TESCO...Is this discrimination??

sadielu

Last night we went to our nearest Tesco extra (some 20 odd miles away )to buy a bike for our 10 yr old daughter. We saw a suitable bike at £106.66 reduced from £160.00 but just as we were about to purchase, noticed that an identical bike was selling at £80. Examining the bikes carefully we concluded that the one at £106 was an identical specification to the one at £80 (not marked at being on promotion) . One was clearly identified as a boys bike on the packaging and the more expensive one as a girls. We queried this with a passing staff member (who was very helpful) and he checked with the manager. The initial unhelpful response was that Tesco can charge different prices for different items. Surely they cannot discriminate on gender though for identical products? I asked to speak to the manager as I felt quite strongly about having to pay more for the same product purely on gender. While he listened to my point he did nothing more than give me the customer service number and promise to phone me in the morning. Imagine my surprise when checking the website when we got home to find that both bikes were selling at £80. I phoned customer service myself at 11:20 this morning and went over this with them. The member of staff had a price of £106.66 for the girls bike and £44.00 for the boys!!!

The promised return call has not happened and to add insult to injury all Tesco appear to have done is change the wording and price on the original direct website so the girls bike is now worded differently and is back to £160 whereas the boys now show half price from £160.:mad:

The website however clearly makes the distinction between boys and girls products both in store and the comparison on the website blatantly emphasises the gender difference.

I took a print out of the website as I'm minded to involve trading standards. If they had sold it as a unisex product of differing colours, I'd still have thought that unfair but they chose to bring gender into it.

Why should I have to pay either £26 more(or now £80) for the same product for my daughter?? If they were charging differing prices on grounds of religion or race there would be an outcry.

I'm deeply disappointed in the response I've received. Tesco seem more intersested in covering themselves than treating the customer fairly. It may be within the letter of the law(or not) but certainly not in the interests of the customer!!!:mad:

Interested to hear what others think

(apologies if this is in the wrong thread: please move if so)

gordikin

Buy your daughter the 'boys' bike if there is no difference. What they are doing is perfectly legal. Tesco may have an over stock of the boys model and are entitled and are pricing them to sell more quickly.

Brooker_Dave

sadielu wrote: »

Interested to hear what others think

Tescos have done nothing wrong.

That said if they ever have black bicycles and white bicycles, and the white ones are cheaper, you should contact Trevor Phillips straight away.

dmg24

You really are being ridiculous. Pricing is set according to supply and demand, there is no 'discrimination'. Why not just buy the cheaper bike?

dmg24

Brooker_Dave wrote: »

Tescos have done nothing wrong.

That said if they ever have black bicycles and white bicycles, and the white ones are cheaper, you should contact Trevor Phillips straight away.

Demand compensation!

globetraveller

Am I misunderstanding here? Are you saying the 2 bikes are absolutely identical bar the packaging? If that is the case then I don't understand the replies.

dmg24

globetraveller wrote: »

Am I misunderstanding here? Are you saying the 2 bikes are absolutely identical bar the packaging? If that is the case then I don't understand the replies.

Two identical white t shirts, one in menswear and one in the ladies section. Why do they have to be the same price?

globetraveller

I suppose as long as everyone thinks its ok to charge different amounts for an identical product then shops will get away with it.

dmg24

globetraveller wrote: »

I suppose as long as everyone thinks its ok to charge different amounts for an identical product then shops will get away with it.

Surely the consumer should apply common sense and just buy the cheaper item?

Brooker_Dave

globetraveller wrote: »

Am I misunderstanding here? Are you saying the 2 bikes are absolutely identical bar the packaging? If that is the case then I don't understand the replies.

http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.202-2242.aspx

vs:

http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.204-1463.aspx

Presumably.

Clearly sexist, no bikes for eunuchs.

Tescos should be closed down!

sadielu

globetraveller wrote: »

Am I misunderstanding here? Are you saying the 2 bikes are absolutely identical bar the packaging? If that is the case then I don't understand the replies.

Yes that is exactly what I'm saying and I don't understand the replies either particularly the black and white comment. Gender is an equally valid grounds for discrimination. After all how many boys would be thrilled riding around on a girls bike. Why should girls have to compromise or pay twice the price. I'm quite surprised to find that some folks think this is ok.