Tesco R2C Blues

Debt_Tired

Why do supermarkets R2C (Reduced to Clear) food when their staff sometimes (maybe?) treat its more thrifty (and less well off) customers with suspicious contempt?

Let’s face it, times are tough and bargains are essential, both to make ends meet and also because knowing that you’ve bought something for a fraction of the full price makes us feel good (be it clothes, DVDs or food).

I shop at Tesco Extra in Hull. I enjoy shopping at this store, because it has virtually everything I need and the staff are brilliant – a rich and diverse cross-section of Hull’s vibrant population. I’ve even asked about working their myself. I shop at Tesco Extra because it’s handy (only 20p bus fare to bring my shopping home – down from £2.40 when I shopped at ASDA).

But what upsets me is that I constantly get the feeling that I am being judged for being a bargain hunter. Like most Tesco stores, R2C items are reduced by around 10% during the day, with a final reduction made around 6pm. This is when you can really bag a bargain (£3.99 chilled ready-meals going for 80p, etc.). I don’t hunt for R2C bargains every day of the week, nor every week of the year, but when I find myself in the right place at the right time, I will often see what’s on offer. And that’s when the problems start. Call it intuition or paranoia, but I often feel that I’m being watched or commented on for being thrifty.

I’m unemployed (long-term) and I often find myself being judged by people who don’t know me. They only go on appearance or rumour: “there’s that same man again…”

Thing is, I’m always courteous towards the staff, who quite frankly have a really tough time of it. The R2C shelves at Hull’s Tesco Extra are no place to be if your claustrophobic, and I do feel sorry for the store assistants, as dozens of us bargain hunters go in for the kill. While it might not be dog eat dog, I can understand why some Tesco staff resent that particular task – being jostled and badgered to reduce this item and that.

But should I be made to feel unwelcomed?

There have been times when I have walked down the isle towards the R2C section only for the young store assistant to glance up and walk away. Other staff have done the same. Is it wrong being an eager bargain hunter? I honestly don’t agree with those who shift through retail bins or badger staff to reduce an item that has already been reduced. I am truly grateful for what has been reduced and I wait my turn to rummage through the various shelves looking for sometime enticing.

Maybe the network of retailers in Hull pass on details of bargain hunters in the same manner that they share intelligence on thieves and beggars? Being a Sushi junkie, meant that until recently Boots was another port of call. On Fridays and Saturdays (4pm onwards) they use to reduce for salads and sushi to 75p per pack. Not any more though. Add various BOGOFS or other R2C delights I reckon that in a good year I save around £1,200 on groceries. But this thriftiness comes at a price. I’m made to feel guilty and unloved.

Has anyone else been given the cold shoulder by their local supermarket? Apart from treating both retailer and fellow shoppers with respect, can anyone suggest ways to improve my lot (apart from get a job)? Or am I being paranoid and should apologise to some really nice people?

ivfmummy

I really wouldn't let it bother you, I'm sure they're not judging you. Loads of people go and look through the reduced things. There a man who was always in Sainsburys going through the reduced items and buying as many as he can. I love a bargain and really wouldn't care if the staff didn't like it.

Hx

jaytin

I have found this kind of snooty attitude most often in Tesco for some reason, but it happens a lot less in Asda, often the person doing the reductions ends up with a crowd around them and in Asda they seem to treat this as a great laugh and are very good natured about the whole thing. One Asda employee we saw close to the christmas holiday closing had a pile of bar-coded stickers and was shouting that all reduced items were now 25p and to bring them all to get stickered! It was total chaos with people grabbing piles of pizzas and bags of cold meat!
I remember one Tesco we used to shop in had this really snooty middle-aged woman, we would avoid her check-out like the plague, she was just horrible!

dazzer68

well the store could stop reducing the over ordered stock, throw it all away, have huge stock losses, and then get closed down for not being a profitable store.So your doing them a favour by buying it! keep on buying it.
we have a new tesco just oepend by us, and their first mark down is to knock 4p off!? who buys any thing nearly out of date with 4p knocked off, the sticker must cost more to reprice it!

woohoo_postingid

Trust me, the managers will love you - You're cutting down on their wastage.

They would rather sell a 20p item for 10p than throw it away. You carry on!

Any

I shop at Tesco near my work (convinience) and I always look through the reduced items. And I am not the only one - there is always a crowd.

My friend's sister works at M&S and the staff always goes through all the reduced stuff and take what they like first (they have extra 20% off staff discount) so I seriously doubt any of them are looking down at you for bargain hunting..

Nine_Bob_Note

woohoo_postingid wrote: »

Trust me, the managers will love you - You're cutting down on their wastage.

They would rather sell a 20p item for 10p than throw it away. You carry on!

lol my manager (tesco express) said he would rather throw it away than give it away. so wrong isn't it

Nine_Bob_Note

Debt_Tired wrote: »

Why do supermarkets R2C (Reduced to Clear) food when their staff sometimes (maybe?) treat its more thrifty (and less well off) customers with suspicious contempt?

Let’s face it, times are tough and bargains are essential, both to make ends meet and also because knowing that you’ve bought something for a fraction of the full price makes us feel good (be it clothes, DVDs or food).

I shop at Tesco Extra in Hull. I enjoy shopping at this store, because it has virtually everything I need and the staff are brilliant – a rich and diverse cross-section of Hull’s vibrant population. I’ve even asked about working their myself. I shop at Tesco Extra because it’s handy (only 20p bus fare to bring my shopping home – down from £2.40 when I shopped at ASDA).

But what upsets me is that I constantly get the feeling that I am being judged for being a bargain hunter. Like most Tesco stores, R2C items are reduced by around 10% during the day, with a final reduction made around 6pm. This is when you can really bag a bargain (£3.99 chilled ready-meals going for 80p, etc.). I don’t hunt for R2C bargains every day of the week, nor every week of the year, but when I find myself in the right place at the right time, I will often see what’s on offer. And that’s when the problems start. Call it intuition or paranoia, but I often feel that I’m being watched or commented on for being thrifty.

I’m unemployed (long-term) and I often find myself being judged by people who don’t know me. They only go on appearance or rumour: “there’s that same man again…”

Thing is, I’m always courteous towards the staff, who quite frankly have a really tough time of it. The R2C shelves at Hull’s Tesco Extra are no place to be if your claustrophobic, and I do feel sorry for the store assistants, as dozens of us bargain hunters go in for the kill. While it might not be dog eat dog, I can understand why some Tesco staff resent that particular task – being jostled and badgered to reduce this item and that.

But should I be made to feel unwelcomed?

There have been times when I have walked down the isle towards the R2C section only for the young store assistant to glance up and walk away. Other staff have done the same. Is it wrong being an eager bargain hunter? I honestly don’t agree with those who shift through retail bins or badger staff to reduce an item that has already been reduced. I am truly grateful for what has been reduced and I wait my turn to rummage through the various shelves looking for sometime enticing.

Maybe the network of retailers in Hull pass on details of bargain hunters in the same manner that they share intelligence on thieves and beggars? Being a Sushi junkie, meant that until recently Boots was another port of call. On Fridays and Saturdays (4pm onwards) they use to reduce for salads and sushi to 75p per pack. Not any more though. Add various BOGOFS or other R2C delights I reckon that in a good year I save around £1,200 on groceries. But this thriftiness comes at a price. I’m made to feel guilty and unloved.

Has anyone else been given the cold shoulder by their local supermarket? Apart from treating both retailer and fellow shoppers with respect, can anyone suggest ways to improve my lot (apart from get a job)? Or am I being paranoid and should apologise to some really nice people?

i have to admit i have given some customers funny looks when they are at r2c but only the ones that complain the item isn't reduced enough, the ones that follow you around the store while your reducing stock and taking things off the trolly before i've even had chance to put it on the shelf or the people that try to haggle.

sorry im sure we dont really mean it. probably just want to get home!

wannabe

I know exactly what you mean. I love to get a bargain but sometimes find the staff will intentionally delay the reductions and you hear then commenting on the people. Mind you my now ex husband called me 'cheap' for buying a reduced item of food and told me not to expect him to eat it. I hope he is enjoying his full priced food in his studio flat lol

clutterydrawer

wannabe wrote: »

I hope he is enjoying his full priced food in his studio flat lol

That genuinely made me laugh out loud :rotfl:

I have never seen shop staff giving me "funny looks" for buying reduced goods. I'm pretty sure they have better things to do with their time. but then when I'm shopping I tend to be looking at the items, so if staff were watching me I wouldn't even know

I have a few friends who work at tesco and they get most of their food off the R2C at the end of their shift.