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?

😂

I’d complain too actually. OP was following the rules, was attempting to make a legally allowed transaction and was denied because a member of staff thought wrongly. As well as ‘it might have been your nan’, it might have been someone who had made a huge personal effort to get out and to the supermarket, not everyone is out and running errands every day. There was a thread a few days ago about a poster who left her house and walked around the block for the first time in however long. I know people who because of various disabilities can take a few hours to get ready, and the shopping is their only semblance of ‘normality’ in a world filled with carers and medical equipment and hearing the word ‘no’ too often.

Complain if you feel up to it OP.

Pop into M&S and ask Aiden if he'll pick up scratchies for you.

Actually, I disagree. They’re not allowed to knowingly do this, but they can’t police it either. A complaint allows the manager to make sure the employee understands that. No compensation or outcome will be given to OP, but not everything needs to lead to ‘something’ but feedback is important. Probably why I don’t like the word complaint to begin with - it’s feedback.

Is this that poster! I hope so

Personally I would complain because
a. It’s horrible to be wrongly accused of something
b. You might need to go into the shop again and you’d be aware that if you saw that assistant they’d remember you as a gambling addict and a liar
c. You might see that assistant in other places and you’d have the same issue plus she might tell others . Depending on where you live, word gets around

Edited to add that I’ve read the post below about framing this as feedback rather than a complaint

Oh I bet they’ve had an incident and all been on a refresher training course re. policy and legalities. Our Sainsburys went through a spell of taking the “think 25” alcohol policy several steps too far - I had a bottle of wine confiscated from me like a naughty teenager because I didn’t have any ID despite being in my 40’s and buying it with a weekly food shop, and similar happened to a guy in front of me who spent over £150 on a food shop, must have been well in his 50’s and got his 4 bottles of beer confiscated. Now the staff on our customer service desk have started huffing when you return clothes, like it’s my fault they haven’t reopened the changing rooms since lockdown!! I shop there less and less these days.

Or he’s a secret kleptomaniac and you just don’t know about it - pretty good cover for the wife don’t you think?

You can buy 10 but the system declines any more than that. There is no rule that says you cant come back later and buy more, AFAIK.
The 10 cards limit rule is in place by the national lottery to discourage people from gambling addiction.
Its not the cashiers job to decide who can buy them.
Speak to the manager about it

I buy them once a year for crackers at Christmas. Needed 16. She sold me ten. Then said I had to go back (in very long queue) for the next six.

nice people in queue let me go straight back in and I got my once a year scratch cards

I would have been complaining to customer services (or the manager actually) there and then. What a cheek the assistant had. Plus she was mistaken about you too.

Aww that was very kind of them!

If they have a store polocy of limiting it to then, then the customer services person did the right thing if thry believed op to have been in earlier. Similar to if thry thought she was under 25 and didn't have ID. Trying to get them in trouble because you couldn't buy scratch cards because they were trying to do their jobs is petty

As someone who works in customer services, we'd just say sorry about that and move on to the next email!

It's 10 per transaction the colleague is wrong even if you did buy earlier which I know you didn't. I don't even see how they would remember someone.

But it's very easy to say you've not been in when you have. There policy is to limit it. It's a non essential item. Op could have put the cash in the card or got something elseTgey we're doing their job and using their judgement, much like ID"ing me on my 30th birthday, me not having ID and having to get my bf to go in later and buy me alcohol 😂

Incorrect. Customers may purchase 10 cards in one transaction.
They may come back again and buy more. Colleagues dont "use their judgement" on this. As long as the customer passes the think 25/has valid ID they can have the scratchcards

Exactly. What a present to buy someone - here have a gambling addiction for your birthday. Lose all your friends and family and become destitute. Nice!

I hardly think that giving a scratch card or two in a birthday card will lead to a life of misery and destitution.

@pinkdyno - has this happened to anyone that had one of your crackers?

I love a scratchcard every now and again but I havent developed an addiction. I like i nice glass or two of wine as well but im not an alcoholic 😉

Don't let it go. Again, who do staff in shops think they are, there seems to be more and more complaints about useless rude supermarket staff. Inform the manager that the staff need better glasses and get a letter of apology. They would be able to check the CCTV.

I had a “38 item bag check” in Tesco yesterday where she very methodically took a few items from each bag and laid the whole lot out on a special table like when they suspect drugs on Nothing to Declare. I was questioned very slowly and carefully before ‘the process’ began about if I was sure there weren’t any items I’d forgotten to scan 🫠

The basket cheque isnt instigated by the colleague. Trust me we hate them just as much as the customers do

Ohhhh I love that show but ALSO I think you lucked out there with the laying out. I just get the grab and throw back in the bag when I’ve spent the whole shop packing as I go with Tetris precision 🤣

It was the laying out that irked me! 🤣 She set it all up on the table like a bloody display! 🫣