Waitrose limited selection for shielding customers

[Egghead68]

I’ve finally managed to get a shielding Waitrose delivery slot but it says they are offering a “restricted range”.

This includes - no cheese of any kind, no yoghurts except alpro, virtually no cakes except gluten free, no pizzas, no read meals, no white wine, only one type of red wine.

And yet, if you search for these products outside the “vulnerable booking slots” they have plenty.

IABU to find this extremely discriminatory?

(and yes I know it is a first world problem etc. but it still pisses me off).

That's really strange.

Maybe it comes from a different depot so there are different items available?

Waitrose seems to be the only supermarket slot I can get for my 88 year old dad and stepmum and then it's only click and collect but safer and less time consuming for me. No restrictions at all and plenty of different wine! Are you able to book one of theses slots and collect for them?

It’s for me as I am shielding. I can’t collect.

The restricted range for vulnerable people might not be nationwide but it certainly seems to apply where I am.

Waitrose have made it quite clear what their priorities are.

Lots of well off, high spending long term customers over 70 seem to have access to the full range.

I’m a very well-off high-spending younger person but because I’m shielding it seems they have no interest in keeping me happy...

Yes my 70-something parents have no restrictions, although they do live in a different area.

You haven't somehow clicked on some restricted diet/allergy button, have you?

I fit that category, apart from well-off. I would say I'm comfortably off, and Waitrose are coming tomorrow. We had some very lean years when all the children (4) were young, so I don't feel guilty about not having to count the pennies now.

*You haven't somehow clicked on some restricted diet/allergy button, have you?"

That - I'm a picker at Waitrose and there are no limited ranges afaik

You haven't somehow clicked on some restricted diet/allergy button, have you?

I don’t think so but it is worth checking. Thank you.

@ikeairgin do you work in London? It might be just in my region.

I just checked and I definitely haven’t checked any restricted diet option.

It does sound like you are inside the healthy eating section! Are you on a computer or phone? Are you are sure you are not in a subsection of the website e.g.
Home - Groceries - Health, Free From & Specialist Eating

No I checked again. I get this sort of message:

Have you selected a large store? For example in my town we have a big store and a little one.

Yes the flagship store.

For comparison, here’s the top of the desserts selection if I don’t log on as a shielded customer.

Oh - the picture seems to have been deleted. Anyhow it showed lots of desserts (including “freefrom” desserts).

When I could still get a Tesco slot, I noticed that the selection was more restricted when I logged in, than when I searched without logging in, I assumed it was because my local store didn’t have everything in stock, but stores local to other people would have other things in stock. Are you sure it’s not just that your local Waitrose doesn’t have much available? Is there anyone else who lives near to you, who isnt shielding and could log in and check?

I am in the shielding group and have been offered slots with Tesco, Asda, and Morrison's.. no restrictions. I would change supplier ..

@Tulipstulips you might be right.

@disorganisedsecretsquirrel - yes I am also with Tesco’s and they have been great. Super-helpful delivery people and a good selection.

I don’t know what was going on but it’s all back to normal this morning. I’ve managed to order both pizza and cheese (and macarons, ice-cream, chocolate...) so all good.

Yay for pizza and cheese!
I’m guessing it was a bug rather than a deliberate choice.

Yes I think so - thank goodness!