to think supermarkets dump short life food on their on-line customers?

[cerealqueen]

.......or just really cynical? Just opened a large new tub of butter- like- spread and saw it was already out of date and in fact when it was delivered, we only had three days to consume it in. I'd expect a few weeks on the use by date at least.

Rang the supermarket (is it libel to say which?) who asked me what I expected them to do about it? How about apologise and refund me?? They then said that it was policy for the staff picking the food to pick food with a long shelf life and that an email would go to the store concerned. Funnily enough he did not take any of my details to do this.

Do the supermarkets pick food near its sell by date on purpose? You do have to wonder.

[BelleDeChocolateFluffyBunny]

Goodness, why don't you try Ocado? They actually tell you how long your food should last for before you order it, the used by dates are on the reciept aswell so you can just stick it on the fridge door.

Change your online supermarket, I bet it's Tesco as I used to have this problem with them all the time. I'd never go back. There's a discount code for Ocado on here somewhere.

[Pozzled]

We had a delivery fairly late at night one time (maybe 9-10pm?) and got a fresh chicken which was best before that day. I mean, come on...
Got a refund for that one as it was so stupid, but in general I find they're not too bad.

[IwishIwasmoreorganised]

I use Tesco regularly and have never had this problem with things like margarine.

Anything like fruit or cold meat that has got a date that is "shorter than they would like" gets flagged up as such on the delivery summary so it'seasy to send it back if you're not going to be able to use it on time.

[gaelicsheep]

I don't trust online shopping for this very reason. I'm not sure it's deliberate as such, but I'd like to bet the shoppers don't take as much care as I do. I've given it a go a few times and I always go back to doing it myself. (We can't get Ocado up here.)

[123andaway]

I had a tesco shop delivered today and three items had been flagged on the delivery summary as going out of date either tomorrow or the following day. All three were either fresh fruit or bread, stuff that you would expect to have a short date anyway. I don't know if it's new to flag it I've not noticed it before, but to answer your question, no I've never had a problem with short date stuff and pretty much all my shopping is delivered.

[Hulababy]

Ocado is great for avoiding this IME. I love my reciept that even comes with shelf life of items on them.

[cerealqueen]

I looked at Ocado but in comparison, its more expensive as we buy quite a lot of own branded stuff as its cheaper. So no, we wont be going to Ocado.

[McDreamy]

I don't use Tesco for this reason.

[SloanyPony]

In which case you either swallow it or do your shopping yourself, in that a picker wont necessarily forage around the back of the shelf for the longer life stuff for you. I dont think they deliberately give old stuff to online but they wont forage around the back either.

As far as I'm aware all the supermarkets except Ocado just pack your shop from what's on the shop floor. As long as its in date when they deliver it, they have fulfilled their contract, though its not what I'd call good customer service, I wouldn't use the service.

(I use Ocado who I love but I know that's not an option for you)

[nigglewiggle]

Have you looked at the Ocado Essentials range?

[GlastonburyGoddess]

Ive only tried online shopping once-tescos and it totally put me off for this exact reason, whats the point in ordering bread/bakery products which go out of date on the day theyre delivered? got a refund but had to go shopping anyway to replace products that had gone out of date.

[cerealqueen]

yes gaelicsheep, suppose they won't take as much care as we might. I think perhaps I am really cynical!
I've seen short life stuff flagged but not for butter/margarine etc which should have a few weeks not days. If the customer service had been better in response then I'd not be so bothered.

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

I use Ocado too and never have this problem.

I know you say you can't afford to use them, but surely if you are wasting food because it's too close to use by date when it is delivered then that is costing you money?

[MrsDinky]

I would never use Sainsburys again for this reason, even if you can refuse things, it defeats the object if you then have to go shopping for replacements. I use Ocado sometimes and love it, have never had a substitution from them either.

[MollieO]

I stopped using Tesco when they did this to me. Got most of a £100 order free but so much was the next day sell by date that it was ridiculous. Told Tesco that I didn't shop on line to get free food I did it for convenience which was pointless.

[Baconsarnie]

I've also stopped using Tesco for this same reason. For fresh food at least. But you should ring them again and demand at least a refund on your spread. I've done this a few times and always found the customer service people great. It's a shame the pickers aren't as good. Ocado is great, but expensive. I use their Essentials range and also they often offer 15% off orders over £75 if it's midweek.

[MrsC2010]

Asda are awful for this. Tesco are pretty good, but Ocado is awesome. I heart them.

[fallon8]

some of us dont have ocado,,am i right in thinking thats waitrose?

[BeenBeta]

Sainsbury are very good about this issue and the driver tells you up front which items are short life and gladly take them back if you dont want them. I rate Sainsbury very highly for online delivery.

[amothersplaceisinthewrong]

I am sure online shoppers get less than fresh food - for this reason I never buy fresh stuff online, but find it very useful for all the cleaning stuff, and tins and jars etc.

[tinkletinklelittlestar]

I had bacon that was out of date by 5 days once - it did not look good. I was furious. Sainsburys were ok but I had to take the bacon back to the store to get the refund - it was when they first started doing online delivery though but it happened more than once and it put me off doing it for a while.

[laweaselmys]

Go to the real shop then. Even if you go to a supermarket you are still keeping local people employed (far more than for online services) isn't much negative in that is there?

Maybe it is just me who would rather go out for an hour than be forced to wait in for 2 hours and the dodgy food that I wouldn't've picked off the shelf.