What are the weirdest substitutions in your supermarket shop?

[3disneykids]

Just for a bit of fun

I did an online shop with Tesco and ordered 4 packs of apples (my kids eat a lot ) lol

My shopping came mid-week and I had no apples on my invoice a not saying no suitable substitutions ... I was left confused that they had no apples or anything similar to apple to substitute
You hear all these stories like my friend who got soap instead of butter.
Fair enough maybe a different type of apple may have been required but surely any apple would have been a close enough substitution lol

What is the strangest substitution you have ever received

[Jakey Neverland]

I ordered fresh coconut milk (the chilled drink one) and it got replaced with desiccated coconut. Not sure how I was meant to drink that one! I suppose both still coconut but served totally different purposes.


I also ordered bananas and requested 'little child friendly ones' I think this ended up being a ≈≈≈≈ take as I got the biggest bananas I have ever seen in my life. Must have been around 18 inches long!

[fizzypop]

Crazy that they didn't pick you up some different apples! I once ended up with dog biscuits instead of normal biscuits I don't even have a dog...

[Beth_Disney]

Mine has come this morning - no substitutes for egg fried rice or an egg mayonnaise sandwich for work tomorrow.

The strangest substitution was a lovely decorated chocolate log for Christmas from the extra special range was swapped for 5 chocolate Swiss rolls. They wouldn’t have looked as effective on the Christmas night buffet!

[ally1966]

I once ordered fairy washing liquid pods for the washing machine and Asda sent washing-up liquid instead.

[3disneykids]

There is just no common sense used it seems either that or they are doing it for fun which is extremely poor customer service.

[archibald]

My friend worked as a picker for online shopping when it started about 20 years ago. He would choose the 'standard' of substitutions based on whether he thought he would like the person or not based only on their shopping list. If someone sounded 'nice' he would choose the best fruit & veg, and substitute as close to the original as possible. If he didn't like them he would send any random stuff out instead - they would compete to get the best 'spurious link' product accepted by the shopper. I'm assuming pickers have less fun now.

[PoohBears#1fan]

I use Ocado and must say they're pretty sensible, mostly there aren't any substitutes, when there are they're generally not too far from the original, different flavour crisps etc.

[Michyloulou]

When my youngest daughter was still in nappies, I ordered Pampers size 5 nappies — they sent newborn size I instead! Not very helpful - and DH asked me if I had something to tell him! 😂

[RT's]

I ordered 6 cans fanta and got sent concentrated orange squash, had a laugh about it with the delivery man and asked him what was the strangest substitution he had seen. He told me that one couple had ordered one of the Chinese meals for 2 bags (starter, main, rice etc in a bag) and got sent a Chinese cookbook instead. He said they didn't see the funny side! 😂