Tesco Multi Purpose compost 20 ltr

[akh46]

Did anyone buy this from Tesco this year? I bought some of this a month or so ago when it was reduced to 50p. I have bought the same thing in Tesco for the last couple of years, always reduced, without a problem. On opening a bag of it yesterday to do some repotting I could not believe what I found it was full of chips/pieces of wood nowhere near composted, I have never seen compost like this before. I checked the second bag I bought and that was the same. I was wondering whether I had just got a couple of bad bags or has anyone else found the same?

Is this likely to breakdown to a more useable compost if I leave it till next year?

I was thinking of emailing Tesco to complain but just wondered if anyone else had the same problem.

[heatherks]

my dad bought it earlier on in the yr but not reduced and he said its the first time his plants flowers have failed to grow ...thought himself something wrong with bag of compost as previous years had a good show

could always email .../ send tesco a sample of contents and see what they say

[akh46]

I took some pictures and have just sent an email to tesco with pictures attached. I am glad I'm not the only one whose is not impressed with their compost this year. Mine was only 50p a bag, I would be even more annoyed had I paid £2 a bag and my plants did badly like your dads. I repotted some plants yesterday using the compost as it was the only compost I had, hope they do better than your dad's did.

[Freebird]

I know it's not the point, but at 50p, I don't think I'd bother.....

[akh46]

My point is its cr*p compost and what I paid isn't the issue, its not fit for the purpose, also most shops have stopped selling it now, unless you are willing to pay over the odds so can't readily replace.

[WELSH-DRAGON]

I have 4 bags out back ready to pot up some daffs and tulips also got mine at 50p reduced but haven't tried using it yet

welshy x

[suziq]

mine was abit 'sticky' and pants, cheap cr*p just blamed myself for not buying decent stuff

[hippygirl]

AAAhh, that solves the mystery of why my pots and baskets have been so rubbish this year- in some the seeds germinated and then just stopped growing at about 2 inches - and I paid full price!!

[joaniemerc]

Yep mine was the same earlier in the year. It looked like stable manure tbh (without the smell!).

I did use it but thought nothing of it - but now I think about it, my baskets did seem to dry out quicker a lot more this year.

[Scrungee]

Is this likely to breakdown to a more useable compost if I leave it till next year?

Only if you chuck it on your compost heap!

I only buy this when cheap to put away and use over winter to throw in our hens dust bath - they are more than happy with it.

[Hector]

I bought some earlier in the year, about March, April when it was on offer at £1 a bag and it was fine. I bought another couple of bags a month or so later and it was as described by the OP. The original good batch were in green bags with the words Multi Purpose Compost printed on a blue stripe across the top, the later bad batch where in green bags with the words printed on a green stripe.

[Grace & Favour]

I bought some earlier in the year, about March, April when it was on offer at £1 a bag and it was fine. I bought another couple of bags a month or so later and it was as described by the OP. The original good batch were in green bags with the words Multi Purpose Compost printed on a blue stripe across the top, the later bad batch where in green bags with the words printed on a green stripe.

It sounds as if they've got two completely different spec products - probably from two different suppliers . .

Not Good!

[akh46]

I got the following reply from Tesco re the compost and received a £5 money card in the post on Thursday, which came in handy for a couple of essentials I had to buy today. I won't be doing much shopping there in future!

I am sorry to hear that the Tesco Multi Purpose Compost you purchased in the summer does not meet your expectations. I can understand how disappointing and inconvenient this must have been for you, especially when you've been happy with the compost you bought from us previously.

We try very hard to make sure that our products are the best quality possible and that our customers never have any cause to complain. So, I'm concerned to learn that we didn't get it right this time.

I've contacted our supplier and asked them to look into your complaint. They will do everything they can to make sure this doesn't happen again.

To say sorry, I've forwarded a £5.00 Tesco Moneycard for you, as a gesture of goodwill.

Thanks again for telling us about this and for giving us the chance to put things right.

If you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact us at customer.service@tesco.co.uk.

[suziq]

i was thinking about this, once mine dried out when i was away it was almost impossible to get moist again, despite having nappies in my hanging baskets lol
my strawbs died. i'll lob ot all under the eldeflower huge bush at the end of the season cos the soil is well dead under there.
good result with the money tho, well done