I hate food shopping, in fact I have a tendency to get bored to the point that I really do not care if we miss half the items on the list, I just want to go home! So you can imagine how I felt about the Christmas food shop I had been avoiding for two days.
Yet, despite my misgivings, I had seriously underestimated the stress and chaos of operation. We had came prepared with list in hand which would have been a practical piece of organisation had the supermarket managed to keep the shelves stocked and we were able to actually buy what we wanted.
That last comment is maybe a little unfair, we were able to buy brussel sprouts, just not in the manner we wanted. Due to there only being about five healthy looking sprouts left we had to buy a large bag instead (who wants a large bag of Brussels sprouts?!) which of course were more expensive.
In fairness, this could be down to the time of our shopping visit which was eight in the evening but surely if a supermarket chooses to be open 24 hours they should be able to provide a full service for 24 hours? I don’t think I’m being particularly unreasonable, I don’t expect them to have EVERYTHING at all hours of the day but you would think I would be able to weigh out the sprouts I want a few days before Christmas.
Enough about greens, what would Christmas be without the Christmas cheese board. Well obviously it is not a priority in my supermarket so they had no one on the deli counter and some awkward gymnastic manouvers were required to get to what I wanted. The supermarket did however have plenty of their pre-selected, pre-packaged, pre-priced £5 or more cheese boards on sale.
Again it was 8pm in the evening you can’t expect the deli counter to be hours the store is open, can you?
So after dodging trolleys and still not finding the tin foil I reach the dairy fridges. Now I am aware that sometimes the milk cartons can leak, nothing is perfect, but I don’t think it is too much to ask that this is cleaned up. The stench of milk which has been sat under the milk shelving for obviously some time immediately makes me want to throw up.
Now I don’t think I’m being a hygiene or clean freak but is it too much to ask that I want to buy my milk from an area that does not make me want to throw up? I know you are a 24 hour store but surely you can find the time somewhere.
I am getting fed up of this so called 24 hour store business to be honest. If you are going to be a 24 hour supermarket and make that something you market yourself on then you have to provide the FULL service 24 hours and that includes the deli and having major items in stock AND keeping the store in a relatively tidy (and smell free) condition.
Whilst agreeing that the bad smell and damaged sprouts is unacceptable, your complaint seems petty in parts. During the recession do you honestly expect a supermarket to pay staff to man a deli counter 24 hours a day, especially when considering the small amount of people who would need their services during the night? There’s more to life, and indeed Christmas, than being able to aquire some cheese at 8pm!
Complaint
Free Range Woodland Eggs – I purchased 6 eggs from Sainsbury’s Local Hayes this week. Unfortunately they are off. I have just made a cake with them and it has been a complete failure due to the eggs obviously being off. I am extremely annoyed as this cake was a present for someone who I know is at present ill. It is so bad I have had to throw it in the bin. Obviously your quality control needs to invesitgate these eggs.
Prosecco – Vino Spumante £6.75 – purchased in Sainsbury’s Local Hayes Christmas eve. I bought two bottles of this wine forr Boxing Day. Unforutnately it is undrinkable and tastes foul. In fact it is only suitable for poring down the drain. Unfortunately I do not have the receipt so I have wasted £13.50 on undrinkable wine.
Christmas stuffings. – in the past I have always bought stuffings from Sainsbury’s. This year your selection was non-existent and was availlable would have only been suitable for one person at £2 per pack. I was very disappointed in what you had on offer for treats at Christmas as well.
ONLY – I am fed up with Sainsbury at the end of isles saying items are only when in fact they have gone up. Eg Gold Blend being put up and making it appear it is on offer when in fact it is more expensive. Also there are offers of items at a £1 and then they are put up eventually by 40p-50p more. I feel Sainsbury’s is conning me and for that reason I now shop mainly at Aldi where it is better value.
A very disappointed customer
Christine Maddy