Tesco beer price glitch leads to mayhem in the aisles

Security guards called in to control lager-loving shoppers as computer error cuts cost of top-brand drinks to £4 for 24 bottlesTesco customers have been taking the store’s “Every little helps” slogan literally after discovering a computer pricing glitch in a drinks promotion.Shoppers on Wednesday morning were surprised to be charged only £4 for 24 cans or bottles of leading brands of lager such as Budweiser, Carling and Fosters, which were discounted for a special promotion.The discount was intended to offer a saving of £4 on two cases of alcohol, which normally retail for £20. But when they got to the tills shoppers found they were charged £4 instead of the discounted £16 price as a result of a programming error.Details of the pricing loophole spread quickly across internet shopping and money talkboards. The cheaper price was only activated if shoppers bought two cases in a transaction. There were reports that in some stores security guards were summoned to control shoppers desperate to take advantage of the glitch.Tesco confirmed the error but said it had been corrected by 1pm and had only surfaced in some parts of the UK. A spokesman said: “There was a temporary systems glitch which was resolved shortly after it was discovered. The offer was two packs of beer for £16, saving customers £4. However, the system briefly put the items through at the discount of £4.”In April Tesco was forced to make another humiliating change to Price Check, a promotional campaign designed to emphasise that its prices were cheaper than those of Asda, after shoppers hijacked the deal to make money. Again, savvy shoppers had been boasting on internet forums that they had claimed back hundreds of pounds under the scheme.The latest Tesco loophole may be embarrassing – but it is not on a par with that of Hoover, which lost millions of pounds over its “free flights” offer 18 years ago.Consumer affairsTescoSupermarketsRetail industryBeerFood & drinkRebecca Smithersguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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