Asda apologises after online shoppers were left without their turkeys in food deliveries just days before Christmas despite ordering well in advance
Asda has fallen fowl of customers after informing them turkey is now out of stock just days before Christmas, despite accepting their orders weeks in advance.
Many were already feeling their festivities had been diminished by the latest coronavirus restrictions, but accused the supermarket giant of 'ruining Christmas' by not offering any substitutions or additional online slots.
Asda has apologised to those affected by the upset, The Mirror reports.
Supermarket giant Asda has come under fire from online customers who have not received turkeys in their delivery, despite placing advanced orders weeks ago
Taking to Twitter, one customer wrote: 'A bit confused to be honest. Ordered a small Turkey Crown before the 11 Dec cut off date, for delivery on 23 Dec. I go to amend my order to add more items and the Turkey is out of stock??
'Think we have enough problems this year without you adding to it.'
Another wrote: 'Booked my Asda Christmas shop beginning of November to collect it on Tuesday...it now says turkey and gammon are out of stock. What is the point of pre booking?'
In a similar vein, one customer blasted the supermarket for only being told at the last minute that the turkey was not arriving with their delivery.
They wrote: 'Ordered our turkey crown before the deadline for delivery today, only to get an e-mail an hour ago telling us that it's not available. What was the point?#notimpressed.'
Elsewhere, one customer vented at Asda's customer service after the supermarket changed his elderly mother's delivery.
Customers took to social media to vent at Asda as turkeys were listed as 'out of stock' (file pic)
He wrote: 'You have no Christmas kindness at all as you have RUINED MY MOMS CHRISTMAS as you have failed to deliver Turkey and Potatoes to her and your solution is ORDER AGAIN with no delivery slots left! #ShameOnYou'.
In another twist of confusion, one customer who wanted a vegan Christmas dinner was substituted with a much-desired turkey.
She wrote: 'I mean If you asked for a MEAT FREE CHICKEN JOINT in your delivery why would they swap it for a bloody TURKEY CROWN ! The swaps you have done on my delivery is mind blowing! Instead of Vegan stuffing balls you swap them for cocktail sausages! Seriously.'
Christmas has already been severely affected for a third of England - some 16.4million people - after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the introduction of Tier 4 restrictions in London and the south-east yesterday.
The draconian bracket means non-essential shops being forced to shut, and travel restrictions including a 'stay at home' order for Christmas Day itself - even though Mr Johnson insisted just days ago that it would be 'inhuman' to axe five-day festive 'bubbles'.
The rest of England will not escape unscathed, with up to three households now only allowed to mix on Christmas Day rather than between December 23 and 27.
These tightened rules have caused chaos for thousands of families across England, with frustrated Britons who have been forced to cancel their Christmas plans.
Wales also announced it is going into a full lockdown from midnight and will follow suit by slashing bubbles to a single day.
Nicola Sturgeon said at her own press conference tonight that a ban on cross-border travel is being upgraded, and the law will be changed to cut bubbles to one day.
She also said that mainland Scotland will be in its top 'Level 4' squeeze from Boxing Day - at which point around 26million people across all four UK nations will be under the toughest restrictions.
Customers said 'Christmas is ruined' after items were out of stock from their Asda shopping
The new Tier 4 - dubbed the 'stay at home alert level' - will be imposed on all existing Tier 3 areas in the South East, covering Kent, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Surrey (excluding Waverley), Gosport, Havant, Portsmouth, Rother and Hastings.
It will also apply in London, Bedford, Milton Keynes, Luton, Peterborough, Hertfordshire, and Essex - excluding Colchester, Uttlesford and Tendring.
The rules will be essentially the same as the blanket lockdown that England was under in November. Non-essential retail must close, as well as leisure facilities, and personal care such as hairdressers. However, places of worship can stay open.
People in other Tiers will be advised not to go into the highest bracket areas, while residents of Tier 4 must not stay overnight in lower infection spots.
The rules will apply for at least two weeks, with the situation due to be considered at the next review point on December 30.
It comes as an added blow to customers in parts of eastern and south east England who have had Christmas cancelled by Tier 4 restrictions.
The new rules also put a stop to present shopping six days before Christmas, with only essential shops allowed to remain open.