The supermarket ‘special offers’ that aren’t so special

I shop at Tesco and always buy Dairylea strip cheese for my son. I am absolutely disgusted at the prices of the larger packs of these. You can buy a pack of 4 for 85p, however a pack of 8 will set you back a whopping £2.38!!!!!!! Packs of 12 are £2.82. And yes, you can guess, they hardly ever have any 4 packs available!

On Saturday 27th November 2010 at Sainsbury’s on the Lewes Road, Brighton, I saw this offer:

First Cape Sparkler 75cl
A great value fizz with lemony citrus flavours and a crisp acicity. Try with party snacks.
2 FOR £10. UNIT PRICE £10.99

If you only want one, buy two, save yourself 99p and throw the other away.

My local Tesco is selling individual tins of Tuna chunks in Sunflower oil for 60p per tin (good price). If you buy the better value pack of 4 tins, it costs £3.25p. Der!

I saw two completely daft ones today in Tesco’s store in Gillingham in Kent.

Firstly Bird’s Instant Custard triple pack either normal or low fat were both £1.00 each but Tesco’s had the tempting Any 2 for £2.00!!!

The other really daft one has been going a while now. Tesco’s Antibacterial Handwash. If you buy the standard 500ml bottle with has a plunger type dispenser it is 55p. If you buy the refill pack with out the dispenser it is 70p! 15p, 27% dearer! Who would buy the refill? Also not very green since the plunger uses considerably more plastic/metal and energy to produce over the plain plastic cap on the refill bottle.

Went to Tesco in Cardiff (Grangetown) on 17th Jan. When studying my receipt (I do because they make so many mistakes) I noticed that my four identical purchases of Tetleys 80’s tea bags were charged at different prices 2 at £1.13 and 2 at £1.50. The security guard told me that the self serve scanners were also faulty and often charged reduced items at full price.

I queried the tea bag error with HQ and I have to say that they were extremely nonchalant and adopted a couldn’t care less attitude which was proven in the fact that they were to send a £5 voucher on 27th which hasn’t surfaced and I don’t suppose is every likely to. They said that the fault arose because the Bar coder needed a new printing part!!

I seriously worry about this company as on Jan 14 2007 I was robbed by a member of staff – I was undergoing chemo and taking meds and didn’t notice that he memorised and stole my card then spent £600 plus on it!! The police commented at the time that they were very busy so it would be better if he (the robber) worked until their arresting officer had time to make the arrest –a week later! It wasn’t until our local mp intervened that he was immediately arrested & served 12 mths.

So, a lesson to everyone, wtch out for their staff and- always, always, check Tesco receipts they charge…………..well, whatever they like it seems!

This week at the Sainsbury’s store in Beeston, Nottingham I saw a price label for a First Cape Sparkling Wine at £3.99. Or you could buy 2 bottles for £8.00. I asked a store assistant to confirm the price and her response was that she would be right back to let me know. After waiting 5 – 10 minutes, I thought she would not return and made my way to the checkout tills and pay for my other purchases. At this point I was asked by security if I had taken a photograph. I replied yes and he asked me to delete it. My reponse was yes but where were the notices saying I could not take photographs in store. The situation escalated and ended up with security physically assaulting me and throwing me against the window 3 or 4 times outside the store. I have requested the Police to make a full investigation into the physical assault that happened to me whilst shopping at a Sainsbury’s store. Incredible!

Just been in Sainsbury’s to buy Creme Eggs for the whole business. 2 boxes of 6 for £4.50. Great deal until you look 2 inches left and see 3 Creme Eggs for £1.

Love it.

Thanks for including my contribution, which I sent in response to the article in Which? last year.

We could do with a bit more humour, such as photos of interesting signs, like ‘The stationary department has moved’.

Tesco – squash £1.35 a bottle special offer 2 for £2.75.

We have been into 3 co-op supermarkets today to get a special price offer leg of lamb, not ONE co-op supermarket has this item in stock & do not know when they will be getting them in. so annoying, we live in the Southend area..

Just been to my local Asda in Kingsthorpe, Northampton. Strawberries priced at £1.50 per punnet. Large sign above display: “2 for £3.00”.

I’ve never noticed Waitrose get up to much mischief with their offers, although sometimes the offers on smaller packs of loo roll are a marginally better deal than the simultaneous offers on the “12 for the price of 9” or buy two 9-packs. I think they’ve had a soap-in-a-dispenser which has been a penny cheaper to buy two than to buy one in the past year. The amazing deal is when they have anything on a multibuy offer when those same items are hugely marked down for quick sale (typically fresh fruits/salads – use by today)… there are times when they’re literally paying you to take the produce out of the store!

Went to Tesco tonight…

420g pack of ham £2.49
or 2 for £5.00

:-/

Dettol offer in Waitrose. Two bottles next to each other. Special offer buy 500ml for £1 per bottle next bottle 750ml costs £2.99. You can buy1500 for £3.00 on the special offer.

I would like to see Which do an investigation into Tescos and there amazing ability to ‘accidentally’ charge more (its never less) on so many items. Every other week I have to go to customer services because I was overcharged. Its generally on the special offer type deals. The explanation is always, ‘oh the computer hasnt been updated at HQ’. In my opinion it is deliberate. I have made my complaints to the story manager but they always pass the buck.

Tesco’s store at Riverhead, Kent has an offer on Polish “Selected U Jerdusia Dumplings” – a misprint for U Jedrusia. Individual packets are priced from £1.30 to £1.45, according to variety. The deal is for “Any 2 for £3.50”! I can supply photographs of this generous offer for your gallery.

Tesco’s special noted today – Brandy Sauce (500ml) 93p but get two for £3 !

I was amused by Tesco ‘Happy Easter’ hot cross buns with a use by date of 1 February.

Not a special offer except that they were reduced to 25p on the use by date.

Tesco in Ludlow this week had baby poussin near sell by date reduced to £2.25 buy two for £5. When I pointed this out to the supervisor she seemed quite unable to understand my complaint.

And my local co-op regularly offers cherries for £2 was £4. I love cherries but have never never seen them for £4. Their excuse is that they were offered at the higher price in another store – is this legal?

I was suggested this website by way of my cousin. I’m not positive whether or not this submit is written through him as no one else understand such special about my problem. You’re amazing! Thank you!

In my local ASDA supermarket they were selling a childs’ ‘Mr Funny Face’ boxed game for £2.99. Absolutely brilliant price for a stocking filler which will keep the children amused, however on the same shelf it had ‘buy 2 for £10’. Hmmm even with my limited maths skills this just did not seem like a particularly good offer!!!

Supermarkets agree a new code of practice with the OFT? I wish I may see them stick to it. After watchingthe recent series of Watchdog, with their team of mystery shoppers I wonder whether Which could encourage members to form local teams of mystery shoppers to make regular checks on ther local shops and publish the findings in the local papers. Something on the lines of Which Local. National campaigns to raise awareness are useful but there’s nothing like local pressure to make local supermarket managers see their sales targets at risk from bad publicity.

I live in Ludlow, a small town with a big food culture. We have 3 main supermarkets in the town so a regular recce would not be too arduous. What bout it, Which Members? I’d be glad to help

Morrison have been selling for the last few weeks now spaghetti,95 p a pack for 500g or two 500g packs for £1.50. But you can buy 1KG pack for the normal price of £1.35. Not so great an offer.

I recently bought two bags of five oranges in Tesco because of an offer. One of the unopened bags contains only four fruit.

It looks as if someone needs training in numeracy and I need to be more observant when shopping. 🙁