Horrible service from Spar Wonderboom Junction

I am writing this with great disappointment as a loyal customer who has been shopping at Spar for the past 20 years. As someone with over 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry—eight of which have been in managerial roles—I expected a high standard of service from a reputable brand like Spar. However, my recent experience at your store was nothing short of frustrating and unacceptable.

Today, I visited the store to purchase two Yum Yum peanut butter jars and noticed an adverti*****t promoting two Black Cat 400g jars for R50. However, when I reached the till, I was informed that the promotion did not apply to the product displayed in the advert. Instead, I was told that I could only receive the discount on a different Black Cat peanut butter in a plastic container—not the one in the glass jar, as advertised.

When I raised my concern, your manager, Nicoleen, was dismissive and rude, telling me to take up the matter with DC if I had an issue. She then called her colleague, Glen, who approached me with a hostile attitude and told me to leave the store if I did not accept their explanation. I was shocked by this level of unprofessionalism, especially coming from managers who should be trained in customer service and problem resolution.

It is not the customer’s responsibility to bear the consequences of a retailer’s advertising error. Section 23 of the Consumer Protection Act clearly states that the price of goods must be accurately displayed and that consumers should not be misled by pricing. If a retailer advertises a product at a specific price, they are legally required to honor it. Your managers either lack knowledge of this fundamental consumer right or simply chose to ignore it.

To make matters worse, after being forced to purchase the peanut butter in a plastic container instead, I was still charged R59.99—well above the advertised price. There was no effort to rectify the mistake or even offer an apology for the inconvenience.

This experience was incredibly disappointing, especially for a store located in a suburb like Wonderboom Junction, where one would expect a higher standard of service. Due to this appalling treatment, I have decided never to shop at your store again. I felt it necessary to bring this matter to your attention, as no customer should have to endure such poor service and false advertising.

Sincerely, Nkosinathi Mdluli