Somebody asked about the ‘most absurd’ supermarket delivery substitutions – 23 packers who just could not be arsed

Whether you’re unable to get out to the shops or just love the convenience of groceries arriving at your door, supermarket deliveries are one of the best things about modern living.

Well, apart from when you’ve ordered something they don’t have, forgotten to tick the ‘no substitutions’ box, and end up with an item that’s utterly useless to you.

Reddit user JinxXedOmens has experienced this, and posted the following on the CasualUK page…

Congratulations Sainsbury’s for making possibly the most absurd substitution in my order that I have ever encountered: no cabbage? How about a bouquet of tulips.

Honestly quite baffled to be honest. Substitutions happen all the time, granted, and I’d say eehhh 90% of the time the replacement is useable enough vs what you actually ordered… but tulips? As a substitution for a cabbage? I guess my garlic butter cabbage is going to look interesting tonight. Gotta admit, the tulips look lovely, and it gave me a good laugh first thing in the morning.

Curious if anyone can beat this one?

And lots of people had had similarly bizarre experiences with some of our best loved retailers, like these…

1.

‘When Tesco first started doing online deliveries, they used to have the BEST substitutions. For instance, once ordered two packets of 500g mince I on a “2 for” offer. Out of stock at the kept the price and sent two 750g packs.

Or you ordered one 100g of something, but they were out so you got two 75g versions. We even got a hamper on our 100th delivery that had strawberries, cream and various nice bits on it.’
–ClacksInTheSky

2.

‘You still get wins like this today if you’re lucky. I asked for a pack of two lamb chops last month, ended up with a 1.5kg leg. A mate of mine used to work as a ‘packer’ at Tesco and said they’d all use it as a form of silent protest: work pissing you off? Shiela from Derby’s getting luxury yoghurt at off-brand price.’
–unethical_badger

3.

‘I had a friend order four oranges and got four massive bags of clementines, same person ordered a double bed sheet and got two singles.’
–bacon_cake

4.

‘I once ordered six individual pears from Tesco. They didn’t have those, so they sent me six packs of six pears instead. It was brilliant, I was eating pears in everything.’
–KaizleLeBella

5.

‘When Tesco first started delivering in Dublin my friend ordered a whole chicken… They substituted two cans of chickpeas. And all sorts of other dumb substitutions, but that one was the funniest.

She complained, so by way of compensation they sent her her entire shop again the next day. Completely out of the blue. Which had originally included an entire leg of ham, so now she had two huge hams that needed to be refrigerated and nowhere to put one of them. Which is how I got a free ham.’
–HyperbolicModesty

6.

‘My friend ordered tampons from Tesco…..and got a pack of sausages. Not sure how absorbent sausages actually are – I did ask my friend but she just laughed at me.’
–Orangutan_Latte

7.

‘Talking about substitutions to my Sainsbury’s delivery driver, he told me that a customer of his ordered a Kiwi fruit and received Kiwi shoe polish. Nice.’
–nick9000

8.

‘I once had cotton buds swapped for Tampax super flow or something. My ears were dry as fuck.’
–c0tch

9.

‘Ordered breast pads and was sent hand sanitiser. It was Covid so I took it as a win.’
–tiddyb0obz

10.

‘You ordered: Doves Farm Gluten Free Quick Yeast 125g at a quantity of 1

We’re delivering: Kallo Yeast Free Vegetable Stock Cubes 6x11g at a quantity of 2.’
–Old_Pomegranate_822

11.

‘My mum once had a similar substitution from Tesco. She ordered jumbo spring onions and was substituted daffodil bulbs.’
–charlottee963

12.

‘Ordered vegan food, but out of stock? Here’s the meat version!

I understand the pickers are in a rush and encouraged to grab alternatives… But, come on.’
–BemaJinn