A Plymouth couple, Heather and Brian Ahern, were surprised when they were denied access to petrol stations at Sainsbury’s locations in Plymouth and Hampshire due to an alleged outstanding bill error. The situation persisted for weeks, with the couple facing refusal at the forecourts and even receiving threatening letters from solicitors.
After ongoing communication with Sainsbury’s management, the issue was eventually resolved. Sainsbury’s apologized to the Aherns and offered them £150 in vouchers as a goodwill gesture. However, the ordeal continued when one of the vouchers failed to work at the Sainsbury’s Marsh Mills branch, leaving the couple feeling frustrated.
Mrs. Ahern, 71, explained that the trouble began when their attempt to pay for fuel at a Sainsbury’s filling station in Hampshire was unsuccessful due to a system crash. They rectified the payment the next day but later found themselves barred from refueling again due to a mistaken linkage to drive-offs without payment.
Despite assurances from Sainsbury’s that the matter would be resolved, the couple faced continued refusals at the petrol stations, leading to distress and inconvenience. Mrs. Ahern expressed her frustration over the situation, emphasizing that they had promptly paid for the fuel each time.
Following an investigation, Sainsbury’s confirmed the issue was resolved and provided Mrs. Ahern with a £100 voucher. However, the couple encountered further refusals at the petrol station, prompting Mrs. Ahern to seek assurance that they were no longer flagged in the system.
Sainsbury’s acknowledged the inconvenience faced by Mrs. Ahern, stating that steps have been taken to prevent similar incidents in the future. The company offered additional vouchers as a gesture of goodwill and expressed satisfaction that Mrs. Ahern could use their petrol filling station without further problems.
