Fucking cheating bastards Sainsbury’s and their substitute price promise

[firsttimemama]

I have had Sainsbury’s delivery for years. In the last few months I have noticed they have been ripping me off, on this scheme. Anyone else notice? So I order 6 x juice carton at say £3, not in stock, they send 3 instead, cost £2, so no refund, same with dog food. I order 5 kg because it is better value than 2.5kg, they sub me with 1 x 2.5 kg, lower cost, but not cheaper IYSWIM. They used to send 2 x2 5 kg to make the ordered quantity, and give me back the price difference. Not I see this happening so often, it can only be a policy change IMO. Also not price match on alcohol, they keep that very quiet when they sent me a £22 bottle of Baileys instead a £10 one on offer. We are being squeezed all around!

It happens with Asda as well, a couple of times l ordered 6 cartons of Smartprice soya milk & it was subbed for only 2 cartons of Alpro brand. Luckily as I only buy the long life ones I had some spare already so was able to reject them.
I read an article years ago (can't find it now) by someone who used to work in the industry, saying that none of them charge anything like what it actually costs them to pick and deliver orders, so I am just grateful that they provide the service so cheaply. I live over 30 minutes drive from any supermarket, it saves me loads of time & using midweek slots I only pay £1.75 or £2 for an Asda delivery, or £1 for a Sainsburys saver slot.
Here is an article which mentions how unprofitable it is for supermarkets
https://www.ft.com/content/b985249c-1ca1-41a8-96b5-0adcc889d57d

although this one l just found says due to higher demand during lockdown it became less costly for them, wonder if that still applies
https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/online/cost-of-delivering-online-orders-halved-during-pandemic-says-report/655031.article

I ALWAYS tick No substitutions. Because the random substitutes would irritate me immensely, just like you @AllyCatTown

Sometimes, it’s these little seemingly trivial things which send my blood pressure soaring!

I've noticed this. Also
Sainsburys seem to like to try it on with vastly more expensive substitutes. If I notice I try to then send the whole lot back.
Had some £3 vitamins ordered this week, they substituted with £12 ones! I sent that back and will buy from elsewhere. Bit cheeky they charge you full price and offer a coupon for higher priced substitutes.

Side with the villain? Eh? I just told you that they have a policy and shared it, I didn’t write it. Next time, read the small print beforehand to see if their policy suits you or not.

Sorry @PanPacificBallroomChampion and @containsnuts, I didn’t mean to include you in that villian comment. Your responses have been fair and balanced. I do disagree with @YellowTreeHouse though, I believe it is a definite shift in how they have instructed their pickers to substitute items, as it is happening all too frequently of late. This was not the case before. And yes short dates much more common now. And the reason I make a food order is because we need food. I cannot reject items that I need to feed my family because Sainsbury’s have been underhanded in their supply. This Is not a complaint about actual swapped substitutes, but where they have the product I ordered but they deliberately send me it at a smaller quantity and higher price point so I have to pay more than I should. Remember I am paying for them to pick and deliver my order -I would expect them to do a good job.

Thank you @firsttimemama I think it might depend on what part of the country you’re in as I haven’t had the same experience as you. But businesses are squeezing more and more from their staff and customers so it could be just a matter of time until it is.

Again, 180,000 employees. If their policy was to stiff you, someone would have talked.

You also get short dates because pickers are really short on time and just take the closest to the front rather than rooting at the back for the longest dates like they’re supposed to.

@YellowTreeHouse You seem to be under the impression that supermarkets are some sort of benevolent organisation, not tightly controlled machines with people specifically employed to maintain their profits!

Incorrect. Of course they want to maximise profits - they’re a business.

However they are not deliberately scamming customers as OP is claiming.

If the substitutes are not what you want or accept just say no, not acceptable.

@AdoraBell seriously what is the point of that response. I have explained I need the product that has been sent, so much so, that I need it in a higher quantity, and I will have ordered it a price point that I am prepared to pay, however they send me the item in a lower quantity and at a higher price point, they kind of have me over a barrel really. If I returned all the subs when they now do this, a significant part of my order would be missing, how does that help me. I just want them to sub the ordered quantity of the item by sending 2 x the quantity- like they used to. Like I am paying them to do. It is not a difficult concept to grasp.

Also what is this inconsistency and incorrect nonsense now, in not refunding price differences, on alcohol. I have read the T&Cs it is not excluded from this policy, although it is now excluded from the nectar scheme now. How many people have been shorted on this too?

I just ordered 82 beers (about £100) from Sainsbury's for our wedding. I read the sub email quickly as I was busy at work, the alternative beers all sounded very comparable to what we ordered, but I didn't have time to do the sums on the various different sizes packs (and wrongly assumed Sainsbury's would offer a fair amount). It was only after my SO took in the delivery that I realised nearly 50% is missing!!! Paid for 82 beers, got 50 for the same price. Customer service see no issue with that, and blaming me for not stopping my work day and doing the sums. They are offering no resultion.
How do they think they can get away with robbery like that without loosing a customer for life?

This annoys the shit out of me and I’ve now ticked the no subs for everything due to this. If they have swapped something for a cheaper item they need to be refunding the difference. Not issuing an electronic voucher that expires after 2 or 3 months and i think you have to remember to use it at your next shop rather than it being automatic. It’s greedy, they’re hoping people lose the money and they get something for nothing.

Though on a plus when I was still getting substitutions I’ve had a couple of occasions where I’ve declined the sub on the doorstep and the guy said they’d refund but I could keep it anyway as it was a fridge item. Though no idea if I got an actual refund or a voucher which I’d have forgotten to use!