food wastage supermarkets and whoopsies

keletubbie

Reductions are a privelage, not a right!

Supermarkets do make huge profits, but if you don't like that - vote with your feet. In fact, why not use local retailers instead, who are crying out for business?

A few manners go a long way with picking up reduced items. Be kind to your fellow shoppers. Be careful and courteous - I was elbowed by a bruiser as I reached for something out of the chiller, knocking me a few steps back!

Also, remember it's not a bargain if it goes in your fridge or freezer, expires, and just ends up in a different bin.

valk_scot

I go whoopsying twice a week as that's when DD is at swimming training and I've got an hour on my hands to fill. It just so happens that's approximately the time my local Tesco reduces all their stuff so I take my list of normal shopping and if I get some good whoopsies that's a plus. Yes, it's losing the supermarket money if I buy a whoopsied item for 20p and I would have bought it anyway for £3.00 but on the other hand, I buy many whoopsied items that I would never have bought at full price. I've got two posh ready meals in the fridge atm that cost me 40p each last night, reduced from £4 each. Would I have spent £8 on tea tonight for Hubby and me? Certainly not...I'd have probably made the same sort of thing for around a couple of pounds tbh. Would I have spent that £2 on ingredients for this tea at Tesco? No, because I could have got a better deal on these ingredients elsewhere tbh. But I am in Tesco at that point anyway (lured in by whoopsies) so I buy the rest of my shopping list there that I can't get cheaper elsewhere, which can easily add up to £30 or £40 a week. If I didn't have a specific reason to go to Tesco (whoopsies) then I actually prefer Sainsburys and Lidl for my shopping tbh. So I spend £30-£40 in Tesco weekly plus whoopsie money that they otherwise wouldn't have got and I do make it part of my weekly routine. And, sometimes, I try a whoopsied item that's so nice I will buy it at full price and it moves onto my main list.

And my local Tesco is good for whoopsies. 75% off is the normal for meat and chiller produce, 90% on fruit & veg and bakery, sometimes 90% on chiller produce if it's a quiet night and they've a lot to get rid of. Last night was a 90% off night because of the weather and most of the more predatory regulars were missing so I ended up buying about a tenner's worth of whoopsies. Would I have spent even £50 on the same goods, or the £100 it added up to on the tickets? No fear to that! But it means I'll go back next swimming night to buy my basics. Win for Tesco, even if it's a very modest one.

Emuchops

Valk Scot-I know theyre all different but out of interest what time do you visit Tescos ?

mcallister1

kiddy_guy wrote: »

Just picking up on your point Boozer regarding the same faces every night, I have a number of irritants that come to mind.

I am a "whoopiser" for want of a better explanation, and it just happens that I pass by the Supermarket most evenings at the right time to purchase reduced goods. I will wait politely, not bothering the member of staff reducing the items, and will take 1 of an item, leaving any excess for others. I'll wait a good few seconds if there is more than 1 (for putting in the freezer), so that everyone has an opportunity.

What irritates me is other shoppers!

• People who approach the member of staff and pick up an item to get them to reduce it. I've been waiting for that item, but hey - you just jump right in there rudely.
• People who take it direct off the trolley; clearly if the process is to put into the chiller and you can see them doing that, don't go and hover round the trolley trying to beat everyone else to the items.
• People who block the chiller. We know what you're doing! :mad: All time favourites are those who use their trolleys to try and stop you getting near.
• Don't go and get items from one reduced section and bring them over for reduction. Wait for them to do them in turn.
• The "I need 5 of that item". Yes - I know you've probably got a large family and 20 bags of bananas might be able to be turned into some form of dessert, but I only want 1 bag. :rotfl:
• Snatching. You wouldn't let your 5 yr old grab out of somebody's hand like that so why do you think it's acceptable to do it a supermarket staff member .

I know that asking for some form of etiquette when you're buying reduced items is a bit like asking for the moon on a stick, but we're British, so show some darn decorum.

I agree- I also dislike the thinly veiled racism of some of the staff and customers if anyone who doesn't speak much English is waiting for reductions. Last time I was waiting for a load of great reductions, which we could all see was going to be good, a man next to me started moaning about how long it was taking. I thought I would take the moral high ground and see what happened so replied that it would be worth it, then started thanking the staff member for being efficient.:p Which was true.
Then when the stuff became ready I asked the other people if they wanted some stuff as I picked it up and, apart from the original man, we had a good time offering each other bits rather than taking them in silence. I think it is the not talking which makes the whole thing awkward as it is a bit unnatural. I'm not saying we ended the evening with a group hug, but it felt better.
I'm not sure what would have happened if it handed been such a bonanza of reduced food however...:o

Middy

We get customers that buy things in the reduced because its in the reduced. Our store often has a lot of organic milk in the reduced. We get customers that clear the lot - sometimes it can be 20-30 pints.

What on earth do customers do with 30 pints of milk when the use by date is that day? Its the same customers week in week out!

BTW I did pick up a large TTD fish pie for 40p (do me for two teas)

Middy

kiddy_guy wrote: »

• Snatching. You wouldn't let your 5 yr old grab out of somebody's hand like that so why do you think it's acceptable to do it a supermarket staff member .

I have been in other supermarkets where I have selected my things and put them in the basket. Other customers then pinch them from the basket!

How rude is that! I remember once the customer that helped themselves to my pack of cooked meat, left their trolley down another aisle, I swapped the reduced ham for the same product at full price. Never got to see if they paid for the full price ham or not. If they did, serves them bloody right!

celebrate

jumblejack wrote: »

I do NOT buy full value goods from
Tesco. I only ever buy from there to take advantage. IBut my main reason to shop there is the teatime whoopsies. If there are none there then I DO leave empty handed.

You do not know me nor my shopping habits so cannot question what I clearly and truthfully stated.

I am not alone in my shopping habits. Many on the voucher and OS threads so exactly the same as myself and will not spend in Tesco unless they come off the winner.

OMG :eek::rotfl::T
are we related????:eek::eek::eek:
that is pretty much exactly my shopping habits!!!
i walk in no whoppsies -walk out, only my local is Asda, tesco is a lxuty can only go there on weekends when OH comes home!

Emuchops wrote: »

I get the impression with T that I was too late-T's shelves were quite empty so perhaps they do the best reductions at about 6ish? Does anyone know if this is the case? All the remaining bread, meat etc was in date.I d have thought that a 24hr shop would do the main reductions quite late ie after 8pm but I must be wrong-has anyone else any experience of the best time to go to 24hr Tescos?

with our 24hr tesco i have got the best items between 8-9pm, at wkds around 3.30ish on a sunday

celebrate

Middy wrote: »

We get customers that buy things in the reduced because its in the reduced. Our store often has a lot of organic milk in the reduced. We get customers that clear the lot - sometimes it can be 20-30 pints.

What on earth do customers do with 30 pints of milk when the use by date is that day? Its the same customers week in week out!

BTW I did pick up a large TTD fish pie for 40p (do me for two teas)

i do have a massive family and if it the reduction is very low i will often treat everyone and buy a few for each brther/sister/mum etc
and i also freeze milk

mcallister1 wrote: »

I agree- I also dislike the thinly veiled racism of some of the staff and customers if anyone who doesn't speak much English is waiting for reductions. Last time I was waiting for a load of great reductions, which we could all see was going to be good, a man next to me started moaning about how long it was taking. I thought I would take the moral high ground and see what happened so replied that it would be worth it, then started thanking the staff member for being efficient.:p Which was true.
Then when the stuff became ready I asked the other people if they wanted some stuff as I picked it up and, apart from the original man, we had a good time offering each other bits rather than taking them in silence. I think it is the not talking which makes the whole thing awkward as it is a bit unnatural. I'm not saying we ended the evening with a group hug, but it felt better.
I'm not sure what would have happened if it handed been such a bonanza of reduced food however...:o

sorry if politically incorect BUT we have one disabled lady who always brings her scooter into the store and she's always there at whoopsie time in A's 6.30pm on the dot, i pop in mon -thurs after i've dropped the kids off at clubs, her scooter will block off access to the whoopsies and the SA's always take pity on her and give her pretty much everything

if theres something i'm waiting for I will occasionally ask the SA if he minds doing my item next and will make a lighthearted joke like "so i can be on my way and you won't think i'm stalking you" have had a few funny comments like "thought you were after my body not my fruit!" only very occasionally had a no and told to wait

Tinyshoes

celebrate wrote: »

OMG :eek::rotfl::T
are we related????:eek::eek::eek:
that is pretty much exactly my shopping habits!!!
i walk in no whoppsies -walk out, only my local is Asda, tesco is a lxuty can only go there on weekends when OH comes home!




with our 24hr tesco i have got the best items between 8-9pm, at wkds around 3.30ish on a sunday

Reckon I must have some of your genes too. :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

My shopping habits are very much the same too. Very very rarely pay full price for anything and always make sure any BOGOF deals do not have over inflated price to start with. Have been doing whoopsie shopping for years, but must admit it is getting harder to get them. Couple of men grab the bargains in my store now and hardly anyone else gets a look in. Used to stock up once a week but now have to go couple times a week at least shop is almost on my way to pick up DD from the gym. It's allowed my family to have lots of treats we would not usually try and keep a very low weekly shopping bill I think.

Our Tesco reduce same time as yours celebrate, they also half price everything first around 5ish I think. Was a good reduction tonight 90% but missed out on first pickings as was scanning some of those Pork scratchings from the 1p Tesco thread and they were full price in my store. :eek:

MrsMow

Totally agrees!

It's not good business sense to reduce items below 40%-50%, if a shop keeps doing that then all you will get is the 'bargain hunters' telling their friends, family, colleagues, everyone and then you'll lose good margin sales, plus hoards of people coming through the doors at closing time.. I call bargains special offers and there's lots of them!

Who wants short dated items anyway, by the time you eat some of it, it'll all be gone off... ewww!