TUESDAY 29 MAY 2007 - FRIGHT WINE!

The day after Bank Holiday Monday and it's pretty quiet so a leisurely shopping experience this week! What customers there were seemed to be in a queue at the ham & cheese counter. Ordinarily there are two servers so we are all dealt with in double quick time (the numbered ticket system never has to be used) but today because one of the servers was busy neatly putting out cakes and pastries on cardboard plates (presumably for a joining or leaving party?) we were left queuing & fuming. After a while of standing around I managed to catch the eye of the man who mans the fish counter (the Captain Bird's Eye lookalike) and, having pointed out the queue, within a few seconds we were overburdened with servers. Not a big deal, but it was frustrating that the server was more interested in some behind the scenes activity (the mind boggles) than in serving! Moving on, the dreaded TalkTalk representative was back in the store today. Readers will recall that the one before the last (the last one didn't talk at all despite me hanging around expectantly) asked me 'Do you mind if I asked you a question?', to which I cleverly replied 'No, but I won't reply'. This one had a different script. First she asked 'Do you collect Nectar points?'. Red rag to a bull but, being an honest sort of chap, I answered in the affirmative. She then asked 'Do you have a BT landline?' again to which I answered in the affirmative. I was then bombarded with if this then that we guarantee to save you 55% no contract blah blah blah. Too much information! I put up my hands in submission, shook my head and walked on. God, how I hate these phone companies, please leave us alone! I must be thankful for small mercies as they've nearly stopped calling me at home, thank goodness. My tactic of just putting the phone down and leaving them to chat on to nobody and eventually realising that I'm not listening and then trying to ring off which they can't do for about 5 minutes as my phone is off the hook during which time it's cost them money and they are unable to call yet more hapless buggers like me is obviously working! Anyway, on to the checkout and hurrah Sainsbury's have introduced a recycleable bag. It is much more sturdy than the thin plastic ones of old and people are encouraged to re-use them. Hmmmm. I'm not at all sure this will work as if people didn't re-use the thin flimsy ones why should they re-use the slightly thicker ones? Doesn't apply to me, of course, as I bring my green ones in every week. There needs to be an incentive - why not deduct 5p from the bill of anyone who re-uses a bag and donate the money to environmental projects? In this way customers get paid to re-use the bags and Sainsbury's can be overtly seen to be an environmentally friendly organisation. Win, win! Having gone through the check out I tried again to buy a savings stamp but again the machine returned my £1. I will give this one more go next week and then complain! Now, I'm doing this diary entry a few days after my visit (my standards are slipping) and I can report that there was a disaster with the wine that I bought. As I was drawing the cork (I think this is the right expression) the glass neck parted leaving bits of glass all over the place and in the wine. So, down the sink it all went and I vowed to return the bottle to Sainsbury's at my next visit. I know it was 50% off, but that shouldn't mean substandard bottles!

Items bought 32

Cost £53.25

Average cost per item £1.66

Checkout no 15

Nectar points 1751

Active Kids vouchers 69