Sainsbury's, Is this right?

MrJuggles

Hi there,
As you can see I'm not a regular poster I'm more of a lurker, so I really don't know if this is in the right area.
Could anyone guide me on whether sainsbury's are allowed to advertise goods at a reduced price but charge more than origional price? They have done this once or twice before and I tried emailing the comapny but they gave a vaugue answers.
Basically Sainbury's have those multi packs of alchohol that can be (for this example) 18 Cans of Stella for £9.98 (55p per can more or less) then on a trolley at the end of the aisle the exact same product is being in seperate cans for 65p each and a big label saying "REDUCED TO CLEAR" I feel like I'm becoming an old Vistor Meldrew but this can't be right :mad: When I think about complaining I know I don't know the full law and also worry it'll make me sound like an alcholic (I've only noticed it on the beer aisle :beer:) Can they do this?
Cheers for any help
MrJuggles

TomsMom

[QUOTE=MrJuggles;14993963

Basically Sainbury's have those multi packs of alchohol that can be (for this example) 18 Cans of Stella for £9.98 (55p per can more or less) then on a trolley at the end of the aisle the exact same product is being in seperate cans for 65p each and a big label saying "REDUCED TO CLEAR" [/QUOTE]

Do you mean that they are advertising the 18 cans for £9.98 but do not have any, just the separate cans for 65p each? Or do you mean they have both offers?

If they have both offers then it is up to the customer to work out the better buy and not be fooled. This happens frequently, e.g. a large pack of cat food can sometimes work out more expensive than buying two smaller packs. We need to be on our toes, I always check that I'm getting the best deal with offers by comparing the prices of other sizes/offers on the shelf.

If you mean they've advertised the 18 cans for £9.98 and they have none, it could be a case of they have sold out. You could go to Customer Services and ask if they have a rain check policy (whereby if they are out of stock of an offer they will let you have it at the offer price when it comes back in stock).

I wouldn't bother e-mailing in the first instance. If you're in the store and notice this then go to Customer Services to discuss it. If you have no joy then take it further.

MrJuggles

It's not that they have both offers. It's more the fact that they dropped or dinged the box of 18cans (they still have plenty of those) and they have obviouslt seperated them and increased the pricee and then put a big label on saying "reduced to clear"
So they have an 18packed, damage one or two and boost the price up. I was wondering if they could increase the price and say reduced. It's a pedantic thought but one that bugs me like a dripping tap.

uktim29

Single items are alway more expensive. How do you know which pack the damaged ones came from? Couldn't they have originally been 4 packs? Doesn't matter anyway, one, it's perfectly legal as it's seperate from the offer. Two, multi packs are always cheaper, the single damaged cans issue doesn't really have much to do with anything.

MrJuggles

Haha, ok it's me being all Victor Meldrew glad I didn't chase it up and make a pillock of myself. I really found myself getting wound up, then wound up because I was wound up. It's old age creeping up on me. I just didn't think they could do that, but I also knew I didn't know. It seems that you can dent a few cans and get a little extra for it.
Well, if it isn't illegal or wrong I won't go in on my white stead and champion anyone's rights, phew!!:rotfl:

Butlers1982

I tried emailing the comapny

Now you have been told by UKtim that they arent doing anything illegal, I bet you wont be emailing them to appologise for your misunderstanding though . . . .

lynnexxxo

Doesn't it give the consumer choice? You can buy 18 cans for 55p each or if you only want two cans then its 65p each?

uktim29

lynnexxxo wrote: »

Doesn't it give the consumer choice? You can buy 18 cans for 55p each or if you only want two cans then its 65p each?

Exactly. I'm sure 4 packs of Stella aren't far off £4 each which would make it £1 per can. The less you buy the more it costs, if they were sold as singles they'd probably end up being £1.25 so 65p is more or less half price but then they're damaged. You can't go comparing the price of singles to the price of each item in multi packs because they're not sold seperately.

MrJuggles

Butlers1982 wrote: »

Now you have been told by UKtim that they arent doing anything illegal, I bet you wont be emailing them to appologise for your misunderstanding though . . . .

Haha, nah I'll skip that one. I guess I'll have to reside myself to chuntering under my breath.:D

spuds_2

It is a bit annoying, but it's perfectly legal I think. Split up, the cans should be 55p a can - but they are charging 65p, so it's not 'reduced' other than being cheaper than a full-price single can.

On the other hand I got a couple of large two-pack Pritt sticks for 24p each at Sainsburys last week, so I am liking Mr S's at the minute.