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Tesco now worse than McCrap burgers

By John Hirst

Tesco now worse than McCrap burgers

My argument with Tesco is that its customer service policy stinks.

For example, I have just been into my local Tesco Express on Beverley Road where they sell foodstuff with two labels at a reduced price.

My issue is with the "Display Until" label. The mini-pork pies and the steak pie, both have a "display until 10 Sept 2008" label upon them and are being sold at half price.

According to Gordon, the shop manager, Tesco guidance states that this means they can display the product until one second to midnight on 10 Sept 2008 before removing it off the shelf. However, my view is that is displaying it until 11 Sept 2008.

In my view, until means up to and not on that date.

The Tesco Express is open from 6am until 11pm every day. The doors would be locked and I could not get in past that time being displayed for closing. By the same token, I am stating that "display until 10 Sept 2008" means that by midnight on 9 Sept 2008, those products should no longer be on display on 10 Sept 2008 as they have gone past the until marker. There is a difference between until and on a specific date.

I don't think there is a legal definition of "display until". The Food Standards Agency states:

"Date marks such as 'display until' or 'sell by' often appear near or next to the 'best before' or 'use by' date. They are used by some shops to help with stock control and are instructions for shop staff, not shoppers".

I drew Gordon the shop manager's attention to an "Temporarily out of stock" label where Tesco's own brand of wheat biscuits should be on the shelf. I said, "How long has this shelf been empty?". He replied, "Two months". I asked, why had it not been re-stocked? He replied that Tesco are refusing to supply the product. When I asked if it was available at the main Tesco on Hall Road, which is half hour walk away, he said yes it is. I also asked why pensioners had to get down on their hands and knees and then lay on the floor to reach bread on the lowest shelf at the back, he said it was Tesco policy which shelf products went on. When I asked why did they have four rows of expensive brand name whisky and yet did not stock any Tesco own brand cheap whisky, Gordon said he was following Tesco's orders. I asked, "You mean to tell me that Tesco does not allow its store managers to have discretion?". He replied, "That's right". What is the point of having store managers who are not allowed to manage? Gordon is not a store manager, he's a Tesco lackey.

Gordon tried to tell me that their prices were competitive. However, just down the road, both Aldi and Netto sell cheap brands of spirits whereas Tesco Express does not. Also, Tesco hiked up the price of 8 sausages from £1.00 to £1.25 over night. And yet, Aldi sell 8 sausages for 89p and 99p.

Obviously, Tesco's "Every Little Helps" motto refers to their profits and not prices for customers.

Until, in my view, means up to and not on the day in question notwithstanding being displayed at a reduced rate.

UPDATE: The rise of Lidl Britain during the credit crunch

As supermarkets are accused of above-inflation price hikes, shoppers flock to downmarket rivals with upmarket pretensions. Joanna Blythman reports

"I never used to shop around, but now I'll never go back to Tesco,"

UPDATED UPDATE: Unbloodybelievable! Tesco has only gone and sponsored the Google link to this post. LOL.

Full post as published by prisonlawinsideout on September 10, 2008 (boomark / email).