With tighter restrictions and national lockdowns back in place, I want to reassure you that we are doing everything we can to keep you and our colleagues safe when you shop with us (writes Sainsbury’s Chief Executive SIMON ROBERTS).
Everyone must wear a mask in our stores
Keeping you and our colleagues safe is our absolute priority and we are looking again at all of our safety measures in stores.
We continue to limit the number of people in our shops at any one time and we have greeters outside every supermarket to help with this.
We are also asking all customers to please wear a mask and to shop alone. This will help us limit the number of people shopping at any one time and help everyone shop and work safely.
We’ll also have posters and tannoy messages making it really clear that everyone must wear a mask, unless you have an exemption.
Convenience stores will also have colleagues at the store entrances to help customers and manage numbers. All our stores have hand sanitising stations available for you to use at the entrance and please be assured our colleagues continue to regularly clean trolleys and baskets.
Ramping up online capacity
As people are being asked to stay at home, more people want to shop online and we’re doing everything we can to support you with this. We have increased slots from 340,000 last March to over 800,000 per week now and we’re doing everything we can to increase that number, across both home delivery and click and collect. We continue to give elderly, disabled and vulnerable customers priority access to these slots.
Please shop for others and only buy what you need
We have good availability of products in our stores and online and we have new stock arriving from our suppliers every day. You can still feel confident that you can find what you need at Sainsbury’s and if we all continue to buy just what we need, there will be enough food for everyone.
It’s been really heartening to see so many of you and our colleagues doing what you can to help elderly and vulnerable people in your communities. With clinically extremely vulnerable people required to shield once again in many areas, I would like to encourage everyone to please shop for others if you can. Our Volunteer Shopping Card can help you do this without needing to use cash.
Supporting our communities
With your help, our ‘Help Brighten a Million Christmases’ campaign raised nearly £6 million for over 800 local charitable partners as well as Comic Relief and FareShare. Thank you for all of your support and donations.
To continue to support our communities as we head into this third lockdown, I’m pleased to let you know that we’re creating another £1 million local community fund for all our stores to donate to charities and other good causes in their local area over the coming months.
We are also continuing to support the government’s free school meal vouchers scheme, helping children who qualify for free school meals have access to these meals while schools are closed.
I want to thank all of our colleagues who continue to deal with these challenges that affect their everyday lives while also carrying out a vital role in helping to feed the nation. Thank you too for helping us to keep you and our colleagues safe.
As always, if there is anything you think we could be doing better please let me know.
Homeware stores and garden centres to close in level 4
Homeware stores and garden centres will close in all level 4 areas from Boxing Day with the exception of click and collect.
Members of the public within level 4 are also being urged to stay close to home where possible to help stop the spread of Coronavirus (COVID19).
The stricter definition of essential retailers and new stay at home message have been introduced to help tackle the new variant of the virus which can spread far more quickly and easily.
The changes were announced during a statement to Parliament by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon yesterday. She said: “Given the severity of the situation we face and the need to limit interactions as much as possible, we intend to define essential retail more narrowly than we have done recently.
“In short, that means homeware stores and garden centres will be classed as non-essential and will therefore require to close, with the exception of click and collect.
“Financial support will remain available for businesses affected and the Finance Secretary is urgently assessing what more the Scottish Government can do, particularly for the sectors most affected.
“For those living in level 4 areas – which from Saturday will be the vast majority of us – our strong advice is to stay as local as possible and to stay at home as much as possible.
“We will be considering in the days ahead whether we need to place that advice in law.
“As more evidence of the impact of this new strain becomes available, we will consider whether there is a need to strengthen level 4 restrictions any further.”
Shop smart, shop local – give the gift of a happy dance, by shopping with East Lothian independents this Christmas
The gift of a happy dance. That’s what you will be giving the owners of Buck & Birch, Seilich and Yummikeys, if you shop with them this Christmas.
Three East Lothian businesses with three real-life stories; stories that took them from kitchen-table ideas to beloved Scottish names, all with the support of a local community.
And what do they want this festive period? For you to keep it East Lothian.
Stocked, sold and in many cases, created locally, each brand offers a touch of Scottish magic, intertwining a respect for their hometown with products that keep customers returning again and again.
These labours of love not only supply the best of the best, but continue to support their East Lothian by connecting and collaborating with other businesses, hiring local talent and promoting seasonal produce. Buck & Birch. Seilich. Yummikeys. The only brands to be shopping if you want to give back to your highland home.
So, what can Santa bring you from East Lothian this year… ?
Boozy bounty from Buck & Birch
The ethos of Buck and Birch is to go back to the source, hand harvesting ingredients when they are at their best, just like the old days. The founders are driven by passion and inquisitiveness, constantly exploring the full potential of the enigmatic ingredients found along Scottish shores, and in the local woodlands and hedgerows.
For those who want a luxurious taste of the wilds of Scotland, the Aelder Amarosa Gift Set (£25 for 2 x 200ml bottles wrapped up in a classic box) contains two delectably fruity liqueurs to liven up any cocktail.
Aelder Elixer Elderberry Liqueur and Amarosa Aromatic Rosehip Liqueur give the sweet and spicy edge to your Christmas day.
For the gin connoisseur? The Botanist Gin Wild Cocktail Collection (£29).
A collaboration with Botanist Gin, the Wild Gin Cocktail Collection offers a limited-edition range of three pre-bottled cocktails, just ready for the drinking. Inspired by their shared knowledge and passion for the place they call home, flavours in The Ramble, The Amigroni and The Plants & Quincidence will never fail to transport you back to your Scottish roots.
Something sweet from Seilich
Skin-saving botanists, Seilich grows all plants themselves in a meadow in Scotland, creating lotions, sprays and balms utilising flower waters from native produce. Harvested organically, at least 50% of each product comes from the Seilich meadow and the rest from other vegan, organic and natural sources. The first company to gain Wildlife Friendly certification in the UK, each item is nourishing and made to suit every skin care addict, ensuring there is something sweet-smelling for everyone on your list.
Perfect for those dipping their toe into the natural beauty world, the Complete Cleansing Set (£23) offers everything needed to create the most luxurious cleansing routine. A Wild Carrot and Camomile Cleansing Lotion and Peppermint and Camomile Gel Cleanser are paired with a sumptuously soft Tabitha Eve Organic Bamboo Flannel, to leave your face glowing and rejuvenated. Use the zingy gel morning and night, followed by the soothing cleansing lotion and finish off with a hot cloth to ensure that your favourite part of wearing make-up, will be taking it off.
Combining Wildlife Friendly floral waters with moisturisers and botanical extracts of oat and comfrey, the divine Face Mist Set (£28) not only smells incredible but offers three skin-friendly additions to your regime. Soothing, hydrating and refreshing, each face mist can be used morning or night to add a delicate sheen and boost your skin’s moisture levels. Containing Rose and Mallow Face Mist, to nourish, Mint and Yarrow to refresh and Wild Carrot and Camomile to calm, the hardest part will be choosing which one to spritz!
Yuletide calm from Yummikeys
Created following a bill for lost car keys, Yummikeys is taking on the world of single-use plastic, one family at a time. With over 90% of toys ending up in landfill, founder Elspeth Fawcett’s mission was to make a toy that was not only un-put-downable for baby, but also a treasured keepsake for parents; a family heirloom to be loved from generation to generation. Safe, recyclable, engravable and most importantly, FUN, the stainless-steel teethers have garnered awards and attention along the way.
A set of three stainless-steel animal Yummikeys interlocked with bright silicone beads, these cooling accessories are perfect for the ‘obsessed with car keys’ stage, but without all the worry. Safe, hygienic and not the predecessor to a large motor bill if lost, these keys offer hours of fun and are perfect for newly emerging teeth. For mamas who want to cherish the memories of baby for a little bit longer, keys can be engraved with name and birthdate too. Dishwasher proof and recyclable – Christmas music to our ears. £24.50 (£34.50 engraved).
Made with mum in mind, each Ultrasound Scan Necklace is delicately engraved with your personal ultrasound image; a cherished keepsake of the time when it was just you and them. Carefully designed, each elegant disc, which comes with one scan engraving as standard, is available in silver plated stainless steel or rose and yellow 18ct gold plate (all £39.50 each).
On the back, optional dates, names and number of weeks can be added (£10 for up to 20 characters) and each necklace has the option to add more discs (£30 per), meaning you can hold all your babies close to your heart.
Get all wrapped up, shop local and have a very, merry East Lothian Christmas!
Shoppers are being urged to do their research before they part with their cash this Black Friday as a new Which? investigation reveals that the vast majority of ‘deals’ are the same price or cheaper before the day itself.
The consumer champion tracked the prices of 219 popular products advertised as ‘Black Friday deals’ across Amazon, AO.com, Argos, Currys PC World and John Lewis and found that almost nine in 10 (85%) of these so-called ‘deals’ were actually cheaper or the same price in the six months before.
In fact, when Which? compared a year’s worth of prices for these products, which included home and tech goods such as headphones, fridge freezers and soundbars, only three (1%) out of the 219 items tracked were at their cheapest price of the year on Black Friday.
Out of the retailers Which? looked at, Currys PC World was the most likely to have its Black Friday ‘deals’ cheaper or the same price in the six months before. This was the case for 47 out of 49 (96%) products.
John Lewis was not far behind with 70 of the 78 (90%) Black Friday deals Which? tracked cheaper or the same price ahead of time.
AO had a total of 38 out of 44 (86%) Black Friday deals included in Which?’s research cheaper or the same price before the big day.
When it came to the Black Friday deals tracked at Argos, Which? found 15 out of 18 (86%) had been cheaper or the same price in the six months before Black Friday.
Amazon came out the best out of the retailers Which? looked at but still had just over half (57%) of products analysed cheaper or the same price in the six months before Black Friday.
Among the examples, Which? found that at Currys PC World a set of Bose Quietcomfort headphones was £249 on Black Friday but had been cheaper or the same price on at least 15 occasions in the six months prior.
Which? found the same problem with a pricey De’Longhi Primadonna Coffee Machine at John Lewis. Costing £1,285 in the Black Friday sale, the machine had been at the same price or less on at least 35 occasions in the six months before, dropping to less than £1,200 on several days in May and June 2019.
Which? also found that at AO a Zanussi fridge freezer was £549 on Black Friday but had been sold at that price on 153 days in the six months before Black Friday – 84 per cent of the time.
While many of the items tracked by Which? had been cheaper or the same price in the six months before Black Friday, price drops were even more widespread after the day itself.
This applied to almost every single product from AO, Argos, Currys PC World and John Lewis included in the analysis and nine in 10 (90%) of the products Which? tracked on Amazon.
Among the sales season duds Which? did uncover a few great deals, including some Bose Soundsport headphones on Amazon that were on sale at £45 on Black Friday 2019, half the maximum price of £90 and, according to Which? data, the cheapest price of the year.
Meanwhile at Amazon, Which? also found a bargain on a Shark Handheld Vacuum cleaner at £97 on Black Friday 2019, just over half the £180 maximum, the cheapest price of the year.
Which?’s research shows that while a handful of offers might be genuine, the vast majority of Black Friday deals are not necessarily cheaper than at other times of the year – and those who hold out a little longer will often end up paying the same price or even less.
Which? is urging shoppers to not be tempted to impulse buy this year, and to make sure they do their research to assess whether the price and quality of the product they are considering makes it the right deal for them. Even if a deal is advertised as time-sensitive, chances are it will not be the last opportunity to buy at that price.
Natalie Hitchins, Which? Head of Home Products and Services, said: “With many of us stuck at home this Black Friday it might be tempting to scour the sales for a bargain, but we’ve found that you could get the same deal – or an even better one – at another time.
“Deals that look too good to be true often are, so don’t fall for time-limited offers and if you are looking for something in particular, do some research first. That way you’ll know a genuine bargain when you see one.”
Which? tracked the prices of 219 popular home and tech products over the course of a year, for six months before Black Friday 2019 and six months after.
The below table shows the number of products tracked and whether they were the same price or cheaper before and after the sales event.
In August 2020, a Which? survey found that 84 per cent of respondents were not planning on buying anything this Black Friday and those who were said they were taking a more considered approach by either tracking prices of coveted items or using price comparison sites.
However, internet industry body IMRG last week reported that the combination of Black Friday discounts and coronavirus restrictions will make November a record-breaking month for online spending in the UK. Their report suggested that online sales were up 61 per cent in the first week of November compared with the same period last year.
Black Friday example ‘deals’
AO -Hotpoint SA2844HIX 60cm 71L Built In Electric Single Oven
You could have bought this built-in oven for £219.99 on Black Friday at AO, but if you’d bought it in the six months prior then you might have saved yourself a tenner – it was £209.99 on at least seven days. In the six months after the sale, it was £209.99 on at least 80 days, and was cheaper or the same price for a total of 134 days after the sale.
AO – Zanussi 178Cm Integrated Frost Free Fridge Freezer ZBB28651SV:
Black Friday price was £549. It was priced at £549 on 153 days in the six months before Black Friday, and was cheaper or the same price on 46 occasions after the sale.
Argos – GoPro Hero7 White Action Cam
This action camera was £129.99 at Argos on Black Friday, and was the same price for the week before the sale day. In February 2020, it dropped to £119 for 11 days before staying at £129.99 – the same as its Black Friday price – until at least the end of May. In total, it was cheaper or the same price as Black Friday on at least 154 days in the six months following the sale.
Currys PC World – Samsung RS50N3513S8 Freestanding American Style Fridge Freezer
Last Black Friday, the silver version of this Samsung Fridge Freezer cost £849 at Currys PC World. Prior to the sale day, it was priced at £799 on at least 15 days – meaning a saving of £50 compared to Black Friday. Following the sale, it was £849 or cheaper on at least 27 days.
Currys PC World – Sonos Playbar Soundbar
This stylish soundbar was £649 at Currys PC World last Black Friday, but had been the same price for at least 19 days in October 2019 too. After the sale day, it was the same price or cheaper on at least 129 days – including dropping to £599 over Christmas and new year, meaning shoppers could have saved £50 by holding out a little longer. For those prepared to play the waiting game, it was priced at £499 on several occasions during April and May 2020 – a saving of £150 compared to Black Friday.
Currys PC World- Bose Quietcomfort 35 Ii Black QC35IIB: was cheaper or the same price as Black Friday on 15 occasions in the six months prior to Black Friday, and 66 days after the sale.
John Lewis – Brother MFC-J6930DW Wireless Inkjet Printer
On Black Friday, this Brother printer was £199.99 at John Lewis. In the six months before the sale day, it had been priced at £199 on at least 79 occasions. John Lewis told us that this was due to its price matching scheme. It was cheaper or the same price on 72 days in the six months after the sale, too.
John Lewis – The De’Longhi Primadonna Elite Experience Bean To Cup Coffee Machine
The silver version of this expensive coffee machine was £1,285 at John Lewis in the Black Friday sale, but had been at the same price or less on at least 35 occasions in the six months before. This included costing less than £1,200 on several days in May and June 2019.
John Lewis – The Sonos Beam Compact Smart Sound Bar with Voice Control, Black, was cheaper than its Black Friday price (£399) on 71 occasions in the six months before Black Friday, dropping to £369 for 14 days in July. It was cheaper or the same price on 184 days in the six months after the sale.
Amazon said: ‘We seek to offer our customers great value thanks to low prices all year round as well as a number of fantastic seasonal deals events. Our Black Friday Sale is about thousands of deals on a huge selection of products from every category across the site, at a time of year when we know saving money is important to our customers. And the best thing about shopping online is that customers can easily compare prices, allowing them to make an informed purchase decision.’
An AO spokesperson said: ‘We offer great deals for our customers all year. Last year’s Black Friday event had over 9,000 fantastic and fair offers for customers and we expect this year to be even bigger.’
An Argos spokesperson said, ‘Our Black Friday event gives customers access to hundreds of products at their lowest ever price. They may also be part of sales and promotions we run the following year.’
A Currys PC World spokesperson said: “We have 1000s of deals in Black Friday every year, and aim to give our customers the best value with over 45% at their lowest price ever this year. Throughout the year we are also continuously price-matching and have additional sales to ensure we keep our promise of amazing tech that is affordable and accessible. Also as we are constantly looking to bring customers the latest and most innovative tech it means over time some of our older products will generally reduce in price as they are replaced by newer technology with improved features.”
John Lewis said: ‘As a participating retailer in Black Friday, we offer hundreds of deals across technology, home, beauty and fashion. In addition to the variety of offers we have instore and online during the promotional period, our Never Knowingly Undersold price promise means that we continuously monitor and match the prices of our high street competitors throughout the year. As such, we offer our customers the best value on the high street all year round, including during the Black Friday period.’
Black Friday shoppers have been encouraged to pay on credit card, do their research before the day and be wary when it comes to some deals this year.
Penny pinching pros from NetVoucherCodes.co.uk have revealed six helpful tips to make a successful Black Friday haul.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday is one of the best weekends of the year to spend money due to the bargain prices many shops offer.
It’s important, however, to stay as safe as you can whilst shopping and to make sure that the deals are actually deals.
A spokesperson for NetVoucherCodes.co.uk said: “Black Friday weekend is one of the best times to buy presents for Christmas, but it can get busy quickly.
“Many shoppers are expected to ditch the shops and buy online this year due to the current coronavirus restrictions, so it’s important to do your research before the weekend.
“By following our tips hopefully you’ll make Santa jealous with your haul of presents, all whilst keeping your bank account happy too!”
These are NetVoucherCodes.co.uk tips to stay safe and have an enjoyable weekend shopping:
1. Make a list
It can be very easy to go blind when you’re confronted with lots of offers. Before Black Friday, make a list of who you need to buy for, or what you want to buy. This will make it more difficult to over buy. You could even have a browse and write down pre-Black Friday prices. Browse around and compare prices, then make a note of the best two websites that stock the products. If it sells out before you have chance to buy it you’ll have a back-up store ready.
2. Social Media
Many brands will be advertising their deals on social media in the lead up to Black Friday. Some may even offer exclusive deals to their followers. If you have the option to follow local stores, this may mean you can enjoy deals exclusive only to individual shops.
3. Start early
Some shops have been known to start their Black Friday deals up to a week before the big day. Sometimes it can pay to buy a few smaller items on these days, so on Black Friday you’ll have more time to trawl through the offers.
4. Be wary
If there’s a deal which looks too good to be true, it probably is. Just because there’s a deal on doesn’t mean you have to buy. It’s easy to think that because an item is reduced on one site then it’s a great deal. It may only be reduced by a small amount or may be even cheaper elsewhere. If you have the time to shop about, do it. Using a price tracking website will let you look at a product’s price history so you can see if it is a great deal or not.
5. Voucher sites
Although some of the offers may seem great already, your bank account isn’t going to say no if you can save even more money! Spend some time going through voucher sites which could help you get even more of a discount on your Black Friday shopping. Write down any codes next to relevant items on your list. This will help speed up the checkout process when it comes to the big day.
6.Card
If you’re planning on making your purchases online, it’s important to consider which card you will be using. If you pay with a credit card or via PayPal you’ll have more protection if anything goes wrong.
Santa Claus brought the magic of Christmas to Ocean Terminal when he made a secret visit to the waterfront shopping centre to check that everything was just perfect for the opening of his grotto on Thursday 3 December.
Caught on CCV footage here, Santa tests out the hand sanitiser and puts on his mask, before snapping his fingers to conjure up this year’s festive sparkle and dazzling grotto.
So, while Christmas 2020 will be a little different, the elves at Ocean Terminal aren’t letting coronavirus ruin the Christmas spirt. Santa and his helpers are working hard to give shoppers a small piece of normality this festive season.
Having tested out his new grotto and switched on the Christmas lights Santa will now return to the centre on 3 December and will stay there every day through to Christmas Eve (excluding December 7-9), celebrating the festivities in a safe and socially distant way.
A specially designed festive screen has been installed in the grotto to ensure all government guidelines are met and visitors, big and small, can still experience the excitement of a trip to see Santa.
As well as Santa’s grotto, the weekly market becomes the Christmas Market, opening daily from 25 November through to 23 December.
Located on the ground floor, the market will offer a wide variety of artisan food and handcrafted gifts from local Scottish traders. New for this year is a winter photo competition in partnership with The Leith Collective offering all photography enthusiasts the chance to appear in Ocean Terminal’s Winter Landscape Photo Exhibition.
Ocean Terminal, Centre Manager, Michelle Macleod said: “We wanted to give our customers a sense of normality, so the centre is looking fabulous and nothing is stopping us enjoy the full spirit of Christmas. Santa will be here and spreading joy just as every year.
“Not everyone wants to shop online, and nothing really beats the buzz you get when you spot just the right gift or fill the boot of your car with presents you know family and friends are going to love.
“It’s been a tough year for everyone and I think that a small piece of normality, and a familiar setting is something that everyone can appreciate. We’ve worked hard to put extra measures in place to ensure a safe and socially distanced festive season can be enjoyed by all.”
– Morrisons to work with brands to reduce plastic in products and packaging –
– Supermarket’s packaging and technical teams on hand to offer support –
Morrisons has asked its branded suppliers to help fight the war on plastic, as part of its commitment to reduce the amount of the material in its stores and supply chain operations.
The supermarket made the appeal at its annual supplier conference, to which 1,600 suppliers were invited.
Morrisons is asking its branded suppliers to reduce plastic in both product packaging and on the shelf display packaging, as well as in the materials in which these products are transported to stores.
It is hoped that this will remove thousands of tonnes of plastic from the supermarket’s shelves a year – and make it easier for customers to reduce the amount of plastic they are purchasing.
Advice and guidance will be offered by Morrisons technical teams to help brands to reduce their plastic packaging. As the supermarket is ‘vertically integrated’ – and manufactures more than half of the fresh food it sells – it is in a unique position to be able to offer support to the industry.
Andy Atkinson, Group Commercial Director at Morrisons said: “As the UK’s biggest fresh food maker we are committed to helping our customers live their life with less plastic. So we are asking our branded suppliers to join with us in reducing our plastic footprint as this is a priority for our customers.”
Morrisons has committed to a 50% reduction across its own brand primary plastic packaging by 2025. Initiatives introduced over the last 12 months will remove 9,000 tonnes of unnecessary or problematic plastic each year. Eighty three per cent of its own-brand plastic packaging is now able to be recycled.
In 2019 Morrisons was voted the most environmentally responsible company in the UK for its work on plastics reduction at the Responsible Business Awards, run by HRH The Prince of Wales’ Business in the Community Network. Greenpeace has also repeatedly ranked Morrisons second in the supermarket industry for its plastic reduction achievements.
Morrisons work on plastic reduction sits alongside other sustainability commitments made by the supermarket including net zero emissions by 2040, a zero-deforestation plan and a 50% reduction in operational food waste by 2030.
For more details on Morrisons sustainability commitments visit:
– Same-day delivery services available via Amazon and Deliveroo –
– Dedicated Telesales line and Doorstep Delivery Service available for those who are self-isolating, the elderly and vulnerable customers –
– Morrisons stores are operating with normal opening hours in line with Government restrictions –
To continue serving customers during the pandemic, Morrisons has introduced a number of different ways to purchase food in addition to their usual online delivery service.
Morrisons stores remain open as usual (typically Mon–Sat 7am-10pm, Sun 10am-4pm) and are following Government advice where relevant, however, for those that don’t want to shop in store, there are plenty of other options including a Doorstep Delivery service for self-isolating, elderly and vulnerable shoppers, same-day deliveries with Amazon and Deliveroo for quick and convenient shopping.
In addition, there is a selection of Food Boxes available online, which will be delivered next day if ordered before 3pm, as well as click & collect and regular online delivery service with slots available on morrisons.com.
Doorstep Delivery Service
Vulnerable, elderly and self-isolating customers including students can order their shopping on the Doorstep Delivery service via a telesales line by calling 0345 611 6111. They can choose from a range of groceries and their order will be delivered the next day by a Morrisons store colleague and paid for, on their doorstep, via a mobile chip and pin device.
Via Amazon
Customers can access Morrisons shopping either through Morrisons on Amazon (an Amazon.co.uk service) and the Morrisons Store on Amazon Prime Now (accessible via the Prime Now site and app) provides Prime members with a way of getting free-of-charge same-day grocery delivery.
Orders are placed on Amazon, before being picked in store by Morrisons employees and packed in a dedicated area. From there, the shopping is collected by Amazon Flex Delivery Partners and delivered to the customer within a two-hour delivery window on the same day.
Via Deliveroo
Morrisons has partnered with Deliveroo at more than 130 stores across the UK – covering one in four households (6.8 million). Customers can order from over 200 essential household items, including meat, plant-based substitutes, fruit, vegetables and household essentials, for on-demand delivery in as little as 30 minutes.
All deliveries are contact-free to ensure safety, with Deliveroo riders leaving the deliveries at customers’ doors to collect, minimising person-to-person contact.
Food Boxes
In March, Morrisons launched a nationwide food box service and has since expanded the range to over 25 choices including cupboard essentials, vegan essentials, gluten-free essentials, meat and fish options, wine boxes and party boxes. All prices listed on Morrisons food boxes website https://www.morrisons.com/food-boxes/ include next day (if ordered before 3pm) or nominated day delivery. You can even save with a subscription on selected boxes.
Click & Collect
Morrisons has expanded its Click & Collect service to 280 locations nationwide. Customers can simply complete a Morrisons.com order online and then collect from store, contact-free, at a time that suits them best.
Which? is warning of the risk of fake reviews misleading shoppers this Black Friday as new research suggests Amazon is struggling to spot and prevent sellers from using unscrupulous tactics to manipulate their ratings.
Fake reviews are a big problem on many of the world’s biggest websites and Which? has also previously uncovered evidence of fake and suspicious review activity on eBay, Facebook and TripAdvisor.
In the UK, Amazon is a dominant force with Black Friday shoppers. Which? research found 34 per cent of consumers planned to buy something there this Black Friday, compared to 16 per cent at John Lewis and seven per cent at Currys PC World.
In its latest investigation Which? looked at the first page of Amazon listings for some of the most popular Black Friday product categories, including tablets, smartphones and wearables, as well as headphones and mobile phone accessories – where it has previously found evidence of concerning review activity.
Which? uncovered a range of obvious tactics sellers are using to manipulate review ratings. Amazon says it has clear policies that prohibit sellers from engaging in this type of activity, and has mechanisms in place to analyse reviews, but Which? is concerned that its approach is not effective enough. Which?’s experts found:
Blatant evidence of sellers incentivising shoppers to write positive reviews, using free gifts or vouchers. Despite exposing this practice in previous investigations and it being in breach of Amazon’s site policies, this appears to be a persistent issue. In a number of cases the products were also labelled with the Amazon’s Choice endorsement and had comments within reviews such as: “wouldn’t have placed this review but for the fact that I am hoping to claim the free gifts offered by doing so”.
Large numbers of positive product reviews uploaded in a suspiciously short space of time. In one example a pair of Pro-Elec headphones had 1,006 ratings and 4.8 stars despite the listing having only been added less than six months earlier. That’s more than five reviews each day, on average, for a brand that’s unknown outside of Amazon. Of those reviews, 92 per cent were five stars.
Products with a suspiciously high number of review images – Which? research has shown how unscrupulous sellers often ask for images when they request positive reviews on their products. One smartwatch by Willful, an Amazon’s Choice product, had 3,800 images posted alongside the 2,544 written reviews – easily outnumbering the reviews with images left for products by better-known brands – this is more than 60 times the number of reviews with images left on the Apple Watch Series 3.
Review merging – where sellers merge dormant or unavailable products with new or existing product listings as a way to transfer positive reviews from one to another. This included a supposed iPhone 11 adaptor which appeared to share reviews with the popular PS4 video game The Last of Us.
Products with colour ‘variations’ manipulated to create higher numbers of positive reviews – evidence of users leaving multiple reviews, on the same day, by selecting different colour variants, in an apparent effort to evade any systems Amazon uses to detect fake reviews.
An account that had been hacked and used to leave a five-star review – one review of a set of headphones had been updated with a claim that the reviewer’s account had been hacked and used to leave a five star review, a tactic that other people have previously reported to Which?.
With many high street stores forced to shut due to lockdown restrictions, it’s likely that more people than ever will turn to online shopping in the weeks ahead. Which? is concerned that some sellers are seeking to manipulate reviews to increase their prominence in Amazon search results.
Worryingly there also appears to have been a rise in the proportion of suspicious reviews on Amazon in the UK since March’s coronavirus lockdown, according to ReviewMeta data.
ReviewMeta’s data suggests that there was a more than 30 per cent rise in the proportion of unnatural reviews on Amazon between March and August following the first coronavirus lockdown. This means consumers are at risk of being misled given Which? research has found that people could be more than twice as likely to choose poor-quality products online if they have been boosted by fake reviews.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has previously estimated that £23 billion a year of consumer transactions are influenced by online reviews and many people will be looking to use them as a helpful guide to get a good deal in the sales.
However, Which? believes that firmer action is needed to address the recurring problems caused by fake reviews on online marketplaces and other platforms, so that consumers can shop online with confidence.
The CMA must seek to conclude its investigation into fake reviews with some urgency. If it finds that sites that host reviews are not doing enough to detect and prevent fake reviews and the bad actors that flood their platforms with them – then strong action must immediately be taken to prevent growing numbers of consumers from being misled.
Natalie Hitchins, Which? Head of Home Products and Services, said:“Our investigation has uncovered popular Black Friday product categories that are littered with fake and suspicious reviews – suggesting that deals that look too good to be true often are. This leaves shoppers at risk of being misled into buying poor quality and potentially dangerous products online.
“With people more reliant on online shopping than ever before due to the coronavirus crisis, it’s vital that online platforms step up and do more to protect their users from fake reviews, otherwise the regulator must be prepared to swiftly step in with strong action.”
Which?’s advice on how to spot fake reviews this Black Friday:
If it looks too good to be true…
A healthy degree of scepticism is your best weapon against fake reviews. If a product has an unusually high number of reviews relative to others in that category, especially if these reviews are overwhelmingly positive, you’d be right to exercise caution.
Actually read the reviews
Don’t just trust the overall rating – read some reviews to look for suspicious repetition or signs of incentivisation, and sort by recent reviews to see what new buyers thought. Always check negative reviews as well, to see if there are recurring issues.
Take extra care with brands you don’t recognise
The majority of fake review activity we’ve seen has been on brands that are all but unknown outside marketplaces. If you don’t recognise the brand, check to see if it has a legitimate looking website, with clear contact details. You could even try calling or emailing the seller with a question, to see how quickly they respond.
Be wary of products with lots of pictures or videos
Sellers on Facebook review groups who incentivise positive reviews often encourage people to add photos and videos. Ask yourself, how likely is it that you’d take the time to snap multiple images, or a video, of a product that you’re reviewing honestly?
Report suspicious reviews to Amazon
Consumers concerned about the authenticity of reviews left on a product, when they are looking at websites, are encouraged to report this to the online platform so that it can investigate.
Ocean Terminal had a surprise visitor last night when Santa was caught on CCTV!
He’ll be back in residence again at the centre this festive season. More info and dates to come but rest assured Santa’s back … and Christmas is not cancelled at Ocean Terminal!
