Tesco refuse to honour £1 off frozen food voucher coupon

Barnetbear

Not for the first time an unsatisfactory experience with Tesco customer care. This one is a first even for them.

Having shopped previously at a Tesco, along with the till receipt they printed an unsolicited money off coupon for a future shop - apparently giving £1 off if £5 is spent in one go on frozen food next time I shopped at a Tesco (certain exclusions apply, along with an expiry date).

Having placed over £5 of frozen food in my trolley and presented the coupon to the checkout operator prior to unloading the items on to the belt, I was annoyed that Tesco's computer refused to accept the coupon. A chat with the store's customer desk said that the voucher applied only to a certain range of new frozen products, not any frozen food. This is not at all obvious from the voucher. Tesco head office refused to reimburse my £1 and frankly that's the last time I give them my custom.
Tesco HQ put me on to Clubcard, Clubcard then put me back on to Tesco, ping ponged and their final response is just an apology for any confusion letter but no reimbursement from them.

I don't know how to upload a photo of the voucher, but I don't think any readers here would detect the voucher applied to any specific frozen food. I have typed a reproduction of the voucher below.

To add insult to injury, after I didn't get my £1 off, the till printed an identical coupon but with a later expiry date. So it seems they are printing these off readily - then making it obscure to meet the criteria.

It's just not on, or rather off, Tesco.

This is a typed approx copy of what the voucher says verbatim:-

Tesco
CLUBCARD
BONUS
***********************
*SAVE £1.00*
When you spend £5 or more on
Frozen Food
(Includes Meat, Fish & Poultry)
in a single transaction
Great new range
Valid until 17/05/09
|||||barcode here|||||
991809...

Can only be used in part payment.
One coupon per transaction.
Subject to availability and where
stocked. Valid in UK & IOM stores only.
Not redeemable through tesco.com
or at the Tesco Direct desk. This coupon
is the property of Tesco Stores Ltd and is
not for sale or publication.
This coupon has no cash value.
************************
dates/codes/etc here

mrme

I must have 20 of these sodding things... not tried to use one though as I only pop in for milk or whatever really not a fan of Tesco

I agree by the way it should be off any frozen food and you should go further with this... they think they can get away with anything smug ********

Finefoot

I found that too! Not for the same voucher, but had their own voucher not going through at the till. I was told I did not buy the right products, even though no product was specified.

Secret_Lady

Barnetbear wrote: »

Not for the first time an unsatisfactory experience with Tesco customer care. This one is a first even for them.

Having shopped previously at a Tesco, along with the till receipt they printed an unsolicited money off coupon for a future shop - apparently giving £1 off if £5 is spent in one go on frozen food next time I shopped at a Tesco (certain exclusions apply, along with an expiry date).

Having placed over £5 of frozen food in my trolley and presented the coupon to the checkout operator prior to unloading the items on to the belt, I was annoyed that Tesco's computer refused to accept the coupon. A chat with the store's customer desk said that the voucher applied only to a certain range of new frozen products, not any frozen food. This is not at all obvious from the voucher. Tesco head office refused to reimburse my £1 and frankly that's the last time I give them my custom.
Tesco HQ put me on to Clubcard, Clubcard then put me back on to Tesco, ping ponged and their final response is just an apology for any confusion letter but no reimbursement from them.

I don't know how to upload a photo of the voucher, but I don't think any readers here would detect the voucher applied to any specific frozen food. I have typed a reproduction of the voucher below.

To add insult to injury, after I didn't get my £1 off, the till printed an identical coupon but with a later expiry date. So it seems they are printing these off readily - then making it obscure to meet the criteria.

It's just not on, or rather off, Tesco.

This is a typed approx copy of what the voucher says verbatim:-

Tesco
CLUBCARD
BONUS
***********************
*SAVE £1.00*
When you spend £5 or more on
Frozen Food
(Includes Meat, Fish & Poultry)
in a single transaction
Great new range
Valid until 17/05/09
|||||barcode here|||||
991809...

Can only be used in part payment.
One coupon per transaction.
Subject to availability and where
stocked. Valid in ULK & IOM stores only.
Not redeemable through tesco.com
or at the Tesco Direct desk. This coupon
is the property of Tesco Stores Ltd and is
not for sale or publication.
This coupon has no cash value.
************************
dates/codes/etc here

I agree with you, reading the voucher I would understand that the 'great new range' just meant they were adding to their frozen food range not that it was only applicable to a certain new range!

I certainly think that they could have given you £1 off as it was the wording on their voucher that was in my opinion as well as yours, confusing.

shop-to-drop

You can use the two vouchers together on your next transaction. I used 4 different ones yesterday for frozen food. Bought sausages and fish spent over £8 got 300 points and £1 off. I was chuffed to get money off and points for something so useful.

mrme

You should have asked the manager what this *great new range* consisted of... wonder if he could point everything out or would he/she need to go & check?? Hmmmm

Barnetbear

I appreciate the posts in response, and the votes in the poll. See, it's not just me that wouldn't guess that what Tesco claim is that the voucher applies to some sort of new range of frozen foods only, and not their existing established lines.

shop-to-drop wrote: »

You can use the two vouchers together on your next transaction. I used 4 different ones yesterday for frozen food. Bought sausages and fish spent over £8 got 300 points and £1 off. I was chuffed to get money off and points for something so useful.

I don't know what vouchers you're referring to, but the one I mention they won't accept unless you can somehow track down the "Great new range" and buy £5+ of those. Of course, what the "Great new range" looks like is a mystery - but probably if I set foot in a Tesco again there might be a sign or logo - but that logo or branding is missing from the voucher and so the confusion is very likely.

But I have no plans to return to any Tesco. I just don't like their arrogant attitude.

jamespir

maybe you brought frozen food by findus or birds eye then that would nto ahev counted

dacouch

Try emailing the tesco chairman, I did and got a "personal" letter back, with an apology and they sorted out my problem.

Like most people I would not trust Tescos anymore.

I have a friend who works in Tescos in Ireland as a deputy manager, they have a set of principles they have to take into account at all times eg Customer Satisfaction, Profit etc etc. However Tescos in the UK have the same set of principles but they ommit "Customer Satisifaction". It might be a coincidence but unlike in the UK Tescos in Ireland are not the biggest player so have to actually work hard to get their customers. Oh and over there they do not do the put prices up and then make a big show of reducing them down to the original price to fool people into thinking they are reduced...

Barnetbear

Jamespir, this is what I bought in the way of frozen, yes there is a Birds Eye in there, but again the voucher does not make clear you need spend on Tesco branded items only - and Tesco claimed that is not the reason for declining, the reason claimed by them being "Great new range" only.

Tesco Frozen Cheesecake £1.09 (how much were these last year, 90p?)
Tesco Chicken Balti £0.99
Tesco Discount Brands frozen [veg] lasagne £0.95
Tesco Discount Brands frozen [veg] lasagne £0.95
Tesco Yorkshire puddings £0.43
Birds Eye Chicken Curry £1.00

Barnetbear

dacouch wrote: »

Try emailing the tesco chairman, I did and got a "personal" letter back, with an apology and they sorted out my problem.......

Interesting! The Tesco staff at most branches are pleasant enough, I didn't argue with them because I know it's HQ at fault. The woman on the customer desk was polite but not friendly, probably fed up dealing with customer issues all day. At another branch a while back I once spoke to a female member of staff and said to her "Tesco is becoming cheaper than Asda now isn't it" and she replied very matter of fact "No, Asda is cheaper!" That made me chuckle. I find Asda cheapest on most stuff, and Sainsbury not so cheap but friendlier on customer care. Tesco have seen their last 1p from me.