Waitrose Reviews 6,959

I have brain damage and have just been made to feel like a criminal while shopping at Waitrose western rd Brighton. Even though I hold a my Waitrose card. Not only was I followed around the store by the security guard I was also jumped all over at the self pay checkout like they were implying I was not going to scan my items! Zero stars for treating me like a criminal while shopping!

First ever order and the last!!! Ordered organic wine and they substituted another rubbish non organic brand - non organic (which I will now donate to a food bin). NEVER AGAIN WAITROSE

I regularly order online from Waitrose and my bill hovers around the £200 mark.
I like to buy organic because of the superior taste. However, on the last few occasions I have bought organic potatoes, every single potato in two bags was rotten.
Don’t waste your money buying them. Waitrose wake up Ocado organic potatoes are much superior.
I hope you action these reviews and do something positive to restore customers’ faith in your store !

I did an online order for the first time ever and can't say i was very happy and would order again.
The pizza i ordered was best before the same day it arrived and i saw that 3 days later when i was about to use it.
Ordered single sweet potatoes, they delivered the smallest, ugliest and saddest potatoes i've seen.
I will not buy from them food online again

I was tempted to return to Waitrose after receiving some in store vouchers.

I bought 2 packs of chicken - breasts and mini fillets - both had BONE in them! The butchery was absolutely diabolical.

Then today, I decided to test an online shop.

The sausage rolls and sweet chilli chicken breasts had very short dates on (2 days), broccoli was floppy and soft, 2 whole chickens were blown (full of gas from not being refrigerated properly), peppers were mouldy, wonky potatoes were baby sized, short date and mouldy.

I literally returned 50% to the driver (who was very apologetic and embarrassed!).

They've refunded everything but I am honestly appalled and will not return.

The only "high end" aspect of Waitrose is the inflated prices, compared to other local supermarkets on the same street.
Badly run, customers tolerated as an inconvenience to the running of the store, rather than made to feel welcome & valued.

If I could choose one star, I would!! What on earth has happened to Waitrose!!! It has been my favourite store, but recently standards are dire. I ordered a large shop for my husband’s birthday. A large percentage of items had a VERY short date- including three pizzas needing to be eaten on the DAY of the delivery. Today I was in the area of a Waitrose branch ( Bamber bridge, Preston) so decided to shop there as I had received several loyalty’ vouchers online , and wanted to choose items with the longest shelf life possible. The shop took twice as long as necessary as I had to search through items with differing dates, including some with today’s date!! They also has a magazine on display that was the March edition- inspite of having the April edition elsewhere. I was unable to use the vouchers as the FOUR assistants I spoke to, all gave contradictory instructions. I even had the opportunity to speak to the store manager( the only member of staff wearing a name badge? He suggested that if I came to the store again , and ‘had more time’ he would give me a tutorial on how to use the app on my phone. This was patronising, and unnecessary!! Despite having shopped with Waitrose for forty years, I will now go elsewhere - especially as I can buy Fiona Cairns online, and other stores are beginning to stock items like premium sauces. I know I’m not alone in feeling that both John Lewis , and its partner Waitrose, have massively dropped the ball!!

Waitrose you should be ashamed - supporting a criminal ahead of your own staff member. Very poor approach. I hope some solicitor takes this case up as wrongful dismissal. Then let's hope the staff member gets due compensation for the loss of his job and benefits - £1 million pound sounds about right.

Regarding the much trumpeted Little Treats:- Whilst understanding Waitrose's need to build sales; why do they only send vouchers for highly processed foods full of ingredients that are cheap and are possibly harmfull? Some of us have to avoid certain ingredients for one reason or another but that does not stop Waitrose from realising they are NOT treating good customer but spurning them. Is Trump running the show?
It is always good to know your custom is appreciated but to find in reality how low your loyalty is considered is a slap in the face. Better to offer 25p than a pack of processed Gu Dessert!!! The list allergenics and intollerance ingredients is to die for! LITERALLY. This is NOT quality food!!!! Nor have previous offerings been so.

Exeter and Sidmouth branches seem to have issues yet again with Waitrose own label Teacakes. I am told they are currently suspended. Why? According to the Exeter branch yesterday their deliveries had all sold out. Why is it that regardless of time of day the Exeter branch is "sold out"? Is a local business coming into the branch and buying most of their stock to sell in their own cafés? I have complained about this issue for years now without it ever being resolved or a proper explanation given. Occasionally I am told that the issue has been reported but nothing changes. I know other would-be shoppers are as disgruntled as I am because I often bump into them looking for the same Waitrose teacakes

In general I find the staff usually polite and helpful. What worries me is the whole idea that Waitrose is supposedly "upmarket" when the produce they are selling has got worse and worse just like the cheaper supermarkets but you are still paying the higher price tag. Their organic range is lower quality than their "ordinary" produce ( I once had to throw away two Duchy organic chicken breasts as they were literally inedible. (I get them elsewhere now) It was like chewing a piece of rubber, it just would not break down. One has to wonder what on earth they did to the chicken to get it like this. Sliced meat sliced so thin there is literally nothing there, sliced bacon that disappears in the pan, meat with water for extra succulence?! Let"s be honest. Good meat does not need extra succulence as it is already succulent and pumping it full of water just makes it soggy, but more importantly and truthfully, heavier so they can charge more by weight. In the good old days 2 slices of toast for breakfast would keep you going till lunchtime, now the "bread" halves in size because of the water content and what remains is soggy toast unless you burn it to a crisp. Their organic bread is just air and water if you can find any .As for the sweets, chocolate bars, crisp packets etc., I am fascinated to find out what the food industry is going to do when they get so small there is nothing to wrap. I have also noticed that more and more products are appearing with plastic wrapping, whatever happened to a plastic conscious society? I could rant on. The bottom line is that Waitrose claims to be an upmarket supermarket and charges accordingly but it is no better than the rest. On the complaint side. I once bought their "fresh" coconut" with the straw attached. I drank some but it tasted funny so i bashed it and opened it up. It was quite mouldy inside. When I rang to complain I wasn't even offered a refund? ! I like shopping at Waitrose, even though i think their own brand produce is second rate, but is clean and peaceful and the staff polite when there are enough on the floor but it has gone down hill so much I am changing my shopping habits. What a shame.

Putting this on here as the Google review had to be altered

Thank you waitrose welwyn for not serving me an energy drink despite the fact I am over 25 because it meant I got to go to another supermarket who not only believed my age without ID but was also much cheaper than you prejudice muppets. And just an FYI challenge 25 is for alcohol not energy drinks

There is something seriously wrong with this country and its mentality when a long standing employee of 17 years gets sacked for having the balls nobody else did by stopping someone from stealing from the store. Absolutely disgusting, disgraceful behaviour to sack Walker Smith that man should be being given a pay rise and a medal!

By sacking this man all you have done Waitrose is send out a strong signal its ok to steal from you, thus putting your staff and customers at further risk!

Usually love Waitrose No1 range but their Ceylon loose tea is terrible. The leaves are the crumbs from the factory floor, no bigger than what you get in a tea bag! Also means very hard to dispose of as they get through any filter you have in the sink. I will choosing to go back to the Kenya ones! I threw these ones away!

Thursday mid morning, at Banbury Waitrose. Only one trolly checkout open with more than 4 trolleys with big shops waiting. An assistant with an earpiece could see the issue, but chose to ignore the problem. He had to be asked to open another checkout. Terrible service.

Shall we now all shop with personal bodyguards? Seems more and more companies are accepting thefts and do nothing to protect customers. If my phone will be snatched at Waitrose shops, shall I accept that?

I am dismayed at Waitrose's treatment of Walker Smith.

Contrary to their statement, it is allowing criminals to act with impunity which puts customers at staff at risk. Just last week a Waitrose store one mile away was ransacked, and staff and customers were terrorised by thugs who believe they are untouchable. Waitrose's actions mean we can expect more of this.
David Attfield

I had a grocery delivery on 17 February during which my front door was damaged by the delivery.

I reported the issue immediately and provided all requested information the same day. What followed was nearly two months of delays, poor communication, and a frustrating claims process.

I had to repeatedly chase for updates via both email and phone. On multiple occasions, I was told I would receive a call back, which never happened. I was also informed that several emails had been sent to me which I never received, yet no alternative communication method was proactively used.

More concerning is how the claim itself has been handled. The outcome appears to rely primarily on a driver statement obtained around two months after the incident, in which the driver simply stated they do not recall whether they caused the damage.

This effectively means that unless the driver admits fault, no liability is accepted despite the fact that the damage was reported immediately after the delivery. Relying on a delayed and self-reported statement as the main piece of evidence does not feel like a fair or balanced process.

After all this, I have now been asked to obtain repair quotes myself so that a partial contribution may potentially be considered.

Overall, this has been an unnecessarily time-consuming and frustrating experience, both in terms of communication and the way the claim has been assessed. I would not expect this level of service, especially from a premium delivery offering.

I hope this review prompts a proper review of both the process and the level of customer care provided.

Grocery order (done loads before ) done at 7pm - all without a problem with full payment. Scheduled delivery for next day 3pm-4pm.

At 5.43 am next day - Waitrose emailed stating the payment could not be taken but no explanation as to why. Contacted Waitrose customer services - I got through to Shamera - I explained the issue and after run around and on hold several times - I was told she would need to xfer me to the "failed payments dept".

Failed Payments dept - "Luna" advised that the call was recorded - I acknowledged and asked for an explanation as to the "failed payment" (I had already checked with my card issuer who assured me all was ok) ? Again, left on hold several times and a number of periods not on hold but where Luna simply refused to speak - bizarrely! At this point I requested to speak to a manager - Luna advised - it would be between 24hrs and 72hrs ! I pointed out the order was for delivery today in 5hrs and that I am disabled and that it was therefore more urgent. Luna went silent for 30 secs, then started talking again but ignoring what I had said ! I asked to be put through to the complaints dept - again 30 secs silence - this time Luna responded with the 24hrs to 72hrs for a response. At this point following all the silences and ignoring things I said I decided to record the call from my end as well. I advised Luna of this and also made a request under the Data Protection and GDPR legislation for a copy of the call - silence for 30 secs. Luna then repeated the time period for complaints to respond ! Ignoring my request under the Data Protection Act. I repeated the request and asked Luna to acknowledge the request and confirm it would be actioned. Luna ignored me completely and repeated the timing again. I repeated my request for a copy of the call and her to acknowledge the Subject Access Request 10 times - Luna ignored all of them - Luna then advised that as I was recording the call this was not permitted and she would end the call - at which point she cut the call off. !!! So Waitrose are allowed to record call but not the customer !!!

Called again spoke to Lisa - advised I was recording the call straight away and explained why - Lisa seemed to have no problem with this but again went through the process of placing me on hold numerous times - even whilst I was speaking and asking not to be placed on hold. After this happened a number of times and without any explanation as to why I was being placed on hold - I asked Lisa what she had been doing - she stated she had spoken to the Complaints dept - I thought great - and asked to be put through to them. Lisa refused and said "they" (complaints dept) had said I needed to be put through to the failed payments team - who would deal with the complaint. I pointed out that this was totally inappropriate as it was that team I was complaining about ! Lisa ignored this and just repeated that she had to put me through to "failed payments". I then asked who she had spoken to in the complaints dept ? Lisa replied the "complaints dept" - I asked again - "who" in the complaints dept - then got 30 secs silence (again !) - then Lisa stating she had to put me through to "failed payments" - again 30secs silence - again ignored the question - this was repeated about 7 times - each with silences where she did not speak and then ignored the question and continued as if I had said nothing !!!! Incredibly rude !!! Finally I reminded her the call was recorded and asked an 8th time for the name of the person in complaints that she had spoken to who thought it was appropriate for a complaint to be handled by the subject of the complaint ! - Lisa finally stated the name as Hammad - no surname or identifier (indeed despite repeatedly asking - no-one was willing to provide any identifier or surname or anything else - only that they were all in South Africa. Great way to reduce complaints - just refuse to acknowledge that any are made and that the customer has not spoken at all !!). So frustrated I asked Lisa to record the matter as a formal complaint and informed her I would be ending the call.

Tried calling Waitrose head office - finally got through to reception and explained I was a disabled customer trying to escalate a complaint. Given the number 03456 050144 and told it was for Director Relations - I thought great at least I'm getting matter escalated ...... but no the number turns out to be a general number for John Lewis - the lady I spoke to Chenique advised she was in the calls dept and nothing to do with Waitrose. I asked to be transferred to the complaints dept - Chenique advised she dealt with complaints - further questions revealed that actually she just passed them on to waitrose - she did not deal with complaints at all. Ended call as pointless. Disgusting, obnoxious and illegal (re Data Access request) behaviour that should be held to account. Would like to hear Tom Denyard reply

Disgusting behaviour from an established brand, sacking of a long standing loyal employee and siding with thieves and shoplifters.

You are the epitome of broken Britain.