A Year at Sainsbury's

My diary of weekly trips to Sainsbury's to do my shopping whilst my wife is abroad for a year!

MONDAY 13 AUGUST 2007 - PRICES AND DEVICES

Well, I knew it wouldn't last and here I am back again 3 days later! Looking on the positive side it means you are getting your money's worth as my diary nears its conclusion. So what happened today? Well, I noticed that there are lots of little stickers up all over the place saying 'Tesco price check' and then an amount which is exactly the same price as the Sainsbury's price. I can't see the point of this. OK, so some stuff is the same price as Tesco's is but statistically that has to be true for a certain percentage of what Sainsbury's and Tesco's sell given the large number of items that are the same in both stores. So why tell us? Actually it begs the question as to which items are more expensive in Sainsbury's and which are less expensive. Perhaps what Sainsbury's should do is to put little stickers on items that are cheaper than in Tesco - assuming, of course, that there are some! Is this allowed under competition law, health & safety rules etc etc? Probably not. Moving on to a subject dear to my heart - wine! Sainsbury's put the white wine that is 'on offer' in a fridge near the drinks aisle and as I was extracting a couple of half price wines I noticed a little sticker (this is my week for stickers!) saying that 'To maintain great prices fitted with security device'. Whatever does this mean? First, there was no security device that I could see and what fitting security devices has to do with great prices I really don't know. The only thing I can thing of is that security devices prevent theft and theft costs money so less theft means cheaper prices. Maybe I'll e-mail Sainsbury's and ask them - but, then again, perhaps not. Some excitement at the checkout today. First, the man in front of me spotted that his orange juice was leaking so there was the ringing of the bell which was followed by the going and getting another one routine. And then it was the wrong one - he wanted one with bits in. Men have to look out for their bits! So then there was another ringing of the bell followed by the going and getting another (correct) one routine. Success! By now the queue was building up nicely. And then my cashier had trouble with finding nectarines on his fruit price list. There was much looking up and down the list and scratching of head and in the end he asked me to find it for him! This I duly did with no trouble (if you're interested nectarines have the code 4063). By this time the queue was snaking away into the distance and I fully expected the lectern that comes out at Friday lunchtimes to be rolled out for an emergency consultation! Whilst all this was going on I noticed a book tucked behind the till with the title 'Record of Challenges and Refusals Book'. I assume this is for noting instances when people under 18 try and buy drink and the cashiers are unable to 'Cashier Confirmed Over 18' having looked at passports, driving licences and the like. Is it a legal requirement? And what is in it? Is it Big Brother at work again? I must take a peek and report back! The title of the tome is interesting - surely 'Record of ... ' is sufficient, without 'Book' at the end? Another one for Lynne Truss or John Humphrys. Also whilst in the queue the alarms went off - is there no end to this excitement? As ever they were completely ignored by everyone apart from me! Looking around for the reason (perhaps a 14 year old was trying to buy drink?) I noticed that there are 3 lights on the wall - red, amber and green and the amber one was flashing. It soon stopped but I wonder what the red and green lights are for. I ought to find out - if there is a real alarm I want to be first out! Finally today I met another person I knew on the down escalator as I was going up and out. Funny how I've been coming to Sainsbury's for a year and it's only in the final weeks that I've run into people I know. Where were they for the rest of the year? And finally, finally eons ago I said I would check out the 'Cashier Confirmed ... ' as sometimes my bill says 'Cashier Confirmed over 18' and sometimes it says 'Cashier Confirmed Over 16'. I'm on the case!

Items bought 29
Total cost £42.47
Cost per item £1.46
Checkout no 22
Nectar points 2689