AIBU to complain after being wrongly refused scratch cards at Sainsbury’s?

[BeeCucumber]

I approached the lottery counter in Sainsbury’s this afternoon to buy a couple of scratch cards to put into a birthday card. The member of staff said I couldn’t purchase anymore, as I had already bought 10 earlier in the day and that was my limit. I told her that I hadn’t been in the supermarket until now but she was adamant that I had bought them. I told her again that it wasn’t me and she said that it must be my twin!

There was a queue building up behind me and I felt quite embarrassed and so I left. Now I’ve had time to think about the incident, I am considering making a complaint.

Do you think it’s worth speaking to Customer Services - or shall I just let it go and buy them elsewhere?

Maybe get some help for your scratchy addiction

It’s annoying but I would just let it go. Not worth your efforts. Also considering you can buy them easily elsewhere.

Mistaken identity, that's all. It's just an inconvenience to you, no biggie I'd just let it drop. Some things are just not worth the hassle of complaining over.

If you were wanting to confirm with them that you are a different person so you could buy the scratch cards I’d say go for it. But if it’s just to complain then why bother?

Does it really matter?

Just go elsewhere.

YABU. Just go elsewhere.

It could be worse. DH apparently has a twin who is a shoplifter. He couldn’t go into our local shop for ages because he would always get accused of being the other guy.

I think it will be a complete waste of time & is not going to achieve anything.

I can understand the grievance but it must either be a law or policy in regards to gambling safeguarding. I'd rather be mistakenly identified if it helps prevent addicts falling further into trouble

Are you saying it’s Sainsbury’s policy that you can only buy 10 a day. As opposed to the national lottery limit of 10 per transaction?.

I’d be surprised, since it relies on the same checkout staff member remembering you. But if it is their policy, then I doubt complaining will help. They’ll presumably already be aware that mistaken identity is a possibility they’re happy to live with.

Thanks for the replies. I will be like Elsa and let it go.

I know this feeling when you are wronged and basically made to feel like crap. I try to tell myself to get over these things too but it isn’t easy. My local Sainsbury’s is small and everyone knows everyone so it would have been so embarrassing if it happened in that supermarket. I totally get it. It would annoy me too.

Yes it's Allwynn's policy (who run the lottery) to safeguard against gambling addiction. They do regular 'test purchases' to make sure retailers are compliant. If you fail Allwyn can remove the terminal.

The rule is 10 scratch cards per transaction. Allwynn doesn't say anything about multiple transactions though - that might just be a sainsburys policy or an individual misunderstanding.

It's worth asking sainsburys for clarification OP. It doesn't need to be worded as a complaint.

Wherever I've worked anything like that eg age restricted the cashier is always advised to err on the side of caution if unsure as better to be safe & refuse the sale.

@BeeCucumber out of interest how many scratch cards were you trying to buy?

I used to get one delivered with my groceries once a week, but now they don't bring them any more. The delivery man said they hadn't been told anything, and Google says it's up to the individual store, but I can't see them on the Sainsbury's site to order one now. I only got one a week, and a few at Christmas to put in stockings, so am a long way from having a gambling problem. Maybe Sainsbury's have changed their policy?

It literally says it in the OP 🙄

I was very patronisingly informed by Tesco customer services lady that I had been "scammed" and she only just stopped short of explicitly calling me stupid when I asked if I could redeem the coupon I had stupidly forgotten to self-scan (i.e. return item, and rebuy with the discount).

I went to and fro with her a bit, remaining polite on the outside, but eventually left empty handed. As the coupon was one of those time-limited, animated barcode ones, it expired, but the manufacturer kindly sent me a replacement link, which I used without any issue at all, all by myself at the self scan the following week.

Every time I go there now I want to tell her "SEEEEE!!! It was fine! Look who's "stupid" now!"

But instead I just grit my teeth and glare at her from a distance, around the corner, where nobody will see me.

@TheBusyMoose - I was trying to buy 2.

Is a couple of scratchcards classed as an addiction?

If they thought she already had 10 then wanted more and felt the need to post online about it asking if she should complain or go elsewhere maybe ops a little addicted to scratchys yeah.

She didn’t already have 10, though, so the comment about addiction is very weird.

I’d be pissed off if I was refused a perfectly legitimate transaction because someone mixed me up with someone else.

I reckon her local stores staff probably know more about how many scratchy op buys than we do.

I reckon OP knows more about how many scratchcards she’s bought than a random shop assistant

Do you not think ..well you clearly don't..
But .
I've never had a scratch card ..I know my personality.
If I got one in a birthday card ..I'd be down a slippery slope, quicker than a rat up a drain pipe .
Thank god no one has ever put one in a card for me

I'm going against the vast majority of replies.

For the sake of a few lines emailed to head office, then yes, I would let them know in a factual email. DH thinks I'm bonkers, but I also email head offices when a staff member has gone above and beyond and helped me in their store.

It might be a simple 'mistaken identity', but then that could have been your nan traipsing around the town trying to find another shop. Why should you be inconvenienced because a staff member doesn't know the correct rules of their job? Surely if selling tobacco and lottery products, the staff member should really know what they are doing???