British retailer Tesco’s error nearly wreaks relationship

Maybe this is why British retailing giant Tesco calls its El Segundo-based U.S. grocery chain Fresh & Easy.

England’s Evening Standard reported that when Lynn Newby logged on to her online Tesco account she was horrified to discover her ClubCard had been used to purchase a pack of 12 condoms.

Newby was devastated and accused her boyfriend, Andy Allot, of having an affair. She was prepared to cancel a dream Mexican vacation and end their four-year relationship.

The newspaper said the box of 12 Mates condoms had shown up at the top of a list of Lynn’s recent purchases made with the supermarket chain’s loyalty card, a program the retailer does not offer in its U.S. stores.

Tesco conceded that the condoms were never ordered. The company apologized for almost wrecking the relationship.

A Tesco spokesman said: “We are very sorry for any upset caused. Due to human error, the product was added to the customer’s favorites item by mistake. This was completely unacceptable and staff retraining has been carried out to ensure that this situation cannot be repeated.”

The spokesman said Tesco’s chief executive had written to the customer to apologize and to offer her 100 pounds (about $200, enough to purchase more than a few margaritas) as a gesture of goodwill.

Tesco, one of the world’s largest retailers, has said it is prepared to spend $2 billion over five years to crack the U.S. market and it is already planning an expansion into Northern California. It is opening dozens of its Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market small groceries in Southern California.