Tesco admits fuel price blunder that annoyed isles customers
Tesco has had to make amends in Shetland after a marketing blunder annoyed its customers.
With fuel prices sky high in the islands the supermarket added insult to injury by sending personalised coupons to its Clubcard members offering 5p off each litre of fuel for six weeks as a thank you for “travelling the extra mile to get to us”.
Of course, the discount only applies to Tesco petrol stations, the nearest one being 156 miles away by sea and road in Wick where this week diesel without the discount was already 16p a litre cheaper than Leask’s in Lerwick, standing at just £1.32.9.
Now the red-faced retail giant has rushed out another letter apologising for its gaffe and compensating customers by crediting them with 500 Clubcard points instead. The gesture is worth £5 whereas the benefit of cheaper fuel for customers down south is up to £5 each week if they fill up with the maximum amount after spending £50 on goods in a Tesco store.
UK marketing director Carolyn Bradley told customers that on this occasion Tesco “didn’t get it quite right for you, for which we are sorry”.
Martyn Tillson
We’re at the other end of the country on the Isle of Wight. Tesco are the first of all supermarkets on the Island to increase their petrol prices and are usually 2p per litre more expensive. They seem to increase prices even when the cost of crude oil is reducing in price. I suppose it’s lack of competition, but it makes a mockery of their mottos about keeping costs down!!