Sainsburys dedicated vulnerable customer line

[IlonaM]

For those vulnerable/elderly/disabled customers (registered with Sainsburys deliveries) needing to register as priority for access to online deliveries:

dedicated vulnerable customer line - 0800 052 5500

Hopefully easier to get through on than the general line.

[Sue]

Thanks, Ilona!

I went on Sainsbury's website yesterday and the advice was to register for the government's list of vulnerable people and then that list would be passed on to Sainsbury's.

There was a link to the place to sign up to the government link.

However there is a quite restricted number of reasons, which do not include age or most disabilities, and you have to give your NHS number.

I am not clear how this is going to work.

I think a belt and braces approach would be to do both, assuming you meet one of the government's criteria for registering.

I think there are going to be major problems with food supply soon, despite government reassurances, so probably best to register ASAP.

ETA: Phoned that number, but they basically said to try again on Monday when more delivery slots would be available.

I had to wait 20 minutes to speak to someone, which was a lot less than I expected.

[IlonaM]

Hi Sue - your message inbox is full & not accepting new messages. Best wishes, Ilona

[yorksgirl]

You can't register by ringing the Sainsbury's number any longer.

All they are doing now is checking the government list ("extremely vulnerable" and over 70) against their existing customer database.

If you haven't already been included in the government list, the only way to get on it now is to apply here - https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus-extremely-vulnerable .

Someone from NHS 111 should then (eventually) call you and they will decide whether there are sufficient medical grounds to add you. It seems there is quite a delay though, e.g. people who applied on Monday this week have not yet heard anything.

[ianr]

> I went on Sainsbury's website yesterday and

> the advice was to register for the government's

> list of vulnerable people and then that list

> would be passed on to Sainsbury's.

> There was a link to the place to sign up to

> the government link.

That seems consistent with something in the CEO's update of 25/3, that I received as a Nectar card holder yesterday. It's on their site at https://about.sainsburys.co.uk/news/latest-news/2020/feeding-the-nation-5: We will receive the government database this week which tells us which people in England the government considers to be most vulnerable. Where these people are already registered with us, we will start to write to them next week to offer them a delivery slot. We are also working hard to secure details for vulnerable people living in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. A few days ago I had it pretty clearly in my mind that the 'most vulnerable' [*] category isn't the same as the 'deemed more vulnerable by virtue of being elderly/over 70' one. I'm wondering now, incidentally, whether repeated undiscriminating use of 'vulnerable', as above, isn't leading to some confounding of the perceived categories. Though the CEO does say, and I believe means: We are doing our absolute best to offer online delivery slots to elderly, disabled and vulnerable customers. These customers have priority over all slots. Our customer Careline has been inundated with requests from elderly and vulnerable customers ? we have had one year's worth of contacts in two weeks. which goes some way to make the distinctions redundant; though I suppose they could, and perhaps sometimes should, still make internal distinctions as to priority.

[*] Or 'extremely vulnerable' https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus-extremely-vulnerable (which is the link to which JS point people in order to 'register as vulnerable')

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

Try this number:

Reminder: If you are elderly {over 70}, disabled or vulnerable & think you should be on Sainsbury's vulnerable customers list, please get in touch on 08003281700. Pass this information on to a vulnerable neighbour & make sure they're subscribed to the support they're entitled to.

[Bony Fido]

Just got an email from Waitrose about 20 minutes ago containing the following :-

"We believe from our records that you are aged 70 or above and may benefit from a new priority service we?re introducing.

Available from today, the new priority service means we?ll be opening a number of delivery slots on waitrose.com, for you to book before we open them to a wider group of customers.

The new slots are easy to book: simply visit waitrose.com, log in using this email address and place your order."

I logged in to book a delivery - went right through to the week beginning 20th April - not one delivery available.

[Annie5]

Does anyone know if Tesco or Asda are doing anything to help the elderly to get a delivery slot?

[Sue]

yorksgirl Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> You can't register by ringing the Sainsbury's

> number any longer.

>

> All they are doing now is checking the government

> list ("extremely vulnerable" and over 70) against

> their existing customer database.

>

> If you haven't already been included in the

> government list, the only way to get on it now is

> to apply here -

> https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus-extremely-vulnerabl

> e .

>

> Someone from NHS 111 should then (eventually) call

> you and they will decide whether there are

> sufficient medical grounds to add you. It seems

> there is quite a delay though, e.g. people who

> applied on Monday this week have not yet heard

> anything.

I never had a call from 111.

My GP surgery emailed me a letter in case I needed it to get a delivery, but when I told Sainsbury's that I had registered on the government site, they didn't ask at that point for any proof (though I presume at some stage they will get the list with my details on).

When I phoned Sainsbury's this morning, they had already got me on some list or other, presumably from when I phoned on Friday, as they offered me a choice of several slots tomorrow or Wednesday (frankly I would have taken anything!)

What I stupidly didn't ask was how frequently I would be able to order, so consequently my order is quite large, to be on the safe side .....

[IlonaM]

Sue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

>

> What I stupidly didn't ask was how frequently I

> would be able to order, so consequently my order

> is quite large, to be on the safe side .....

Hi Sue, I'm on the disabled priority list for Sainsburys deliveries and the email I got said one order per week (not that I want to order more!). You might be similar.

[Sue]

IlonaM Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Sue Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> >

> > What I stupidly didn't ask was how frequently I

> > would be able to order, so consequently my

> order

> > is quite large, to be on the safe side .....

>

> Hi Sue, I'm on the disabled priority list for

> Sainsburys deliveries and the email I got said one

> order per week (not that I want to order more!).

> You might be similar.

Oh, just seen this!

I've ordered far far too much then, however not sure if will last me/us for the "at least three months" scenario :(

[Sue]

Hmmm.

Just had a very long list emailed from Sainsbury's.

Much of what I ordered is either not available (chickpeas, lentils, fish, yoghurt) or they are making ridiculous substitions (sun dried tomato paste instead of tahini??? WTF?!)

Why is it on their website if it isn't available?

Looks like we will be getting a load of ale, but not much to eat :))

[spider69]

With regard to the subsitions are the replaced goods more expensive or cheaper.

Would make a great deal of difference to the cost of a shop

[Sue]

spider69 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> With regard to the subsitions are the replaced

> goods more expensive or cheaper.

>

> Would make a great deal of difference to the cost

> of a shop

Well, obviously I'm very grateful to be getting a delivery at all under the circumstances, so I'm not quibbling too much about most of the substitutions.

However where they have substituted a smaller size for a larger one, for example, it does work out relatively more expensive, although in absolute terms it may be "cheaper".

They do have some policy about this, but I haven't properly read what it is. I think they give you tokens towards your next shop (which obviously then ties you in to buying from them again).

What I'm most concerned about is that if I had known before that items weren't available, I would have had time to look at choosing something else, or more of something else (if allowed).

But the cut-off time for changing your order is 11pm the night before, and the email with the very very long list of things unavailable was sent at 8.13am this morning.

I do obviously realise that they may not have known before - but surely surely some if not most of these they must have known wouldn't be available???

However, I need to cut them some (a lot of) slack as clearly they are doing the best they can under very difficult circumstances, and again, I am grateful for what I am getting ....

Also as Ilona said, you are allowed one order a week (if I'd known, I wouldn't have ordered so much. But then again, there might be even less available next week .....).

Weird times, eh.

[IlonaM]

Sue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hmmm.

>

> Just had a very long list emailed from

> Sainsbury's.

>

> Much of what I ordered is either not available

> (chickpeas, lentils, fish, yoghurt) or they are

> making ridiculous substitions (sun dried tomato

> paste instead of tahini??? WTF?!)

>

> Why is it on their website if it isn't available?

>

> Looks like we will be getting a load of ale, but

> not much to eat :))

Hi Sue,

I usually keep substitutions down to milk and things they can't be too creative with. I used to get the most peculiar substitutions before. You can hand back any substitions you don't want and they'll be refunded. Also any more expensive substitutions will have the difference refunded.

Some things on the 'we haven't got' email on the morning of the delivery are on the email every week for me!!

Unfortunately, the local store supplying deliveries might not have everything ordered online on the day. I've found that this has increased over the last few weeks.

If not this delivery, maybe the next has become my motto!!

[Sue]

IlonaM Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> If not this delivery, maybe the next has become my

> motto!!

Indeed! Fingers crossed!

Sadly they left a couple of items on the van (I presume in the same bag - bleach and dishwasher tabs). When I phoned, the poor woman I spoke to was working at home with a very iffy internet connection. I felt really sorry for her.

Long story short the van won't come back with them, so I got a voucher and will have to order them again next time.

Assuming they're still available :))

[vic.ham]

Hi sue, trying to send you pm but inbox full.

[kiera]

IlonaM

I remember reading that, in order to minimise risk during this crisis, Sainsbury's will not take back anything they've delivered, so I believe they have suspended their policy of taking back unwanted substitutes and giving refunds.

[IlonaM]

kiera Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> IlonaM

> I remember reading that, in order to minimise risk

> during this crisis, Sainsbury's will not take back

> anything they've delivered, so I believe they have

> suspended their policy of taking back unwanted

> substitutes and giving refunds.

Ah, thanks kiera. Just checked latest update on Sainsburys website:

'Substitutions and returns (Updated 26 March)

...

We are unable to accept any returns on the doorstep from customers however, customers can receive a refund for any substitutes by getting in touch with our Contact Centre.'

There's the rub ... managing to get in contact with the Contact Centre!

[Sue]

kiera Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> IlonaM

> I remember reading that, in order to minimise risk

> during this crisis, Sainsbury's will not take back

> anything they've delivered, so I believe they have

> suspended their policy of taking back unwanted

> substitutes and giving refunds.

The driver did take back one item from us.

vic.ham, sorry, keep meaning to go through my inbox and delete loads of stuff, I'll delete a few posts now.