09 January, 2008

Supermarket chewathons

If you're visiting your local supermarket and they've run out of small change (it happens sometimes!), don't worry: you'll walk out with free chewing gum. N.B. This offer will probably not last long.

12 comments:

BuJ said...

hmm this has been around for at least 20 years.. it's common practice :)

i bet you older readers will confirm that it's been going on for longer than that.

samuraisam said...

lol @ 'sometimes'

isabella said...

choitram @ the greens!

sorry, but I refuse to accept, whenever they come with the ' sorry mam....' I call the manager and complain until I get my change back - mostly I get it before the manager ever shows up anyway ;)

the thing is, why should the customer cover it and not the company - otherwise which incentive do they have to organize small change?

and by the way, the in the old times you didn't need to worry for the rent increase like I do nowadays ... yes, counting fills for it!!!

i*maginate said...

*buj: 20 yrs ago, practices were different. Skimming on small change was certainly not the practice: I wonder why?

*samuraisam, conservatism is the answer.

*isabella, no names were mentioned.
I never experienced any "sorry maam". It's not about the small change, it's about the principle. And there must be loads of that around the place.

May I ask, does your local supermarket manager speak English?

BuJ said...

Imaginate.. i have to say that i see your point on this one. however let me give you this..last time i was in town, i believe the bill came out to be DHS 10.40 and the cashier announced "10.40 SIR" then he added "give me pipty pils" implying that I had to pay 10.50.

Unless they have 10 fils which I know they don't, then it's kinda implied that I have to pay them the 10.50,, it just pissed me off the way he was asking.. and notice they never give you back 25fils.

very small change i have to agress, but what pissed me off is he asked for it.

i*maginate said...

*buj, I wonder if a major UK retailer would have the same local shortchanging policy.

BuJ said...

I*, no UK retailer, big or small would dare to short-change me like that. btw, my last story was at Spinneys.. and they are considered to be on the higher end of supermarkets...

i*maginate said...

I wouldn't be too sure about that, Buj...did ya know Spinneys is now officially tied up with Waitrose, which is going to be opening several new branches here. Spinneys already distribute Waitrose products!

Carrefour is also an international chain but they've been known to shortchange too...

Perhaps it's a "regional" thing...

Anonymous said...

i have been offered cheap bad quality chewing gums a few times in the petrol stations instead of the small change.
i am left with no choice but to leave both the gum and the change to them, coz its pointless to argue with them upon a few fils.

Dubai Jazz said...

aha, all the time I was thinking that the gums were induced by my breath smell.

rosh said...

hahah "chewathons" - hmmmm sorta have ta agree with BuJ, the practice has been in place for a while....it indeed has been a 20+ year chewathon :) They've been chewing away at such change - Choithrams, Spinneys, Al Maya lal's etc all....not sure of Carrefour?

BuJ - correct again, whatever happens to the 10 fils when the tab's Dhs 10.40 huh? I am sure the retailers are quite aware, of the "other income" :)

samuraisam said...

dont most supermarkets have some sort of a rouding system to stop the price ending in 10,20,30,40,60,70,80 or 90 fils?

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