Elderly and vulnerable being 'unfairly discriminated against' as supermarkets shift to apps

MSE_Emily

Some elderly and vulnerable shoppers feel they are being "unfairly discriminated against" as supermarkets restrict savings to their apps, meaning those without a smartphone are unable to take advantage of deals and discounts...

Read the full story:

Elderly and vulnerable being 'unfairly discriminated against' as supermarkets shift discounts to apps, says 74-year-old shopper

If you haven’t already, join the forum to reply.

activemum

Waitrose have released a weekly offer scheme and the only option available for customers it to have a smart phone when they go into their branches unless they print a ridiculously long barcode. Anyone without a smart phone or internet is just being left behind these days. We are forcing whole generation out of equal treatment. These apps are confusing and I dont see how these supermarkets expect the elderly to use them. I understand there are huge benefits to technology and its progression to society but we need some alternative solutions to help the elderly get the benefits of technology also. The supermarkets should take more responsibility in this.

flossy_splodge

I absolutely agree about the discrimination.

I decided to fight back and last time in Waitrose insisted the store find a way to help me access the offers that were apparently earmarked for me.

When I finally spoke to the manager (the staff were extremely polite and supportive but there was little they were able to do) guess what?

He found a way!

It was tedious for both him and me but he asked me to sign in to my Waitrose account on the store computer, he then found the place where the offers were and wrote the barcode number of the two offers on a piece of paper so a colleague could input it for me at checkout.

I thank the store and all those involved but I suggest that if enough people stick to their guns and do what I did the store management will get so fed up with having to do this that they will complain even more vociferously to their bosses  than they tell me they are already doing.

Store staff agree its all wrong but Waitrose head office aren't listening.

Morrisons system may claim to work from a physical card but only after you've sussed out how to access your 'coupons' online.  Personally I've given up on Morrisons and don't shop there anymore because although the store staff are super, the head office staff in Customer services are absolutely appalling.  Life's too short.

So c'mon pensioners and all the others who are missing out - make a nuisance of yourselves. Very unBritish but it works.

Easy for me as being retired I have time and I realise others don't so those of us that DO have the time maybe need to be fighting on behalf of ALL suffering with these exclusive systems. Inclusivity is supposed to be the name of the game.

PennyForThem_2

A quick search on Amazon UK turned up an Android 10 smartphone at £70 ish.  Then there is connection cost.  I now do not use my house phone at all, thus saving on call costs and pay Plusnet £6 / month for unlimited calls/txts and 6GB data/month.  

Unfortunately I think that having a smartphone is going to be a necessity in the very near future.  Already many banks are using a smartphone app for verification purposes.  Supermarkets are just following the direction of travel.....

I am not that comfortable using a smartphone but if you use a PC/tablet then a smartphone is possible to work out though it can be different and not intuitive.

I am ambilivant about this.  Waitrose should make it much, much easier to print out coupons.  BUT it is easy to use the smartphone to bring up the coupons and scan, and Waitrose has free WIFI too.

I am intrigued by Tesco and their clubcard offers.  Not sure how sustainable that is as a business model because there does not seem to be a limit .....

Maybe if you don't have/don't want a smartphone but want to take advantage of offers get a clubcard and shop at Tescos.....



https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ulefone-Note-8P-Smartphone-Full-Screen/dp/B088ZD6B3Q/ref=sr_1_11?adgrpid=52732307003&gclid=CjwKCAjwopWSBhB6EiwAjxmqDRk8esxxFWvXhXMMaaSK4rkl4we2zk6WISH5o5LJwb5XuEpM04tkEhoCp0EQAvD_BwE&hvadid=578427693997&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9045353&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=3299907669047337765&hvtargid=kwd-296523122776&hydadcr=5084_2287809&keywords=cheapest+smartphone+uk&qid=1648735760&sr=8-11

MalMonroe

I'm 72 and I'm sick to death of being lumped in with the 'vulnerable' of the country, nay the world. I'm tech savvy and have an app on my phone for everything I can have an app for!! Although I am retired, I'm also self employed and not vulnerable in any way.

I'm not missing out on anything and I DO make a nuisance of myself (and because it's not very British, most people look down on me but I don't care). I'd like to make an even bigger nuisance of myself and say stop treating 'elderly' people as if we are all morons with lost marbles. PLEASE!!!

flossy_splodge

I absolutely agree! I've got a few years on you  but have to decided to 'use' the expectation that I'm 'vulnerable' aka stupid and non tech savvy and get others to help.

 It all takes time but it works.

 Can't beat them so have joined them but to my own benefit.!!

stewartjrl

I am 71 and have no problem in using a smartphone but the chaos that Nectar and Sainsbury's with their Smartshop get into can be more of a problem than using it. Having had 69,000 points stolen before Christmas and a new card taking 6 weeks to arrive, I began to wonder whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages in a system which staff admit is rife with theft - and where the experience of a friend showed that *more* points than one has can in fact be stolen! But, discrimination? Well, the time to hunt out bargains is a discrimination, as is the ability and mobility to visit different supermarkets to do so, and of course the preference in Sainsbury's that only cards should be used for Smartshop (not impossible without but more of a nuisance); in fact, most people suffer some kind of "discrimination" and the next complaints will probably be from those not receiving the offers they want. In an ideal world, all these schemes and discounts would just be scrapped and the prices kept continually at their best, rather than all the time wasted working out what to buy and eat next depending on what the new offers are.

elsien

Where does the vulnerable part of your headline come into it?
As far as I can tell, the story is based on a complaint by one 74 year old, with no information given with regards to vulnerability or otherwise. 

I do however work with a number of people considered vulnerable under the usual local authority definition and the majority have smart phones and are well able to use them.

I personally dislike being pushed towards apps for these offers for various reasons but am neither elderly nor vulnerable and do have a smartphone;  I just have my own preferences.

Lazy click bait reporting. 

Peggy0628

It's not just the elderly... For example the Sainsbury's supermarket in my town doesn't have the handheld scanners you need to get the 'smart shop' prices so the only way to get them is with a smartphone app. I can't get the cheaper deals because the app doesn't support my 8 year old smartphone running android 4 (also, it's on PAYG so data is expensive in comparison to monthly deals). Unfortunately it's the only supermarket here so have no choice but to shop there and pay full price for everything. I don't have a car so getting to a supermarket 10 miles away is not practical (the cost of a return bus ticket would be more than any potential savings)...
Not having a relatively new phone also means I'm unable to use the app-only bank accounts that often pay better interest rates than 'normal' banks...
So, the well-off people who can afford latest technology benefit from lower prices but the low-income peasants have to pay full price while being on a lot tighter budget...

Farway

flossy_splodge said:

I absolutely agree! I've got a few years on you  but have to decided to 'use' the expectation that I'm 'vulnerable' aka stupid and non tech savvy and get others to help.

 It all takes time but it works.

 Can't beat them so have joined them but to my own benefit.!!

A person after my own heart, so old I remember the coronation well.

I tend to play up the old duffer bit at times, makes life easier sometimes, as you say join in but for your own benefit, very handy when dealing with customer services on the phone

[Deleted User]

My bugbear is when you need to actually talk to a company on the phone they tell you to contact them on watsap / facebook/ twitter or a mobile number. A lot of companies now use a chat service on their websites for you to contact them, or you need a smart phone for a code!! I have no need for a smart phone!

My elderly brother does not do technology, so when he hits a problem he calls me to try and sort it out for him!