Tesco, one of the UK's largest supermarket chains, has been hit by a "technical issue" that has forced it to cancel "a large number of orders". The glitch has left many customers unable to
access alternative delivery slots for several days, particularly elderly and vulnerable customers in the midst of a cold snap. Tesco has also warned that refunds for failed purchases could take up to five working days to process, leaving some customers struggling to afford alternative sources of food. The supermarket has faced a wave of angry customer queries, with many demanding to know what backup plans are in place for vulnerable customers.
Twitter users have criticised the supermarket chain for failing to notify customers of cancellations in advance or to offer any apology or compensation. One customer tweeted: "No explanation, no apology, no comp - just a note to say delivery cancelled. Awful service. Just awful." Tesco has urged customers affected by the glitch to contact it for further information on how to resolve their complaints.
This is not the first time Tesco has faced criticism from customers over its pricing policies. In January 2023, the supermarket announced it was increasing the price of a 400g tin of baked beans from £1.40 to £1.70, a rise of 30p or 20%. The move was met with widespread outrage on social media, with some customers accusing Tesco of exploiting its market dominance to drive up prices.
Tesco is not the only supermarket chain to have faced technical issues in recent months. In December 2022, Sainsbury's was forced to cancel a number of Christmas deliveries due to a "technical error", while Morrisons experienced similar problems in November. The incidents have raised concerns about the reliability of online grocery delivery services and the need for companies to invest in robust IT systems.
In response to the latest incident, a Tesco spokesperson said: "Due to an intermittent technical issue, we've had to cancel some orders today. We're really sorry about this and are working hard to notify customers who are affected." Photo by Roger Cornfoot, Wikimedia commons.