Gransnet forums

Food

Waitrose Supply Issues

(24 Posts)
Grantanow Mon 12-Jun-23 14:51:39

Over the past few months I've noticed more and more substitutions in the orders we get delivered from Waitrose. By and large they substitute well and maintain value. But the range on offer here in the SW sticks is not as good as in Surrey.

SeanCraven Sun 28-May-23 16:16:19

So up at Leyland, they've just been putting stock in cages and sending them to stores in hope that they need that specific stock. Nothi g is getting thrown away at the warehouse. Usually it gets picked off of a headset that tells you how many a certain store wants of the product. However I may put, for example, orange juice in Lincolns cage but they don't sell that specific orange juice, therefore they can't sell it at that store. What happens to it then is anyone's guess. They have no back up plan if the systems go down. Not even able to pick it off of pieces of paper.

Joseann Sun 28-May-23 16:10:51

Thanks Marmin. I've just rummaged in yesterday's bag and discovered this too!

Callistemon21 Sun 28-May-23 15:04:54

Marmin

Similar story here in the south west. The checkout did spit out a £5 voucher as compensation for the empty shelves. As long as you spend £30.

If you can find anything you want to buy, presumably!

Marmin Sun 28-May-23 14:58:22

Similar story here in the south west. The checkout did spit out a £5 voucher as compensation for the empty shelves. As long as you spend £30.

Callistemon21 Sun 28-May-23 14:52:18

grocery order ...

Callistemon21 Sun 28-May-23 14:51:53

SeanCraven
Thanks for the explanation

I had a problem trying to do an online grocery last week with Waitrose and ordered from Tesco instead.

Annoying for customers but also for producers - will the farmers have to bear the costs of all the fresh food which doesn't make it to the store?

SeanCraven Sun 28-May-23 14:42:11

Not a supplier issue but a IT issue. They upgraded the IT Systems a week ago and ever since then the warehouses where they pick the product are unable to allocate stocks to the stores. I work for GXO in the Leyland warehouse. God knows why Waitrose won't admit this or why they decided to upgrade the systems so close to a bank holiday weekend is baffling. The systems was due to upgrade 3 weeks ago but got postponed due to a problem. Probably another way to undercut the staff on their payrise. Hope this clears things up.

hazel93 Sun 28-May-23 12:57:51

We have a weekly delivery ( live out in the sticks ) but thinking of changing after several problems recently. First the freezers stopped working which seemed to take weeks before sorted, then I was finding basics unavailable online,last three orders fresh food with really short "use by " dates. Definitely losing patience !

JaneJudge Sun 28-May-23 12:36:31

CRIKEY. Considering Waitrose are a 'fair' company to their suppliers, this is quite a worry

TerriBull Sun 28-May-23 12:28:06

It's hard to know what to say really, I have been out this morning to Waitrose and it is exactly as other posters have stated very depleted in certain areas in particular fruit/veg, meat and dairy all had significant gaps this morning. Our Waitrose is separated by a mere few yards and a roundabout from Sainsburys where there were no such shortages. I also want to stay loyal particularly as through their Waitrose app, I still get a free paper, I was only able to get one or two things today along with my ST. When I do pick up the free paper I like to buy a fair few items as well, but can't if they're not there.

Sidelined Sun 28-May-23 11:24:08

Ours has had problems for more than a week now. Seems a mix of a new computer system, implemented end of 2022, and has serious problems plus a large warehouse fire recently have added to their woes. I want to stay loyal but it’s proving very difficult.

NotSpaghetti Sun 28-May-23 10:50:17

Morrisons looked like locusts had been through fruit and veg here.
Supply issues apparently

dogsmother Sun 28-May-23 10:29:27

Fruit veg and bakery here. Also an apology.

TerriBull Sun 28-May-23 10:25:55

I'm off to Waitrose shortly, mindful of what others have reported, fortunately our Sainsburys, where I probably do most of my food shopping is very close by, so I'll go there if supplies of vegetables are depleted.

Katie59 Sun 28-May-23 07:24:53

We are hearing about airport computer systems failing causing chaos the NHS has also had problems, there is a system called “Edate” that has been failing.

If it is a hack point the finger at Russia, we rely so much on computer systems that has replace people for critical infrastructure.

SquirrelSue Sat 27-May-23 17:33:01

If the problem is with the computer ordering system, could they not use alternative methods of ordering stock. How did they manage before they had a computer system in place?

Fairislecable Sat 27-May-23 17:29:34

My DH ordered an expensive item from John Lewis and it was click and collect to our nearest Waitrose ( 11 miles away).

Due to the glitch in their system it has not been sent, the manager was very apologetic they thought it was at a city 40 miles away!

They have said they will let him know when they find it as it.

Joseann Sat 27-May-23 17:22:10

I've never seen Waitrose look so empty of food as this morning. I thought the holiday arrivals had decimated the shop.

kittylester Sat 27-May-23 17:17:52

Ours had no fresh fruit and veg this afternoon, meat shelves were very sparse. Quite a shock.

Katie59 Sat 27-May-23 17:13:02

They have a problem with the computer ordering system and stoćk is not being delivered, probably a virus has been hacked into the system. As each item is sold the system should automatically reorder but it’s not.

Charleygirl5 Sat 27-May-23 17:01:29

I find that their own frozen French fries are in very short supply and other frozen sections are almost empty. Their frozen chips are the cheapest around and they are so good also.

Jaxjacky Sat 27-May-23 16:55:55

Change your supplier?

SquirrelSue Sat 27-May-23 16:10:43

It appears that Waitrose have major issues with their supply chain, and this is the case for some parts of the UK. My local branch has empty shelves since Thursday for fresh vegetables, salads and fruits. Every day more shelves of other products are empty. Also you cannot order food on the 'entertaining' section of their website, for example sandwich platters, decorated cakes. They seem to give excuses for this, without actually admitting the real reasons.