Shoppers at a UK Sainsbury's store were left laughing after discovering a major stocking error that saw bottles of rival supermarket Tesco's milk placed on the shelves.
The Reddit Revelation That Sparked Laughter
The amusing situation came to light when a customer took to Reddit to explain their confusion. They reported that a handheld scanner in the store failed to read the barcode on a milk container. Upon closer inspection, they realised the milk was branded not for Sainsbury's, but for its competitor, Tesco. The shopper promptly alerted staff, who swiftly removed the incorrect stock.
Insiders Claim It's a Frequent Faux Pas
While many found the incident hilarious, several users with inside knowledge suggested such mix-ups occur regularly. One former Sainsbury's employee commented that it happened about once a week at their store, with misdelivered stock often given to colleagues for free. They revealed a key detail: the milk often comes from the same place and is delivered by the same lorry, simply bearing a different label.
Another user, claiming to have worked in factory packaging for supermarket own-brands, speculated the milk was likely from a major producer like Arla (Cravendale) or Müller, which supply multiple retailers. This theory was backed by a third contributor who stated they work as a delivery driver for a company producing milk for most major supermarkets, including both Tesco and Sainsbury's.
The Staggering Cost of a Simple Error
The delivery driver provided a startling insight into the potential financial penalties for such mistakes. They explained that external audits are conducted randomly, and the fine for a misdelivered bottle can be as high as £175 per unit. A single trolley containing 80 incorrect bottles could therefore incur a penalty nearing £14,000. The driver noted they had passed four audits that year.
They also addressed a common customer query about whether the milk itself is different. "There are Tesco farms and Sainsbury's farms," they wrote. The milk from each is kept in separate, store-specific silos and transported in dedicated tankers. Mixing the supplies would result in huge fines and the entire batch being scrapped, highlighting the strict protocols in place.
Finally, a user with family in food packing mocked "supermarket snobbery," emphasising that the core product is often identical—made and packed in the same factories by the same people—with only the label and price being different.
