From scotch tape instead of toilet paper to strawberries instead of bin bags, a new online poll has revealed some of the weirdest supermarket substitutes.
According to consumer champion Which?, almost half of supermarket deliveries in the past 23 months included alternatives.
Six in 10 Asda customers said they had received a substitute in their nearest store, with one receiving dog chews instead of chicken breast.
Another confused shopper received a pack of toilet paper instead of bread rolls.
Some 59 per cent of Aldi shoppers received unexpected items – including a bag of onions instead of a loaf of bread.
Half of customers who ordered online at Sainsbury’s told Which? they had received alternatives, including shoe polish instead of fruit, and bacon instead of barbecue-flavored crisps.
Tesco had a lower substitution rate of four in 10 (44 per cent), but one did complain that they received Easter eggs despite ordering a hot dog roll. Another ordered a roll of tinfoil, which was replaced by a chocolate Santa.
A similar percentage of Amazon Fresh shoppers reported last-minute changes, including one shopper who received scotch tape instead of toilet paper.
More than a third of Icelandic shoppers have switched their produce, with one saying they received strawberries instead of garbage bags.
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Waitrose customers were the least likely to receive a substitute – a quarter of respondents said they had, although shoppers received a bottle of non-alcoholic wine rather than a standard bottle.
special diets are especially bad
Customers with special dietary requirements fare particularly poorly in many supermarkets, with vegan and vegan products often being swapped for meat or dairy.
The same goes for customers with food intolerances. A shopper whose partner has celiac disease replaced their gluten-free products with products containing wheat.
In the survey, each supermarket was rated on the alternatives they chose. Waitrose was the best, earning four stars. Aldi, Amazon Fresh, Sainsbury’s and Tesco have three stars, while Asda, Iceland and Morrisons have only two.
which? Retail editor Reena Sewraz said: “Product substitutions can be incredibly frustrating, especially when a key ingredient to your dinner is missing. Our research shows that some substitutions can also be downright ridiculous.
“You have the right to refuse a substitute on delivery, or you can choose not to receive a substitute at all. If you end up with a substitute you didn’t want, make sure you contact the supermarket and ask for a refund.”
Deltapoll surveyed 3,007 UK adults online in October, collecting information on 1,260 online supermarket shopping experiences.