Tesco shocking customer service!

JENNIFER_BROWN

Saved over two hundred pounds in savings stamps to use at Christmas for food and drink. Went to three tesco stores to use them on 23rd December but all three stores had no turkey, beef or gammon, no cheese platters and no speciality creams of any kind ! Complained and have been told I cannot get a refund on the stamps As I  can still use them! Went to Asda on 24th December and gift all of the above foods with no problem except I had to spend over a hundred pounds of money I did not budget for! I should of learnt my lesson as the turkey I purchased the previous year was off I wrote to customer service and did not even get a reply! How is it fair they will not refund the stamps when they were specifically purchased for Christmas food! Feel really annoyed 😠 

maman

Of course it's irritating that when you went on 23rd December they didn't have what you wanted. Why do you need a refund though? Surely you still need to buy food and from what you posted you can buy anything not just Christmas stuff?  Can't you just use it up on your usual food shop over the next few weeks? Am I missing something? 🤔

Ectophile

The run up to Christmas this year was particularly manic as everyone had to rethink their plans. My local Tesco had mountains of turkeys, but no chickens. No Christmas puddings either.

Queues of lorries stuck at the Channel ports didn't help either.

I'm not blaming Tesco.

calleyw

Its only shocking to you as you did not get your own way.  Its life that supermarkets run out of stuff.  And I would not have left it until two days before christmas to do all my shopping.  Did you read the T & C's for the saving stamps?  I bet it says no refunds so they are under no obligation to refund you, and they are correct you can still spend them now.

Yours

Calley x

LadyDee

Try Mumsnet - you'll probably get the response you want.

Mickey666

It's taken the OP nearly a month to vent about this.  Has probably already spent the vouchers on her regular shopping by now.
Move along please, nothing to see here . . . . 

cymruchris

Shocking. Truly shocking. Although I did hear a rumour that there was this thing going on, a pandemic or something like that, and that might have had an impact on store availability at peak times. You're better off putting £5 a week into a savings account labeled 'Xmas money' than to ever buy vouchers. Just about everyone everywhere every time says don't buy vouchers - and you've found out the hard way as to why. I'm sure as others have said you'll soon work your way through them though in normal shops.

Marvel1

JENNIFER_BROWN said:

Saved over two hundred pounds in savings stamps to use at Christmas for food and drink. Went to three tesco stores to use them on 23rd December but all three stores had no turkey, beef or gammon, no cheese platters and no speciality creams of any kind ! Complained and have been told I cannot get a refund on the stamps As I  can still use them! Went to Asda on 24th December and gift all of the above foods with no problem except I had to spend over a hundred pounds of money I did not budget for! I should of learnt my lesson as the turkey I purchased the previous year was off I wrote to customer service and did not even get a reply! How is it fair they will not refund the stamps when they were specifically purchased for Christmas food! Feel really annoyed 😠 

You complained leaving it last minute and everyone else bought them? 

As mentioned, you can use the stamps for normal shop. 

Abbafan1972

Shocking, truly shocking. 

CKhalvashi

Unfortunately many people had their plans change in the days before, and many had their plans change twice. The Council area neighbouring mine went from tier 2 to tier 4 on December 24, leaving many who'd already done their shopping not being able to use some of it, and others who'd not shopped for December 25 suddenly rushing into stores to buy. There was always a chance that this would happen.

Tesco are known to run out of goods on occasion, especially near Christmas, as are most supermarkets. I usually shop for Christmas at around 3am on December 24, however this year, due to the current crisis, decided to complete a full shop on the previous Sunday.

I agree with the above, that on December 1 you should have opened a regular savings account and put £25 a month into it, as at least then you have the money in early December and can spend it in any supermarket you please. This also offers FSCS protection where a savings scheme does not. I'd suggest reading the 'regular savings' section of this website and opening up an account that allows withdrawals (for December) now.

IvanOpinion

Sounds like a normal year for the supermarkets then.