False advertising and not honouring commitments

The current Pick and Pay Easter specials pamphlet ending the 3rd of April, lists 2x2litre Sunfoil oil for R120.

I went to the Pick and Pay Supermarket at Cresta at 08:30 on Saturday the 2nd of April to purchase said products.

They had no Sunfoil oil or any other brand of oil, bar the Pick and Pay brand, at least three drops with no other brand in stock.

I went to the customer services desk to ask for a rain cheque, their policy which clearly states:

"Should there be an item on promotion that is out of stock, you can request a rain cheque at the information desk. Our rain cheque guarantees that when you come back for that same item, within a 30 day period, you will pay the reduced advertised price"

The above is verbatim as per the policy which is placed on the wall explaining their policy.

I was advised by the Customer services manager that they do not issue rain cheques for oil due to the shortage of oil.

My contention was that when Pick and Pay printed their pamphlets they should have procured sufficient stock for the demand , also their policy doesn't make mention that they only issue rain cheques under certain conditions.

I got the silent, sullen treatment. No respone..no response to any other questions that posed to her either.

Questions such as where is the official communication on a Pick and Pay letterhead indicating that they were not allowed to issue a rain cheque on oil....crickets. I eventually asked to speak to the manager, a lady by the name of Helen, (she refused to give me her surname), who goes by the title of Admin Floor Manager, was even less helpful. I asked her for the official communication and she showed me a forwarded whatsapp message. No name no title, no date. Indicating that they must not issue rain cheques on oil.

When I asked who sent it, she said her regional Manager. When I asked for his/her name ,she refused to divulge the information.

She advised that there was a poster on the shelf indicating that they would not issue rain cheques on oil. I followed her to the shelves....nothing.

She then tried to justify it by showing me an updated add (electronic)where they removed the oil from another special (if you buy 5 things then you only pay ....) which used to be R440 and now it is R420.

I left the store, took a pamphlet and there , lo and behold is the special, no sticker indicating that they do not have stock, no letter on the pamphlet stand indicating that they cannot honour their policy. .Nothing!

I feel let down by a company which purports to be on the side of the consumer, a company who doesn't honour their own policies, whose staff are clearly incapable of dealing with customers in a friendly and polite manner.