Weather
'Animal' shopper gets Tesco apology (From Oxford Mail)
Get involved: send your photos, videos, news & views by texting OXFORD NEWS to 80360 or email us
'Animal' shopper gets Tesco apology
6:30am Thursday 12th February 2009
The chief executive of supermarket giant Tesco has apologised to a customer who alleged he was called an “animal” by a worker at the chain’s Cowley Road branch.
Sir Terry Leahy sent a letter to Dr Sang Lee apologising for the “upset and annoyance” caused by the “poor level of customer service” he experienced at the store.
Dr Lee, who lives in Cowley Road, wrote to Mr Leahy and the store’s manager after being barred from the shop for a day on Sunday, December 28.
He claimed to be one of a number of customers waiting by the reduced section when a member of staff came out with a basket of goods. Dr Lee suggested there was a bit of “frantic happening” as customers tried to get the reduced items ahead of others.
The 60-year-old claimed in the letter to Tesco that the worker said: “You are like animals, fighting and pushing. I will not put these things out if you behave in this way.”
But when he protested about the language he was asked to leave the store.
Dr Lee said: “I was awfully embarrassed, not only because he called us animals but also, in front of all the staff and everyone, I was barred from the store.”
On the same day, Dr Lee wrote to Mr Leahy, the store and Tesco’s customer service centre to complain about the incident.
He also complained about another incident at the store when he was among four customers waiting for nearly an hour for cooked chickens to be reduced on Christmas Eve.
The customers were told 10 minutes before the shop closure that the chickens would not be reduced and would instead be given to the store’s staff, Dr Lee said.
Dr Lee sent another three letters to the store, Mr Leahy and Tesco customer services in Dundee after he was unsatisfied by the response.
On January 22, Mr Leahy replied, and said: “I hope you will accept my sincere apologies for the upset and annoyance this matter has caused you. I can assure you that the comments made by (the member of staff) were of his opinion and in no way reflects our corporate opinion.”
The letter included a £30 money-off voucher.
But Dr Lee remained unsatisfied about the incidents, and Mr Leahy has since written to him to say he will enter into no further correspondence about the issue.
Dr Lee said: “Big companies will do anything as long as they think they can get away with it. That is what Tesco is trying to do.”
A Tesco spokesman said: “At Tesco we expect our staff to offer the highest levels of customer service. We have apologised to the customer and offered a gesture of goodwill by way of apology for the service he received.”
More News stories
- Carterton soldier's tales from the front
- Niece looking for clues into uncle's death
- Flood alerts cover homes
- Around the world in 100 years
- South Oxfordshire mayors unite for fundraising concert
- Reaching out to lonely OAPs
- Views wanted on new Banbury homes
- 'Swim the Channel at your local pool'
- Crimefighters compile CCTV database
- I was a shoulder to cry on, abuse accused tells jury
Your Say YourOxford
steve23002, cowley says...
8:29am Thu 12 Feb 09
Im no fan of tesco but Dr Lee needs a hobby.
Peat, Littlemore says...
8:32am Thu 12 Feb 09
If you are willing to act like an animal, dont be offended to be called one!
Sid Hunt, says...
8:32am Thu 12 Feb 09
CURRYMAD, HEADINGTON says...
8:34am Thu 12 Feb 09
Dr Lee needs to get a life, waiting on Christmas eve for a reduced hot chicken. I bet he goes into Tesco every day ten minutes before it shuts just to get reduced food, and moans all the time when he does not get something for five pence. He has nothing better to do than then moan.
Lovebike, Cowley Road says...
8:37am Thu 12 Feb 09
Lee Blackbird, Blackbird Leys says...
9:27am Thu 12 Feb 09
Lee Blackbird, Blackbird Leys says...
9:27am Thu 12 Feb 09
oxfordgirl83, Oxford says...
9:29am Thu 12 Feb 09
Andrew:Oxford, Oxford says...
10:33am Thu 12 Feb 09
In these kind of circumstances it would be better to discontinue the discount to customers and offer goods only to staff.
LadyPenelope, Oxford says...
10:50am Thu 12 Feb 09
Is it any wonder than rather than reducing items, some supermarket just through the food out, or give it away to the homeless?? I certainly would if it meant not having to deal with nutters who hang around for an hour for a reduced price chicken!
bifocal bill, oxford says...
11:19am Thu 12 Feb 09
oxmale, Oxford says...
1:01pm Thu 12 Feb 09
robbo81, Oxford says...
1:43pm Thu 12 Feb 09
STBO, says...
5:52pm Thu 12 Feb 09
wend, oxford says...
7:18pm Thu 12 Feb 09
Terry Chandler, Oxford says...
7:00pm Fri 13 Feb 09
People with money are tight fisted, they should have given the chicken to someone more deserving.
making sense, oxford says...
9:02am Sat 14 Feb 09
Sophia, Oxford says...
8:07am Fri 20 Feb 09
Your sayYour Oxford
Add your comment
Register for a FREE Oxford Mail account and you can have your say on today's news and sport by adding comments on articles we publish. The best comments may even get published in the paper.
Please register now or sign in below to continue.
Shoppers scrambled for bargains at the supermarket
Debt Help from My Financial Solutions | Stay with Prague Hotels | Visit Spain with Barcelona Hotels | 70% off Designer Glasses at Posh Eyes
Local Advertisers
Local Information
Enter your postcode, town or place name
Quentin Walker, Oxford says...
7:55am Thu 12 Feb 09
To wait an hour for a chicken's price to be reduced is ridiculous.