When Sainsbury’s Chop Chop launched across the UK in 2020, it promised convenience: groceries delivered within an hour for smaller, urgent orders. But my recent experience with the service was anything but convenient. Missing items, an overdue refund, a broken customer service system, and unhelpful overseas call centres left me wondering how such a big-name retailer could get it so wrong. Sadly, this isn’t just a Sainsbury’s problem—it reflects a growing crisis in customer service across the retail industry.
What is Sainsbury’s Chop Chop?
Sainsbury’s Chop Chop is a rapid delivery service designed to bring groceries to your doorstep within 60 minutes. Unlike Sainsbury’s traditional grocery delivery, which offers scheduled slots and a wider range of products, Chop Chop focuses on smaller, urgent orders—up to 25 items—delivered fast. It’s marketed as a convenient option for when you’re short on time or in need of essentials at the last minute. But what happens when the service fails to deliver on its promises? My recent experience highlighted just how quickly convenience can turn into chaos.
What went wrong with my Sainsbury’s Chop Chop order
I placed a Chop Chop order totalling £41.19, expecting a straightforward and speedy delivery. Instead, £16.15 worth of items—almost 40% of my order—was missing when the delivery arrived. Here’s what didn’t show up:
• Richmond Sausages
• Huggies baby wipes x 4
• Mr Muscle cleaning spray
• Sheba cat food x 2
• Dreamies cat treats x 2
To make matters worse, the confirmation email sent before delivery only flagged one item (Persil) as out of stock. There was no warning about the rest of the missing goods. Imagine going through a supermarket checkout, paying for your items, and finding half your shopping missing when you get home. Would you accept that? Of course not.
Customer service woes
When I tried to resolve the issue, things went from bad to worse.
1.The phone number provided in the order confirmation email? It was out of service.
2. After 10 failed attempts to call, I turned to Sainsbury’s on Twitter, where I was unhelpfully advised to “keep trying” a number I had told them was out of service. Why is it my job to chase down a company for their mistakes?
3. Sainsbury’s Twitter account eventually gave me an alternative number and I was connected to an overseas call centre. The response? A lack of empathy, talking all over me, and I was told a 3 to 5-day wait for a refund.
I was also promised a confirmation email of my refund within 24 hours of my call. It has now been seven days, and I’ve received absolutely nothing. Meanwhile, it’s also been seven days since my original order, and I remain £16.15 out of pocket.
For anyone living on a tight budget or needing essential supplies urgently, this kind of delay is unacceptable. Modern banking technology makes faster payments entirely possible, so why are companies like Sainsbury’s dragging their feet?
For example, for a pensioner unable to get essential supplies during cold weather—when many struggle to leave the house—waiting a week for a refund can be devastating. It leaves those on limited incomes, including benefit claimants, severely out of pocket, compounding an already difficult situation.
It gets worse
When I requested to speak to a supervisor, I was promised a callback the same day. Predictably, no one called.
Later, I contacted them again. The agent told me the missing items amounted to £12. When I questioned this figure, the agent said, “You can calculate it yourself.” I was shocked. A blue-chip British retailer expected me to dig out my own order confirmation email, grab a calculator, and work out my refund. Thankfully, I did—because the actual amount I was out of pocket was £16.15.
The bigger problem: declining customer service
Sainsbury’s isn’t alone in cutting corners, but their reliance on overseas call centres exemplifies the decline of customer service in the name of cost-cutting.
In 2024, Sainsbury’s faced criticism after their call centre operator, Concentrix, announced plans to offshore a significant portion of UK-based jobs. Over 450 workers in Widnes were at risk, sparking fears about the quality of service customers would receive.
Customers have repeatedly raised concerns about communication barriers and the lack of accountability in overseas call centres. My experience only reinforces these fears.
Sainsbury’s financial success vs. customer satisfaction
Under CEO Simon Roberts, Sainsbury’s reported a 5% rise in food sales this year and is forecasting up to 10% profit growth. Roberts himself took home a £933,000 base salary in 2024, with a total pay package nearing £5 million.
Yet, this success comes at the expense of customer experience. Sainsbury’s is more than happy to chase profits while outsourcing its customer service and offering slow refunds that leave customers out of pocket.
A call for better service
Sainsbury’s Chop Chop promised convenience but delivered chaos. Services like this are only as good as the execution, and right now, Sainsbury’s is falling short.
Companies like Sainsbury’s must prioritise:
• UK-based call centres, where agents can resolve issues efficiently and with empathy.
• Faster refunds. If Sainsbury’s has the resources and technology to create app-based delivery services that can take your money with a single click, they should also have the capability to refund you within a matter of hours when things go wrong.
• Transparent communication, so customers aren’t blindsided by missing items.
Frankly, I would gladly pay more for a reliable service than deal with this level of incompetence again.
Conclusion
Sainsbury’s Chop Chop? Let me tell you who really needs the chop: Simon Roberts, the CEO, and this entire broken system.
It’s now been seven days since my original order, and I am still waiting for my refund. This delay, combined with poor communication and a total lack of accountability, has turned a frustrating situation into a disgrace. To make matters worse, finding where to submit a written complaint on Sainsbury’s website was unnecessarily difficult. When I finally did, their response? Blame the banks.
Have you experienced similar issues with Sainsbury’s or another retailer? Share your story in the comments below. Together, we can hold these companies accountable—because right now, they’re getting away with daylight robbery.
