One too many broken eggs means I’ve finally had enough of internet grocery orders.
I’ve always preferred going to the supermarket itself. You’ll probably find this a little odd, but I actually find them pretty relaxing (except for epic queues). I walk the aisles and switch off all my other thoughts, focused simply on that week’s shop.
Recently however we’ve been ordering more of our food and drink shops online. Vouchers for first shop discounts and a lack of time thanks to busy work schedules are some of the reasons for the change.
But I’m quickly getting fed up with what arrives on our doorstep. The reason – it’s never quite good enough.
Here are my five online supermarket disappointments.
1. Damaged and missing items
Eggs must be the one of the most delicate items in a shopping bag, yet nine times out of 10 the box will have opened and a couple off eggs cracked over the other items.
This is my real bugbear. How difficult can it be to make sure eggs are secure?
And surely they should check everything is in the van? I think around half of my orders have had something missing – usually the frozen items.
You can get a refund at the door, or via email if you notice later. But if you’re planning a meal and don’t have the required ingredients you’ve then got to go to the supermarket anyway.
2. Wrong items and dodgy substitutions
If something isn’t missing, there’s a good chance it’s not what you ordered.
Often it’s close, but not quite. Recently I had full fat coconut milk rather than the reduced fat.
Some times it’s just plain wrong. One time I was offered a pack of Magnums instead of frozen peas.
These weren’t weird substitutions. They were just the wrong order! When something is swapped for a similar product, they can be pretty random. I’ve seen examples of lemons instead of lemon washing up liquid, or normal eggs rather than Creme Eggs!I can only think of a handful of times where I’ve kept them.
3. Sell by dates and unripe/overripe fruit and veg
This is a real danger if you are buying more than one of something. There’s usually a good date on things like yogurts and cheese, but I sometimes receive food that’s got to be eaten far sooner than I’d like.
This is a bit of a first world problem, but every time we order “ready to eat” avocados, they’re solid and inedible.
I’ve been avoiding buying all fruit and veg online for a while now as I just can’t guarantee the quality.
4. Confusing promotion dates
Since you can order a week or so in advance of delivery, I’ve found some supermarkets display an offer which isn’t then valid then you click through to your basket.
If you’ve been buying something because of an offer, you could easily pay more money if you don’t notice.
5. You miss out on reduced items
I love getting a bargain, and reduced food helps me eat a lot better than I should for my budget, especially with meat and fish.
But you miss out on the yellow stickers when you shop online.
Does anyone actually know what happens to online food that is close to going out of date?!