Sainsbury’s is unable to fulfil online orders or accept contactless payments at the tills this morning after the grocery chain was hit by an ‘error with an overnight software update’.
Stores across the UK are battling a major ‘technical issue’ that has left customers ‘disappointed’ and forced to turn to rival Tesco to complete their Saturday shop.
Frustrated customers say they cannot pay at the tills, while company bosses admit the firm is ‘experiencing issues with contactless payments’ and also ‘will not be able to fulfil the vast majority of today’s Groceries Online deliveries’.
Sainsbury’s said the shops will ‘contact customers proactively to rebook orders’, but customers are complaining of long telephone hold queues.
Some shoppers have slammed the shop for ‘wasting an hour of my time’ this morning because they only learned about the inability to pay during check out.
Sainsbury’s is unable to fulfil online orders or accept contactless payments at the tills this morning after the grocery chain was hit by an ‘error with an overnight software update’ (file photo of a Sainsbury’s store in Edinburgh)
Sainsbury’s has said it is experiencing ‘technical issues’ at some stores meaning it will not be able to fulfil the ‘vast majority’ of online grocery deliveries. The supermarket chain said on Saturday morning it was ‘working hard to fix the issue’ and apologised to customers affected
An apparent security worker stands guard at the door of the Sainsbury’s store in Lyons Farm, Worthington this morning
Customers are seen outside the Sainsbury’s store in Lyons Farm, Worthington on Saturday, where the shop is only accepting cash. Some appear to be withdrawing cash from the ATM
Sainsbury’s says all its stores are ‘open as usual today’, but are operating with some limitations.
The grocer said chip and pin and cash transactions were working, but it is having issues with contactless and mobile payments, a spokesperson told MailOnline.
‘Due to an error with an overnight software update, we are experiencing issues with contactless payments. All of our stores are open as usual today, accepting chip and pin and cash payments,’ the spokesperson said in a statement.
‘Unfortunately, this also means we will not be able to deliver the vast majority of today’s Groceries Online orders and we are currently unable to contact customers directly, but will contact them as soon as we can to rebook orders.
‘We apologise to customers for the inconvenience and are working hard to fix the issue.’
A manager who was wandering around the supermarket’s Cromwell Road, west London location told MailOnline: ‘We’re the only Sainsbury’s store open round here at the moment.’
The Argos inside the Cromwell Road Sainsbury’s has temporarily shut its doors today, with a sign on the door attributing the closure to a ‘technical issue’.
The supermarket, replying a X user who asked about refunds, said ‘no orders will be going out today’ and that ‘once the systems are fixed, your order will be cancelled’.
One social media user questioned if customer personal data has been impacted by the technical outage. But the company reassured that shoppers’ ‘details will still be safe and secure even with the issues going on’.
Shoppers queue for the cash machine outside the Sainsbury’s in Lyons Farm, Worthington
The Argos inside the Cromwell Road, west London Sainsbury’s has temporarily shut its doors today, with a sign on the door attributing the closure to a ‘technical issue’
Sainsbury’s, in another tweet, apologised to a customer for the ‘inconvenience’ caused by the delay in their delivery.
While the company has not indicated when the issue will be resolved, they told the shopper: ‘We’re working hard to fix the issue ASAP. Please place a new order online from the current available slots.’
Despite the supermarket ‘working hard to fix the issue’, customers are furious that their weekend grocery shop is unable to be completed as normal.
‘Delivery expected between 8am-9am. No communication what so ever!!!,’ a shopper tweeted. ‘Can’t get through Sainsbury’s by phone or messenger? Extremely poor service.’
One customer echoed: ‘Why would I bother rebooking a delivery with food meant for this weekend on Monday?
‘I’m popping out to a different supermarket instead and will be cancelling the monthly delivery fee with you, I think the online shopping experience with Sainsbury’s not worth the hassle.’
Frustrated customers say they cannot pay at the tills and are ‘disappointed’ that they will not be receiving their online delivery orders. Others have claimed they are now forced to turn to rival Tesco to complete their Saturday shop
Another joked: ‘Good job I ordered this mornings delivery from Tesco then, eh?’
Some shoppers have complained that Sainsbury’s is providing ‘mixed messages’ to customers about their online orders.
‘Are any orders going out? I should have had a delivery yesterday but the driver had an accident so was rebooked for today,’ one claimed.
‘Your tweet said “vast majority” but your other tweet said all orders will be cancelled, so sending out mixed messages.’
Another shopper detailed their alleged ‘awful experience’ at the supermarket’s location in the London suburb of North Finchley this morning and even accused the grocer of being ‘happy to let old people starve’.
The customer said they were doing a £13 shop on behalf of a 92-year-old woman this morning when they were impacted by the outage.
‘Couldn’t pay by her contactless card and told to cross street and get cash out. Don’t know her PIN number so couldn’t do that,’ the shopper said. ‘Offered to come back later and pay but told that’s not acceptable. Happy to let old people starve.’
Sainsbury’s says all its stores are ‘open as usual today’, but are operating with some limitations. Chip and pin and cash transactions were working, but the supermarket is having issues with contactless and mobile payments (file photo of shop in Maidenhead, Berkshire)
However, some shoppers have taken a bit more of a lighthearted response to the inconvenience.
‘With the M25 closure chaos this weekend and now the Sainsbury’s tech issue looks like my shopping delivery isn’t going to arrive today,’ one said. ‘First world problems. We may have to resort to the pub for dinner.’
‘Boy and Girls, in the world of technology, things break, nobody is immune,’ another said, advocating for the supermarket.
‘Sainsbury’s are clearly in a situation where if they had the systems working to answer your questions, they would be able to deliver your orders. Show some support x.’