A Sainsbury's customer has sparked debate online after claiming a Deliveroo grocery order left them with a substitute they did not want, and difficulties getting their money back.
The shopper took to X to share their experience on Tuesday (September 16), prompting a number of questions over what happens when a supermarket delivery does not arrive as ordered. It also raised awareness of double-checking substitution settings when buying products where the replacement could make a significant difference to the customer.
This issue becomes especially sensitive when it comes to drink containing alcohol, as choosing a non-alcoholic alternative can be a deliberate decision rather than simply a matter of taste. For over a million people in the UK, avoiding alcohol can be a part of efforts to reduce drinking and maintain sobriety.
Customer's complaint
"I ordered two bottles of non alcoholic white wine via Deliveroo," penned Sarah Lishman, who goes under @ninjalampie on the social media platform. "You sent two bottles of fully alcoholic red wine as a substitute. Can't get a refund, thoughts?"
The Mirror has reached out to Sainsbury's for further comment on this matter.
The rise of non-alcoholic drinks
No and low-alcohol drinks have become increasingly popular among people looking to moderate their drinking, with Drinkaware reporting that 44 per cent of UK adults were choosing them in 2025. Its figures showed the proportion of drinkers opting for alcohol-free products to moderate their drinking had risen from 18 per cent in 2018 to 31 per cent in 2025.
Alcohol Change UK has also highlighted their role for people trying to cut down, saying its survey found 83% of heavier drinkers who had tried reducing their consumption considered very low or no-alcohol drinks important to their journey. The charity's chief executive Dr Richard Piper has described such drinks as potentially "game-changing" for people wanting to change their drinking habits, although the organisation also warns that they can be unsuitable for some people in recovery.
That means an alcohol-containing replacement is not necessarily an equivalent substitute for someone who deliberately ordered an alcohol-free product. It also explains why substitution rules can matter beyond whether a replacement is a similar flavour or costs roughly the same.
Sainsbury's substitution rules explained
Sainsbury's says its own online grocery customers can refuse a substitute when it arrives by returning it to the driver, with a refund automatically issued within a few days. However, its published policy also says refund requests for substituted items can be rejected if the customer accepts the replacement at the point of delivery.
Deliveroo has separate guidance for grocery orders, stating that once an order has been delivered, customers can reject a substitute through Order Help or by contacting customer service. Deliveroo says that when a substitute is rejected, the customer will be refunded the amount charged for that item.
This distinction is important because a Sainsbury's order placed through Deliveroo is not necessarily handled in exactly the same way as a standard Sainsbury's online grocery delivery. Anyone unhappy with a substitute should therefore check the order through Deliveroo's help system and report the specific item rather than assuming Sainsbury's standard online substitution process automatically applies.
For shoppers who want to avoid unwanted replacements, Sainsbury's online ordering system also provides substitution preferences during checkout. Checking those settings before placing an order can reduce the chance of receiving an alternative that does not meet the original requirement.
