Tesco offer - if priced wrong its free?

Seems Tesco are changing their policy from 26th, No doubt it applies to Ireland as well. Still, getting double the amount you were overcharged is better than sweet FA.


Tesco stops refunds over 'free XBox' loophole

By David Derbyshire, Consumer Affairs Editor, and Martin Beckford
Last Updated: 12:15am GMT 18/02/2007

Tesco has abandoned its refunds policy after thousands of people exploited a loophole to get food, wines, DVDs and even computer games consoles for free.

Under the supermarket's long-standing "return and refund" policy, any customers who are overcharged at the till can get their money back — and keep the item they have just bought — without question.

Over the past few months, a growing number of self-styled consumer activists has been sharing information posted on websites deliberately to buy goods that are priced incorrectly and get a full refund.


The "R&Rers" have picked up frozen chicken nuggets, nappies, DVDs, mobile phones, computer games, beer and televisions.

A pricing error in January meant that XBox 360 games consoles were advertised in the store for £297.81. When the machines' bar codes were scanned at the till, customers were asked to pay £299.97 — £2.16 more. Under the policy, Tesco allowed the shoppers to take the consoles for free.

Some visitors to the websites claim that they have been banned from the shop for repeatedly asking for refunds.

Yesterday Tesco confirmed that it was abandoning its return-and-refund policy from Feb 26. The company said it was part of a review of its customer service, but conceded that a "small minority" of people had been exploiting it.

"This policy was overdue for a review and brings us into line with the rest of the industry," said a spokesman. Under its new policy, customers will get back double the amount they were overcharged.

Until the policy changes, lists of wrongly priced goods will continue to appear on moneysavingexpert.com — a website set up by the money adviser Martin Lewis.

"R&Ring is taking advantage of a Tesco policy and not a loophole in the law," he said. "Tesco is not forced to have that policy — it does this as a way to promote itself.

"If people are doing absolutely nothing illegal but doing a little research to take advantage of the policy then I haven't got a problem with it.

"If thousands of pounds worth of Xboxes walked out the door then it should teach Tesco to be a bit more careful about prices so that customers are not misled."

Tesco regularly browses the websites and corrects any mistakes. However, there are often half a dozen new pricing mistakes reported each day.

Yesterday The Daily Telegraph visited a Tesco store in Earl's Court, west London, armed with a list of recent mis-prices.

Almost all of the products that were said to be mis-labelled had the correct shelf labels and price stickers.

However, salmon fillets were marked with one price on the shelf and a higher one on the packets. Two packs were purchased and then taken to the customer services desk where the price discrepancy was pointed out.

The assistant checked the prices and immediately gave a full refund — but then removed the price label from the shelf to prevent further claims.

I got a crate of beer free in Tescos under that policy

Although when I brought it to the attention of the staff customer service rep
she ran down the aisle and removed the displayed price and tried to pretend
that there was never a price displayed at all ... despite it hanging out of her
pocket. :mad:

I had the last laugh on the dozy bint though cos there was a big advertising
placard behind her advertising the cheaper price.

Ohhhh she was raging