Co-op complaint

visidigi

They were merely examples, but if its my local tesco extra, theres 42 tills in there, and 12 self serve - serving staff wouldn't stand a chance (also self serve tills don't even flag for an staff member to check when you only have two packs (this is in my local Asda)).

I think the point I am trying to make is, the 2 pack guideline somehow insinuates the retailer is responsible for 11 packs being sold and the OP makes a point of the single transaction factor.

For me, if someone really wanted 11 packs it wouldn't be hard for them to obtain them - short of apologising I am not actually sure what the retailer will do (and they may apologise merely for the sake of customer satisfaction...) - its hard for a business when its only a guideline...

shaun_from_Africa

(also self serve tills don't even flag for an staff member to check when you only have two packs (this is in my local Asda)).

The self service checkouts in Tesco won't allow more than 2 packets of paracetamol based products, but this is so easily bypassed that it's really pointless.

I often buy many packets of painkillers, decongestants etc as when I'm working overseas these can be hard to get or may be a bit dodgy.
All I do is to take my basket to the self checkout and buy and pay for 2 items, then do the same for another couple.
Staff have seen me doing this and I've never been asked to stop.

visidigi

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

The self service checkouts in Tesco won't allow more than 2 packets of paracetamol based products, but this is so easily bypassed that it's really pointless.

I often buy many packets of painkillers, decongestants etc as when I'm working overseas these can be hard to get or may be a bit dodgy.
All I do is to take my basket to the self checkout and buy and pay for 2 items, then do the same for another couple.
Staff have seen me doing this and I've never been asked to stop.

Thanks...indeed, this is my point, the chances of being stopped really are very slim.

This is a guideline, not a law, so I am not actually sure what Co-op will do apart from a customer service apology...

System

sounds like your friend needs more help than an apology from the co-op. If someone is seriously thinking of killing themself then there are many many ways they can do it and frankly being told they can only buy two packets of paracetamol is not going to stop them. You want to concentrate more on your friends problem and worry less about this.

veryunsure

Ask your friend to seek help. They could call the Samaritans for someone to talk to on
08457 90 90 90 or 116 123
or via email or sms

peachyprice

OP, have you thought that the person in Co-op sold them to your friend because they were too frightened not to?

Lets face it, it was late at night, minimum staff on duty, some drunk comes in demanding you sell him all the panadol on the shelf, all you have to protect you if the drunks turns nasty when you refuse is a waist high counter. Would you risk your safety or sell the idiot the tablets? I know what I would do.

But no doubt you'll be back to say how there's no way your friend would have made any one feel unsafe, even when drunk. TBH, you should be disgusted with the possibility that your friend put someone in this position in the first place rather than trying to lose someone their job.

pulliptears

jackieb wrote: »

People should take responsibility for themselves.

I'm fairly sure a person on the edge, contemplating suicide, possibly suffering with mental problems has other things on their minds than taking responsibility for themselves.

Whilst in this case it was a drunk man, the next person in the shop may be someone very vulnerable indeed.

jackieb

pulliptears wrote: »

I'm fairly sure a person on the edge, contemplating suicide, possibly suffering with mental problems has other things on their minds than taking responsibility for themselves.

Whilst in this case it was a drunk man, the next person in the shop may be someone very vulnerable indeed.

People do stupid things when drunk that they normally wouldn't think of doing when sober. The solution is not to get drunk in the first place. People with depression shouldn't drink - it's well known that it's a depressant. I'm not saying that it's right that a shop should be selling multiple packs of painkillers but people need to be responsible for their own actions. You wouldn't blame a garage if someone bought a car and then went out and drunk drove and killed someone.

POPPYOSCAR

Well he could have gone to Costco and bought a wholesale pack of them.I think they have about 12 packs in them.

I personally think limiting them it is a bit daft. If you really wanted to kill yourself this way you would only have to go to several shops anyway.

I wonder if there are any statistics to show that this does actually reduce suicide attempts.

pulliptears

jackieb wrote: »

People do stupid things when drunk that they normally wouldn't think of doing when sober. The solution is not to get drunk in the first place. People with depression shouldn't drink - it's well known that it's a depressant. I'm not saying that it's right that a shop should be selling multiple packs of painkillers but people need to be responsible for their own actions. You wouldn't blame a garage if someone bought a car and then went out and drunk drove and killed someone.

You think that would stop a suicidal person? Regardless of what they should and shouldn't do I believe the shop shouldn't have sold so many painkillers to someone who was not properly in control of their emotions.

As for your analogy, if the garage knew the driver was planning to recklessly endanger life, if he knew the driver was drunk etc and still sold them the car then obviously he would be proportioned some blame.

I'm all for taking responsibility, but for a person suffering with severe depression is often not capable of taking responsibility for themselves.