sainsbury's

[matt]

http://www.sainsburysteam.co.uk/frames.htm?frame_main=logout.htm&frame_side=sidebar.htm (http://www.sainsburysteam.co.uk/frames.htm?frame_main=logout.htm&frame_side=sidebar.htm)

right this link should take you to a sainburys site where you can register as a regular shopper. then give your feedback of the local store.

this means you can then ask for the freefrom cheese to be brought back. also you'll find that they probably don't stock the full range of free from stuff as they now do chicke nuggets/ fish fingers / burgers and so on i've only found this out as i go to several stores and they have different bits in each!

i've suggested that they start some sort of ordering sytem where they get in at the local store what you want. but think for yourselves what you'd like.

if we all do it it'll be 401 peope asking for the same thing. they might do something.

we have only ourselves to blame if we sit back and do buggerall. we'll get buggerall. so you lurkers out there. feel free to browse and not comment on the site if you don't want to. but please do something to help the whole community.

[Lan]

Good on you Matt,

I will definitely add my vote regarding the Local Sainsbury's store, as I really want their free from soft cheese back. I have also seen the free from burger, fishfingers and sausages. Haven't tried them yet but would love to know what they taste like if anybody has.

Take care all.

Lan.:D

[Copper]

I have registered with the Sainsburys site. I have to say that I don't like their free from soft cheese BUT I have still asked why it is not available. I then had one big moan about my local store - they drove me mad a year ago. They stopped stocking loads of the dairy free food and all I got was the run around for weeks. I have not been back since. I go to a health food shop, Jewish deli and Tesco. I would go back to Sainsbury if they ever get their act together.

[matt]

castlepoint does have a reasonable selection of their dairy free stuff in it's own section. i keep meaning to go to the vernwood store but never get round to it. they are odd with the stuff the stock. my daughter loves the frozen baby sweetcorn they do. but they don't do it in the huge castlepoint store, only the small lordshill store. go figure. still if we ask then maybe we'll get an answer.

[lil.smartie]

I used to work for them and all branches have a free from book, ask at customer services which has very up to date info on all own brand products.
Tey also have a home delivery scheme so could help you that way if you don't live close enough.
As you say a lot of things are only in some branches I have known Waitrose managers who work in one branch but live near others to transfer stock between the two, it has a big family approach to business so tend to be more helpful than many other supermarkets!
Kate

[Lan]

I went into my local store last Friday and asked them if they produce a list of dairyfree items, within the store. The woman there was very helpful and advised me that they produced a list of dairy, wheat and gluten free items contained in the store.

When it was printed off it consisted of 1 page :unsure: and I was totally amazed. Some of the items I know they stocked weren't on there. I mean are these people for real? :rant:

Kind Regards,

Lan.

[matt]

i have to say that up until a couple of months ago i was quite impressed with sainsbury's. they had the free from cheese and a good selection of goods. i still think they have one of the best free from ranges but they are lacking in the customer services dept. you would think that with their own range they would bend over backwards to get stuff in and help people but it's becoming apparent that they don't.

i don't know about anyone else but i'm going to email them today to have a dig and see if they react positively. please join in and we'll see what response we get.

[Lan]

Hi Matt,

Already tried that and they are crap. I asked them for a free from list and they gave me one side of an A4 sheet (which didn't contain some of the items they stocked, and I know about.)

Let's all e-mail, write etcetara and have a dig. My mother works there and so did I, even I think they are crap.

Kind Regards,

Lan. :unsure:

[matt]

yeah i know, but if we don't hassle them then we'll get nothing. i'm in the position where i've sod all else to do at 5am so i'm quite happy to rattle off annoying emails. but then you all know that!!

i'll let you know if i get a reply. i didn't slag them off, i told them they had the best selection of free from foods which they do really. then had a go that they don't make it easier to know what they are and how to get them.
it just strikes me as daft that they've developed this range of foods then don't tell anyone? then complain that they aren't selling so delete them. ofcourse they aren't selling no bugger knows they exist or if they do they can't get them at the local store. some one needs their arse kicked.

you never know maybe the email will land on a desk of someone who gives a damn. we'll see.

meanwhile the more that write or email the more likely it is they will help us. if they only think that we're a small group of cranks they'll just ignore us.

[matt]

well got a reply from the monkey not the organ grinder. ie thanks for my letter sorry we don't sell soft cheese anymore.

needless to say i've replied and said not good enough please pass higher for someone to let me know why. it wasn't popular, as i pointed out they never told anyone they did it. i might have been asleep but i don't recall any adverts letting people know that they did this or any other freefrom product. anyone else seen one?
how do they expect to sell something without telling people it's there? odd.

did anyone else send any emails or got to their customer services at the local store? like i said one crank email will acheive sod all they need to realise how many people are out there. if we can't even get 400 members of the website to complain how are we going to get these products back? it's up to the rest of you.

[jill]

A Sainsburys store has only just opened in Scunthorpe (my home town) in the last month :) . As soon as I knew that they were going to take over the old Safeway store I sent Head Office an email asking for a decent free from range, similar to the store in Doncaster where I usually have to go, I explained that the ranges at Grimsby and Meadowhall are somewhat lacking. I received an email from the buying department.

First day of opening I went along - what a dissapointment, :( size wise not bad but choice range very limited, bags and bags of crisps and sweet stuff. :eat: I went back again last Tuesday to see if they had any of the Cooking Sauces - Tikka Masala, Sun Dried Tomato & Basil and the Dijon Mustard, White Wine & Mushroom one - there were none. :mellow: I asked a member of staff if they could get me some, she worked in the Grimsby store so she knew that they had sold it there. Two days later I received an answermachine message explaining that these products were discontinued items at the Scunthorpe, Hull and Grimsby Stores. How can they be discontinued at Scunthorpe if they have never tried selling them? At least they rang back.

I will have to have a ride over to Doncaster to see if I can get them there, if any of you are going to a Sainsburys please can you have a look to see if they sell them. They also used to do a Carbonara and Korma Curry Sauce.

Cheers Jill
:wine: :drunk:

Just love all the Smilies!! certainly made me smile!

[matt]

as i said. it seems corporate lunacy, develope a range of goods, don't let anyone know you have done so, don't stock it in all the shops or the whole range in any one shop, don't sort out an ordering system for customers, then delete the itmes saying no one bought any?!?!!?

i don't know tax dodge? maybe. just seems bloody odd that's all. if i thought it would acheive anything i'd write to the management. i don't think i'm eloquent enough to get their attention or get anything done.

[Copper]

Ah Sainsburys, yes they really drove me mad last summer! The free from range shelves looked like the locusts had visited and they stayed that way for weeks. I asked the customer service desk what was going on and I was told that new stock would be in the next week. I then phoned in weekly to ask if stock was in and eventually was told that there was a problem with delivery and it would be sorted. After about a month I actually got hold of a manager on the phone and I complained about the lack of stock, the lack of information, the promised phone calls that never happened, the lack of cusomer care! He got the vibe that I was just a tad unhappy. He did look into the lack of free from cheese (Tofutti) and he said that for some reason he was not able to order it but he would find out more and phone back. He did actually phone back and said the buyers had pulled the plug as it wasn't selling!!!!! I did tell him that a lack of advertising did not help. He did promise to contact the buyers and see if they were planning a replacement item - guess what - yep he didn't phone back.

I can only conclude that Sainburys don't care about minority groups - they only want to make money. I don't shop in Sainsburys anymore.
:guillotin

[matt]

yeah, i'm getting the same vibes. does anyone remember who made the free from soft cheese for them? it's one of the only ones i actually liked. was it swedish or whatever that company was called? they must make it still and if they do we should be able to get it via other routes.

i still feel like having a rant at some point so i'll probably write a suitable letter this week. lan, any problems if i say i am a rep from the website??? will carry a little more weight than angry of fordingbridge!!

anyone got any specific moans to raise with them? or is it just thegeneral lack of products and duff customer services. let me know.

[Pam]

Winner who make Swedish were moving their production to another site and there was something said about Swedish being out of supply for 6 months. I think Asda and Tesco both had Swedish but only in a plain variety - no flavours. If Sainsbury's soft cheese was also made by Winner, then it is likely that they have stopped selling it because they can't get it off Winner until the move is completed.

[matt]

i gave up moaning to the local manager etc as they didn't have anything to say just passing the buck to headd office, so in a bored moment i wrote a letter to the head office director of customer services! i'm not holding my breath for a reply but you never know!

[linny]

Hi, I've had problems at our Sainsburys and Asda getting Alpro soya milk (the only one I like). My neighbour works at Sainsburys and has a dairy free child and has complained so many times. No shop seems to keep a large enough stock especially as they are advertising it on TV at the moment. Has anyone else had any problems lately?? The answer to the query is usually 'we have chocolate flavour' have they tried this in coffee or on cereal!!!!!!!!! I haven't been on the site for a few days as I've been ill. I think I've had a virus which in turn affects my psoriatic arthritis. I've got great neighbours who do the school run and offer to have my 7 year old daughter. She's great I think she'll become a nurse (hopefully a doctor!!). Linny

[Copper]

I popped into Sainsburys today and they did not have any lactolite - I left the shop. I was in a hurry at the time so I was not pleased.

[matt]

i have to say it's why i stopped drinking the "fresh" stuff. i just buy the uht soya from either waitrose or sainsburys, i see tesco do one now. that way i can buy in bulk and keep a supply handy. that way i tend to not run out. i also don't always drink it have black tea etc and use fruit juice on cereals. again makes life easier.

i've had a reply from the head office customer services just to say that they are looking into my complaint. so you never know maybe they'll do something.

[jill]

Having had no luck in getting the items I wanted from the new Sainsburys Store in my home town - Scunthorpe, I decided today to go to the Store at Doncaster where I usually stock up on Free-from goods. What a dissapointment after a 26 mile drive. The range is nowhere as good as it used to be, it had been downsized, moved and wasn't even labelled above the section. It was only because of the bright yellow packaging that I even saw it.

I particularly wanted the cooking sauces, which I find are handy to have in if you want something quick. No luck. Guess it will be back to basics, making a good old roux.

I did pick up some Meridian Peanut Butter. Its years since I had any Sunpat, or similar peanut butter, and don't know whether it actually contains any milk products, but the Meridian one doesn't.

I also treated myself to a little tube of 6 Elizabeth Shaw Chocolate Liquers, only 74p, just to try before Christmas. I expect they will be eaten tonight, apart from the one that contains .................Irish Cream (just had to pop and see what was in it). Been as I opened the tube I'm currently eating the Tia Maria one. Very nice.....

[matt]

i can only suggest again that everyone complains to sainsburys about the availability of the free from goods. if only one or two of us actually tell them then we are just cranks. if we all do so then they may just listen. up to you guys.

glad to see the choc taste sessions are up and running. only sensible to check prior to xmas. don't leave it till the last minute.

tesco's sometimes do the meridien sauces, i've also seen them at the health food shop. your best bet is to find a friendly health food shop and get them to order it in for you.

[Pam]

Elizabeth Shaw mints are BOGOF in Morrisons at the moment - the dark chocolate ones are dairy free according to the ingredients list and we've never had a problem with them.

[linny]

:thumbsup:
I picked up ANOTHER treat in Waitrose over the weekend. It's Lyme Regis Foods Organic marzipan bar covered in plain chocolate. I tasted a bit and then ate the whole bar, I loved it! It's also gluten free if anyone is interested and suitable for vegans.
:eat:
I really liked the dairy free tangerine flavour choc, my daughter says it tastes like Terrys choc orange. I can see I'll have to hide it! Not so keen on the rice crackle one.

[Pam]

I haven't seen the tangerine flavour one yet - who makes it? I've had a the rice crackle one from Morrisons (I reviewed it in the Chocolate Taste Test thread) which is imported by a company in Hull from Austalia I think

[linny]

It's made by the same company as the rice crackle one, made in Australia distributed by Humdinger in Hull. I found it in Waitrose I haven't seen it anywhere else.

[ellsie]

Some of the tomato base sauces,curry and sweet and sour are ok from normal shelves also chasseur. Just have to check labels again.:)