Supermarkets end buy one, get one free to ease pressure on stocks
SUPERMARKETS have halted promotions such as buy one, get one free during the lockdown in order to curb “non-essential” shopping.
Stores including Tesco and Waitrose have told consumers that two-for-one offers will no longer apply as restrictions on shopping are made.
It comes amid widespread confusion over who is eligible for delivery slots earmarked for the vulnerable after Sainsbury’s apologised to a parent of a vulnerable child after she was told the account holder has to be the person with the health condition.
Waitrose has suspended its promotions including buy-one-get-one-free offers in order to ease pressure on workers and preserve food stocks.
A spokesman said: “Promotional changeover takes a huge amount of resource, so we’ve temporarily reduced the number of promotions to free up partners for keeping shelves stocked with food and essential items.
“We also hope that fewer promotions will help control customer demand so we can ensure a good supply of food for everyone.”
Tesco is doing the same. A spokesman said: “We have stopped multibuys whilst we’re placing restrictions on the number of items per product.”
Meanwhile, there has been confusion over who qualifies for priority delivery slots. Online slots have been scarce as British people limit how much they leave the house, so some supermarkets have reserved the service for the vulnerable and elderly.
Sarah Dale, who is self-isolating as her nine-year-old son has cystic fibrosis, was told by Sainsbury’s that she could not be added to the vulnerable list as the account holder has to be the one with the health condition.
The supermarket tweeted: “Unfortunately you will not be able to get a priority slot as it does need to be the account holder that’s vulnerable, thanks.”
The mother-of-two replied: “What do you suggest I do? Leave him [in] a cupboard? I cannot leave the house. This is disgusting customer service.”
Sainsbury’s has since apologised to Ms Dale, and told The Telegraph: “We’re doing our very best to offer home delivery to everyone who needs it, and customers who have a vulnerable member in their household can register with us to receive this service.”
There has also been confusion over whether members of the same household can go to the shops together.
Government rules simply state that people can leave the house for “shopping for basic necessities, for example food and medicine, which must be as infrequent as possible”.
Some supermarkets have implemented individual rules, including Waitrose, which has stopped more than one member of the same household entering the shop at any one time.