreasonable.

you can check receipt before it arrives.
you can refuse subs at the door
with Asda, if I then complained that the free from item was not suitable (even having accepted it at the door) they would refund it.
you can choose no subs, and even no subs on certain items.

You really cannot expect the picker or driver to know what it is you want or need. How do they know that you are buying an item because it is vegan, or because you have a particular allergy?

Even if you could mark your order as eg Vegan only, many pickers wouldn't know if something fitted that.

If you have food allergies it’s your responsibility to check that any subs are appropriate before accepting but certainly before eating them. Why wouldn’t you check that a product you’ve never had before is suitable for your allergies?

There should also be an option to select “no substitutes” either for your whole order or particular items.

YABVU
I have allergies and would check anything I knew a teenager / someone else would have picked and packed!!!
On the other hand, I may try the vegan fish fingers if you couldn't tell they didn't have fish in them!!! 😋😋😋

[quote LimeSupper]@MsSquiz well it isn’t a different brand, I’ve used Free From for years, it’s a safe brand for me. Now they’re changing my it to include vegan products - it wasn’t clear to me.[/quote]
@LimeSupper you said "Birdseye Free from fishfingers were replaced on the weekly shop by home brand free from fishfingers."

So it was a different brand to the one you had ordered

Or do your own shopping you lazy moo 🤣

@MsSquiz oh I see what you mean. Well I mean I use the free from brand a lot for other items so I know and trust the brand, it didn’t immediately prompt me to check. Yes I’m well aware I should’ve checked and have said that all the way along my posts. I also think it should’ve been pointed out clearly that’s all. It was presented to me as a like for like swap which is isn’t.

@TheHaveN0tsnot everyone who can’t do their own shopping in store is a “lazy moo” 😂

@pepsirolla

I wonder how thorough they shop anyway. I ordered a click and collect shop at sainsburys. I wanted currants for a cake I received an email at 9am saying currants our of stock.Went to collect it at 10am and popped into shop too for other bits, there was a shelf full of currants! Doubt it had just been restocked.

They don't necessarily pick the order in the store you collect from.

I think in the way that it was presented at the door I would probably have accepted the subs too. It's rare that you get the time to check ingredients at the time but I probably would have done before cooking them.

Tesco will normally refund something which you later find to damaged or unsuitable. I've found them to be quite good that way.

You can select 'no substitutions'.

You probably should have checked that they were gluten free first but I agree it’s thoughtless to swap with a vegan item. I once had quorn nuggets subbed for real ones, it was the first and last time I shopped with Asda.

Ultimately it's up to you to control what you eat.

Either don't accept substitutions or ensure that if you do get subs then you check them to make sure they are suitable. It's not up to min wage staff on incredibly tight timescales to do this for you.