To think my friend is wrong and this can't be classed as stealing?

[Keyansier]

Whenever I order a home delivery from Tesco I always get a refund on stuff that they have substituted in exchange for what I originally ordered to get money back and to keep the food, sometimes when I genuinely dislike their substitute choice or sometimes when I just want some money back.

My friend said "that is what is known as stealing". I replied "HOW can it be stealing when I call up and ask for a refund and it's at their discretion if they give one or not?" Also, I used to work in a few call centres and so probably speak to people who work at call centres politer than most other people, so that might factor their decision to give me refunds.

Unless someone tells me that they work for Tesco on the call centres and they are obliged to give everyone a refund that asks for one but they will later be punished or sacked for it if they say yes, then I can't see what the issue is if they say yes? I don't shout, or threaten or rant. I ask nicely and they say yes. If they were to ever say no, I'd simply say "okay then" and that would be that. So how is it stealing?

I just can't believe in this day and age someone would begrudge someone free food. Their tagline is "Every Little Helps". This is helping me. If they didn't want to help, they can easily say no. Or AIBU and out of touch?

3,816 litres of milk??? Are going to make the worlds biggest rice pudding?

I don't do it for pointless things like that. For instance, I ordered a pack of toilet rolls and they sent me a smaller pack and charged me for the smaller pack - I didn't ring and ask for a refund as I would still obviously use what they sent. But when I ordered meat and they send me stuffed mushrooms in exchange.. well?

And if you are genuinely not getting an email, AND not getting a delivery note, AND the driver isn't going through the substitutions (so unlikely) then all you have to do is take notice of what you're taking out of the crates. You'd know if you hadn't ordered it surely

sometimes when I just want some money back

I just can't believe in this day and age someone would begrudge someone free food.

You know full well it's stealing.

I get Tescos home delivery and they send me a message before delivery saying there are substitutes and to return them to driver if I don’t want them. So you’re given notice. And the driver always asks me on delivery if I know there are substitutes and if I want to keep them. The system must be broken where you live if they allow this. In fact, I’m going to flag it to Tesco to check whether this happens, and whether on a regular basis. No wonder prices go up when we have a bunch of people who think it’s okay to falsely ask for refunds for something they’ve kept!

IME (different supermarket!) you only get to keep the item and get a refund if it's defective in some way e.g. mince which has one day to go on it (IF you spot it obvs!), mushy fruit or a box of eggs with one broken. The driver has asked us in the past if we want to keep something as it's unsellable and will be thrown. If the item is in perfect condition they take it back.

I get emailed receipts after it's been delivered

I dont believe for one minute that your drivers are too much in a rush to tell you about substitutions, it is pretty much the first thing they say.

What is the stealing part if I ask them if I can have some money back and they say yes? Which part of that is the stealing part? That's my point.

@Keyansier
You have the option to hand back a sub and get a refund. The fact they have to give the benefit of the doubt over the phone does not make it right. This will get applied to the proces for the rest of us. I mark things as do not substitute if I’m bothered and I give back the ones I don’t like. You can also reduce the chance of a bad sub by asding a note to tha specific item e.g. ‘not brand x’

sometimes I don't like the substitutes,

absolutely fine.

and sometimes it is just to get a refund

Stealing.

This reminds me of the thread where someone said they open up all the mixed weight eggs and swap them around to put all the biggest ones in their box.
They were saying after a comment from a friend, are they unreasonable or was the friend!
The ultimate point is, just because you can do something, and because you can justify it in your own mind, doesn't make it ok by other people!

I don't think you'd be found guilty in a court of law, no.
Is it deceitful? Yes.

And you see, you've shown us that you're deceitful now, so I don't actually believe you when you say that you've never received either an email or a printed list of substitutions or that the driver has never said anything. Because you're simply not trustworthy.

And it doesn't matter what I think of course...but you're showing your friends who you are too, and that might matter.

I have no reason to lie. I've not once been asked.

You're stealing. You know you're stealing. Your friend knows you're dtealing. Now everyone on MN knows too.

People like you are increasing the costs for everyone else. It is very dishonest even if it is not within the legal definition of theft.

I actually used to work in the call centre on the grocery home shopping line for tesco. You'd click on one page and all the customers refunds come back in a list. So no doubt you'd have a huge long list of refunds. The person you're talking to knows you're a scammer/CF and I just used to shake my head at these people and refund.

Tesco didn't treat us well enough for us to actually care. There were the odd few times I'd get a little indignant about it though and argue the point. But yeah, the person on the phone probably just can't be bothered getting into it and just refunds. Less hassle. It doesn't mean what you're doing is right.

Because you are essentially lying. They refund unwanted substitutions and you are asking for a refund on something you're happy with and intend to use.

But this whole post is about you lying, why would anyone believe a word you say when you have proven you are a liar? 🤣

The kind of person that does this is also the kind of person that would kick off at the poor staff on the phone if they refused to give you a refund.

So you get refunded the whole amount of the substituted item and keep the item?

Yes, because Tesco can't sell the item to anyone else. They throw it away.

Tesco are pretty good, they automatically refund the difference if they substitute with a cheaper item, and they don't charge extra if they substitute with a more expensive item.

The drivers usually ask at the time if you want to keep substitutions or return/refund any, or you can call afterwards for a refund. Drivers usually prefer customers to keep the items even with a refund, it's less hassle for them.

I only ask the driver (or Tesco) to refund a product if it's something I really can't use.

Surprised Tesco let you get away with it! However if you had actually handed it back to the driver presumably it is wasted, it can't be used again anyway? Even with something solid / non perishable, they can't take the risk of sending it in another delivery.

No wonder grocery costs are spiralling upwards with CFery like this. I hope Tesco close this loophole asap.

How much is the refund for?? It’s can’t be more than £1-£2? I can’t imagine being bothered enough to make a phone call for the sake of a £1-£2 refund, the people in the call centre probably think you’re ridiculous.

I can’t really believe you think this is okay behaviour