Back in November Raptor Persecution UK posted an article about a product that Sainsbury’s were selling to their customers that potentially contained toxic lead. The packaging failed to mention that the product may contain toxic lead derived from ammunition – as is typical of such products, retailers more often than not mention the words ‘may contain shot,’ but rarely say ‘may contain lead shot.’ This small 4-letter word seems so difficult for many retailers to say! Of course Sainsbury’s don’t sell leaded petrol on their forecourts because it has been banned for more than 20 years – they even call it unleaded petrol. But do they sell leaded game?
Readers of the RPUK blog were urged to contact Sainsbury’s CEO Simon Roberts at simon.roberts@sainsburys.co.uk and within a few days a standard email response was being sent out to many of those enquiries.
Given the standard response, I thought I’d also enquire and point out that I would like answers to my specific questions:
I got a reply from the CEO’s Executive Office about 8 hours later – it was the standard reply which didn’t actually answer my specific questions:
So I wrote back again the next day asking the same questions, politely pointing out that I would like an answer to those specific questions, and asking some additional ones, as follows:
I didn’t get a reply to my follow up email of the 1st December, so I asked again a week later on the 7th. Still no reply, so I followed up again on the 14th. I got a reply about 7 hours later which again failed to answer my questions:
As most of my questions no longer refer to the product in question I decided to follow up again the next day (15th December):
I’ve still not received a reply so I’ve sent another reminder today. I can’t understand why it is so difficult for a customer to get answers to very straightforward questions about food products that are being sold on supermarket shelves. I don’t intend to give up – 35 days and counting since my initial email.
Photo credit: Header image by Dr Ruth Tingay.
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Excellent, keep up the pressure Ruth! Might it not be worth informing Sainsburys you are making their inadequate and somewhat alarming responses public?
Thanks Ralph, although I'm not Ruth!
I emailed Sainsbury's this morning asking for a reply to my email of the 15th December and at the same time provided the link to this blog.
Thanks for your comment, Rob
Thanks Rob,
Keep going. I have contacted Sainsbury's on several occasions too and received the same, completely inadequate, responses.
They must know that you know your stuff when it comes to lead shot!
It is amazing that they will not take responsibility for what they put on their shelves. Your warning in respect of children and pregnant women should have made them sit up. It didn't.
If there is any anything we can do to help, please let us know.
Thanks Mike - I intend to email them each week until I get a proper reply, I don't think that is too much to ask.
Rob
Brilliant and thank you. I have also emailed S.Roberts and got the standard reply. If you want me to email again please let me know. I look forward with interest.
Regards
Sue
Thanks Sue
If you weren't content with the reply that you received then there is no harm in following up your initial email and asking for a better response to your questions. I suspect you'd get an answer very similar to the one I received on the 14th Dec (4th image in the blog).
Good luck
Rob