Row over milk left on doorsteps
AMILK war has erupted over a new delivery service and its sales tactics.
In recent weeks, a number of residents in Rossendale and Ramsbottom have reported finding unexpected pints of milk left on their doorstep.
They say they were unsolicited and have turned out to be part of a ‘free’ trial from McQueens Dairies, a company based in Glasgow.
Some of those who received milk say they have struggled to get McQueens to stop delivering, and claim they were asked to pay for what they understood to be trial samples.
Meanwhile, others have responded to the arrival of an out-of-town, largescale milk delivery company by urging residents to support a local dairy producer instead.
After being contacted by the Free Press, McQueens Dairies acknowledged it has received a number of complaints from residents in the area who have since been refunded.
Spokesperson Mark McQuade also told us that the company categorically does not offer ‘free’ milk.
“If a customer is mistaken, or that has been misinterpreted, the business is more than happy to reimburse,” he said.
Mr McQuade added: “The feedback will be something that we will take back to the business to look at how that messaging comes across. Please be assured it’s something that we will make sure is addressed.”
Nevertheless, the saga
has caused some upset in the Ramsbottom area.
One resident, who asked not to be named, said she came home from being away on holiday to find two pints of milk on her doorstep.
“I was initially angry because I worry so much about burglars,” she said. “There’s burglaries or car thefts every day and milk sat around for days is just like a bright neon sign flashing.
“I’ve had no previous contact with McQueens, there was no note through the door, nothing. It’s unsolicited and a waste of milk. People are paying them just to go away - how wrong is that? I contacted McQueens through their Facebook page and told them they’re out of order making it look like no one’s home when I haven’t agreed to it and nor do I want it.
“They really need to sort out their marketing strategy because harassing residents really isn’t good customer service.”
Similar complaints have been left on several threads in a Ramsbottom Facebook group, while complaints also came from Waterfoot and Haslingden.
One man claimed to have had a ‘free’ one pint sample dropped off, then had McQueens ringing and texting to set up bank payments.
Another resident, Lauren Michelle, said a Scottish sales rep from McQueens knocked on her door around two weeks ago. “He said it’s really cheap, and it comes in a glass bottle,” said Lauren. “He said I could do a free trial of one bottle. I wanted to try it before I agreed to it.
“I didn’t get anything for weeks then I saw all this on Facebook and decided I wanted to cancel it.
“I rang them and the guy was really abrupt; they said they had been sending me milk since May 20, which they haven’t. I’ve been sent a bill for £5.97 for two litres of milk!”
The discussion sparked support for a number of established local milk delivery services in the area, including John Kenyon and Sons, who have run Wood Road Dairy Farms in Summerseat since 1955. Others mentioned Park Farms and Andrew McLeod.
In response to the complaints, McQueens spokesperson Mark McQuade said: “We are a family business run from Scotland. But we’ve had a presence in the north of England for six or seven years.
“Our canvassers are a key part of the team, they are trained fully on what they can and cannot say and how they should conduct themselves when dealing with customers.
“We do encourage feedback, positive or negative, we’re more than happy to take that on board.
“In terms of the doorstep delivery market, we don’t actually look to recruit customers in an area if someone is already in there. That’s not to say there isn’t competition, but we’re not about that. McQueens is a well-established business. Customers are important, loyalty is as well. We want to make sure we do a good job.”