What's the weirdest substitute item you've been sent? 10 May 2019 at 9:52AM edited 7 July 2022 at 10:32AM in Food shopping & groceries 60 replies 11.8K views

Former_MSE_Laura

We recently spotted a mum explaining the odd substitute she received in her home delivery food shop. Instead of being sent a number five candle, she received a two, a two, and a one! (Read the full story here.)

This got us wondering, what are the strangest substitutes you've ever received in your home delivery?

elljay

There's a hysterically funny now closed thread on this elsewhere. Hopefully I'm doing the link right.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=1322337

EJ

MaryM1950

i shop at iceland and they dont subsitute thankfully...they just dont send the item !! which i prefer
my granddaughter is vegan and shops at sainsburys and told me they sent her some normal sausages in replacement for vegan ones !! not sure what they were thinking !! she laughed and gave them to her boyfriend...

Silvertabby

I always tick 'no substitutes' for this very reason!

When Tesco first issued their loyalty card, the spiel was that they would generate money off vouchers 'hand picked just for you' (or words to that effect). We received vouchers for dog food and nappies, despite our buying history showing that we were an adult/feline household.

Not so much computer error, more someone 'having a laugh'.

onwards&upwards

On Tesco’s site you can put a note next to the item about subs. So you could choose no subs at all or you could add something like ‘subs must be vegan’ or ‘only chocolate flavour’ or ‘Flora brand only’ or whatever your preference.

AylesburyDuck

I once ordered a particular coloured hair dye from Tescos , something bright and colourful if i remember and they substituted brown.:rotfl::rotfl:

ska_lover

The above story is hilarious with the candles

The home shoppers, they cannot stand around dithering over the choice for too long, as they have a pick count to adhere to, and woe betide those who aren't picking 120 items off the shelves - per minute..that is what it was four years ago at a major supermarket

I don't understand those who moan, there is an option where you can click ''no substitutes''

Me, I quite like the substitutes most of the time. probably 9 times out of ten I keep them and most times they are better than what i had originally ordered

sillyvixen

I don't do online supermarket shop, but I remember reading (possibly on this site) about someone who ordered kitecat cat food and revived a multi pack of 2 finger kit Kats! And as a result had nothing to feed the cat!!

meer53

Minced Beef Pies instead of Mince Pies. Great with Brandy Sauce - not.

Tigsteroonie

I do wonder whether the beef mince pies / mince pies, and kit-e-kat / kitkats, is a case of an alphabetical substitution - they picked the next item off the stocklist.

I've never had interesting substitutions, mainly because my default is 'no substitutions' and then I only detail the few subs that I'daccept. But my Tesco does have a nice habit of substituting a book of 12 stamps for a book of 6 at no extra cost

room512

Stopped shopping online at Asda due to their substitutes - dog food instead of cat food (only have cats) and a chicken pizza instead of a chicken (to roast) are the two worst subs I can remember!