Well- the e-Petition now stands at 103,192 signatures. Please tell more friends and family to sign it because Dave has spoken for me and for you which if you are against the ban on non stun slaughter may be OK- it isn't for me. He has issued a statement saying there will not be any such ban on religious slaughter methods. I am not talking about religion and nor is the e-petition. It is talking about welfare and the very real fact the sentient beings we eat should be treated with a humane, stress free end. Today's DM article on the subject links to the e-petition with a response to the signatures having reached the requisite 100,000. The Government department responsible is saying whilst the PM says there will not be a ban , it goes on to say they are looking at labeling meat clearly for customers to make an informed choice. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2932463/Millions-animals-slaughtered-halal-food-Numbers-rise-60-cent-amid-calls-stunned-death.html

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/64331 74,601- Come on People- step it up./ Its nearly there.

This is the latest on humane meat production. I can't eat lobster because their deaths are all too often inhumane but this seems the right way to go as long as it is legislated and thus officially monitored. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2719544/How-kill-lobster-not-feel-guilty-Barrister-invents-Crustastun-machine-electrocutes-death-110-volt-shock.html

Ha, Rebbonk, I am likely to be labeled as such too. Although, this reply Thanked me for telling them as quality is what they aim for and if they don't know, they can't address. Hence, I am invited to tell them about any issue I may have with their produce and service etc.( The staff at my local shop hadn't got a clue about the complaints procedure this person at the end of the email trail asked me to follow.- He was apologetic to the point I could imagine him on his bended knee. I am sure this shop will get 'training ' in the very near future!) I will leave a suitable space before I launch the question about labels.

Gladys, my experience is that what they have done is a placatory gesture. I doubt they will raise things with the supplier. In the past I have asked for evidence of this, suddenly the emails stop!

It pains me to say that Tesco are one of the better ones when it comes down to customer complaints, but they seem to think they can buy off customers very cheaply.

Like you, I have had 'generous' refunds, but I find that they get less generous the more you complain!

I do wonder how long it will be before they identify me as a vexatious complainer, or simply decide to ignore me.

Reply this afternoon but no mention of the Kosher question. They are refunding me £10 which is very generous seeing the steaks were about £4 something. They say they have notified the supplier too.

Rebbonk, this is an excellent idea. Is anyone here willing to give it a go? You'll have to buy a piece of their British pre-packed steak and retain all the info on the barcode and price box though. As for the labeling issue- I don't see that happening fast because there isn't any requirement to do so as you say. However, I am still waiting to hear about my question re: the Kosher meat prep process. So far- nothing.

Might be a good idea for someone else to ask the same question and compare answers. Often customer care agents are advised to tell the customer just what he wants to hear. Should the information given subsequently be identified as being incorrect, the agent is advised to blame it on a misunderstanding with his superviser.


The answer to that will be quite telling, but I'll guess that it'll be along the lines of there is no legislation to, and that they don't want to confuse the customers even further by adding yet more detail to an already overcrowded label.

If he's telling me the truth , Yes it is. My next question is to ask why they aren't labeling the packaging to say.

That's great news Gladys!

Well, its two days since the promise of attention to my complaint. I know the weekend is in the way and I did have to retrieve the packaging to provide the bar code info which I did this morning, However, they didn't respond to my offer of the steaks to be returned. Let's see what tomorrow brings with regards to a response now they have the information to trace the meat.

Well, If I was wearing a hat, then I'd have to eat it. Tesco just replied. I am to receive a refund and Yes, I can take the cooked steaks to the shop if I wish. They also say that [U]ALL [/U]animals killed for Tescos ( whether for halal or non Halal) consumers are stunned prior to slaughter. This includes the NZ Lamb imported and they imply this includes the Kosher meat. I have asked them to clarify this last point especially and asked if Tesco is making a stand against the practice where other Supermarkets are not. Let's see what comes through next. I am glad I have put these matters to them but think they need to label the meat as such.

IIRC Tesco aim for 24 hours response. In my experience they often miss that.

One company that I complained to hadn't responded after several weeks, so I gave them a gentle reminder. They apologised and told me an answer would be put in the post that day. Next day, they told me a compensatory package had also been posted. I recieved the package, but not the letter. Unfortunately, it was the letter that I was actually interested in, as I was interested as to how their process could have let them down.

Ho hum...

Keep up the pressure Gladys, you know you're in the right.

Shizara, you are so very right. I submitted my response and thought I'd receive a reply today and remember in response to their request to do so with specific info; nothing happened. They want me to search through the filthy bin bag to retrieve the bar code confirmation which I am prepared to do but as they haven't replied to some basic questions they asked, I'll wait until Monday. I have the two wooden steaks and have offered them back. (Tongue in cheek by ' click and collect'- no answer) I aim to bombard them now.

Some companies know how to respond to retain a customer. Others don't appear to care - the win a few, lose a few philosophy.

Even though there should be procedures in place to prevent it things can go wrong during production/manufacture. But the supplier needs to deal with it in a right and proper manner. Customers shouldn't feel like they are being a nuisance for wishing to return a product that doesn't say what it says on the tin, nor should they have to jump through hoops to get the right response from the company concerned.

Gladys,

I find Tesco do react to customer complaints (at least on the surface!). How far they will deleve into a suppliers practices I don't know. At one time I just used to put poor product down to bad luck, but now I have the time, I complain when things aren't right. Believe me, you very quickly get a feel of just how much a company values its customers.

As for educating the fool from No.10, forget it. Eton tried! The man is beyond redemption. I actually think he's a bit dim and lacking common sense. I certainly don't believe he would be where he is if it wasn't for his family connections.

Lex, I think they've known about this for several months if not years. If you note recent health dietary advice about the dangers of eating pies and sausages , it tells me they were trying to avoid a mass hysteria back then hoping we'd all stop eating it. Perhaps this truth telling is to avoid exposure by under cover media again which has gone wrong? Anyway, I had an interesting event which I am hoping will lead to bigger things. (Little old me-Ha!) I bought two British Beef Steaks at Tescos on Monday and cooked them last night. We were looking forward to steak, salad and jersey royal potatoes. Yum thought.The steaks looked great- juicy, thick, not full of fatty veins but just the right amount of fat around the tops as a sirloin or rump would normally look like.All cooked , rested I served it all up. Well, I didn't have a saw to hand but that is what was needed. I gave up after 2-3 gos. Mr G, carried on as he was starving but after half way, he did too , breathless from effort and frustration, he couldn't try anymore. It was awful.

With that I went online to complain to Tescos. I received a very in depth reply this afternoon which offered me a refund on the price but also asked me to supply the bar code info as they want to look into the actual animal's end and the practices at the abattoir that dispatched it. I have sent them a long missive with the links on this thread especially what Dr Hargey explains Halal actually means. I was going to copy and paste the entire communication here but have spared you.Let's see what comes back. I note that the E-Petition stands at 69,730 signatures now and still has 9 Months to go so hopefully it will get a due hearing. In the mean time , Mr C needs to be ' educated ' on what actually happens and needs to be made welfare aware. ( Fat hope and Big Ask that one- he can't seem to be aware or welfare minded re his British populace! I nearly said 'subjects' Subliminal slip!!!)