Savvy shoppers discovered they could buy a £10 bottle of prosecco for just £2.63, but Sainsbury's soon pulled the plug on the deal.
Hundreds of bargain-hunters have expressed their anger after Sainsbury’s scrapped an offer on cheap prosecco before their online orders had arrived.
It emerged earlier this week that savvy shoppers could bag bottles of Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference prosecco, which normally retails for £10, for almost a quarter of that price.
The supermarket had introduced a temporary price-cut on its own-brand fizz, selling it for £7.50. However, customers who bought six bottles were offered a further 25% discount as part of a separate Sainsbury's offer on certain alcoholic drinks.
When combined with a third deal, a voucher code that entitled new online customers to £18 off their first shop over £60, the price-per-bottle plummeted to just £2.63.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the news spread like wildfire across social media, and hundreds of bargain-hunters piled in.
Get rewarded for your supermarket spend with a cashback credit card
Out of stock
However, the deal proved short and sweet as Sainsbury’s alerted customers via email on Tuesday that the offer had to end due to low stocks.
The supermarket told customers they would be charged the full £10 if they had not yet received their delivery, and would receive a voucher as compensation to make up the difference.
So cross with @sainsburys and they're prosecco deal! Aswell as the Customer service and how patronising they were! 😡😡😡
— Natalie Harrison (@nnataliex) June 2, 2016
Public anger
A Sainsbury’s spokeswoman said: “Our prosecco offer has been extremely popular and, as with all offers, was subject to availability.
“We understand that some customers may be disappointed so, as a gesture of goodwill, have offered them e-vouchers.”
The counter-offer did no go down well with many of those who missed out, as they vented their frustration on Twitter using the hashtag #proseccogate.
@sainsburys anything to say about your disgraceful prosecco con? You seem to be very quick to respond to everything apart from #proseccogate
— CromptonCrompton (@crompocrompton) June 1, 2016
While some were clearly peeved at missing out on cheap fizz, others on Twitter saw the lighter side of the ordeal.
Shame on Sainsbury's for making me choose between dinner and a reduced bottle of prosecco (I chose the prosecco)
— Kieran Sangha (@Kieran_Sangha) June 2, 2016
One user, @Kieran_Sangha quipped: “Shame on Sainsbury’s for making me choose between dinner and a reduced bottle of prosecco (I chose the prosecco).”
Meanwhile, @todayimbobbi simply asked: “Don’t they know things like this will cause riots in the UK?”
Don't they know that things like this will cause riots in the UK? #proseccogate 😭 https://t.co/J9DpXLsKXw
— Bobbi. (@todayimbobbi) June 1, 2016
Get rewarded for your supermarket spend with a cashback credit card
More shopping stories on loveMONEY:
Eight times own-brand beats branded at the supermarket