Strawberries instead of bin liners: poll reveals strange supermarket delivery substitutions

theguardian.com:

Dog chews instead of chicken breasts? Strawberries in place of bin liners? These are just some of the strangest supermarket substitutions, according to a poll.

Almost half of supermarket deliveries (47%) included a substitute item over the past 12 months, the survey for the consumer group Which? found.

More than six out of 10 Asda customers (62%) reported receiving a substitution in their most recent shop, with one receiving dog chews instead of chicken breasts. Another bewildered shopper received a pack of toilet rolls instead of bread rolls.

Of Aldi customers, 59% received unexpected items, one including a bag of onions instead of a loaf of bread.

Half of customers who had ordered online at Sainsbury’s (52%) told Which? they had received a substitution, including shoe polish instead of fruit, and bacon rather than barbecue-flavoured crisps.

Among the 51% of Morrisons shoppers who received substitutions was one who received meat sausages instead of veggie burgers, and another who received a toothbrush instead of apples.

More than four in 10 Tesco shoppers (44%) reported substitutions such as an Easter egg in place of hotdog rolls and a chocolate Santa instead of a roll of tinfoil.

One Iceland shopper told Which? they had received strawberries instead of bin bags.

Waitrose customers were the least likely to receive a substitution, at 24%, although one was sorry to receive an alcohol-free bottle of wine in place of a standard bottle.

Customers with special dietary requirements fared particularly badly with substitutions at a number of supermarkets, with many complaining about receiving meat or dairy instead of vegetarian or vegan alternatives.

One shopper, whose partner has coeliac disease, had their gluten-free product substituted