Why does this obscure policy at Woolies infuriate shoppers?
- Replies 17
The rapid growth in online grocery shopping and delivery services has brought convenience to many time-poor customers. However, some families are finding that convenience is tested by obscure policies and short expiry dates on fresh items.
Woolworths is facing backlash from disgruntled customers over a little-known refund policy that applies to certain perishable goods.
This policy, which primarily affects home delivery and Direct To Boot customers, has sparked a wave of complaints from shoppers who feel short-changed.
The policy in question stipulates that online shoppers are eligible for a refund if they receive fresh milk with an expiry date of five days or less and vegetables with a best-before date of three days or less.
While this may seem like a fair deal at first glance, many customers argued that it makes weekly grocery shopping a challenge.
One disgruntled shopper voiced their frustration, saying, 'Disappointed that “The Fresh Food People” refund guidelines for acceptable expiry use by dates are only five days for milk and three days for salad vegetables.’
‘Makes it hard for families that do their shopping weekly, especially those that have to shop online,’ they added.
Another customer pointed out the difficulty of preparing school lunches for the week with such short expiry dates.
They pointed out: ‘It’s hard to make a “healthy lunchbox” when Woolworths gives you an order filled with mouldy products that’s supposed to be for your children’s school lunches and numerous products due to expire in one to three days.’
They also shared their experience with the supermarket’s refund policy.
‘And then you request a refund and have to mess around with calling Woolworths up because it’s been 12 days, and still haven’t received a refund,’ they recalled.
‘Everytime I call, I get the same response it should be the next 48 hours—well it’s been 288 hours, what’s your excuse this time?’ they asked.
The customer continued: ‘Not even an apology from the store I purchased the items from—seven bakery items either mouldy expired or just about to expire.’
‘Woolworths is beyond a joke. And customer service is even more laughable.’
It is worth noting that fresh items like bagged salads and bread have a limited shelf life, and their expiry dates are often shorter, whether shoppers are purchasing online or in-store.
A Woolworths spokesperson has responded to these complaints.
‘For our online orders, our team aims to pack products with an appropriate expiry date to ensure our customers’ food stays fresher for longer,’ the company stated.
‘We also encourage our team to pick orders as though they were shopping for themselves, particularly with fresh produce.’
The spokesperson also assured: ‘If a customer receives a product that is out of date or would like to discuss their order, we encourage them to contact our customer service team to arrange a refund.’
Woolworths' expiry date guidelines for online orders outline a minimum number of days for use-by/expiry dates based on when an order is packed. The dates also vary depending on the type of product.
Apart from the guidelines mentioned, Woolworths claimed they have an online picking system that comes with a built-in trigger.
This trigger notifies team members if they happen to pick up a product that is too close to its expiry date. The team members can then replace the product with another one that has a longer expiry date.
This ensures that customers receive fresh products with a long shelf life.
Expiry dates are crucial as they indicate the period within which food is safe to eat. Consuming food past its expiry date can lead to foodborne illnesses. However, it's also important to note that expiry dates are often conservative estimates, and many foods remain safe to eat beyond these dates.
You may also visit Woolworths’ website for more detailed information about their products’ expiry dates and refund policy.
What are your thoughts on this issue, members? Have you had a similar experience with Woolworths or any other supermarket? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below.
Woolworths is facing backlash from disgruntled customers over a little-known refund policy that applies to certain perishable goods.
This policy, which primarily affects home delivery and Direct To Boot customers, has sparked a wave of complaints from shoppers who feel short-changed.
The policy in question stipulates that online shoppers are eligible for a refund if they receive fresh milk with an expiry date of five days or less and vegetables with a best-before date of three days or less.
While this may seem like a fair deal at first glance, many customers argued that it makes weekly grocery shopping a challenge.
Woolworths shoppers expressed frustrations at the supermarket’s refund policy. Image source: Shutterstock
One disgruntled shopper voiced their frustration, saying, 'Disappointed that “The Fresh Food People” refund guidelines for acceptable expiry use by dates are only five days for milk and three days for salad vegetables.’
‘Makes it hard for families that do their shopping weekly, especially those that have to shop online,’ they added.
Another customer pointed out the difficulty of preparing school lunches for the week with such short expiry dates.
They pointed out: ‘It’s hard to make a “healthy lunchbox” when Woolworths gives you an order filled with mouldy products that’s supposed to be for your children’s school lunches and numerous products due to expire in one to three days.’
They also shared their experience with the supermarket’s refund policy.
‘And then you request a refund and have to mess around with calling Woolworths up because it’s been 12 days, and still haven’t received a refund,’ they recalled.
‘Everytime I call, I get the same response it should be the next 48 hours—well it’s been 288 hours, what’s your excuse this time?’ they asked.
The customer continued: ‘Not even an apology from the store I purchased the items from—seven bakery items either mouldy expired or just about to expire.’
‘Woolworths is beyond a joke. And customer service is even more laughable.’
It is worth noting that fresh items like bagged salads and bread have a limited shelf life, and their expiry dates are often shorter, whether shoppers are purchasing online or in-store.
A Woolworths spokesperson has responded to these complaints.
‘For our online orders, our team aims to pack products with an appropriate expiry date to ensure our customers’ food stays fresher for longer,’ the company stated.
‘We also encourage our team to pick orders as though they were shopping for themselves, particularly with fresh produce.’
The spokesperson also assured: ‘If a customer receives a product that is out of date or would like to discuss their order, we encourage them to contact our customer service team to arrange a refund.’
Woolworths' expiry date guidelines for online orders outline a minimum number of days for use-by/expiry dates based on when an order is packed. The dates also vary depending on the type of product.
Apart from the guidelines mentioned, Woolworths claimed they have an online picking system that comes with a built-in trigger.
This trigger notifies team members if they happen to pick up a product that is too close to its expiry date. The team members can then replace the product with another one that has a longer expiry date.
This ensures that customers receive fresh products with a long shelf life.
Expiry dates are crucial as they indicate the period within which food is safe to eat. Consuming food past its expiry date can lead to foodborne illnesses. However, it's also important to note that expiry dates are often conservative estimates, and many foods remain safe to eat beyond these dates.
You may also visit Woolworths’ website for more detailed information about their products’ expiry dates and refund policy.
What are your thoughts on this issue, members? Have you had a similar experience with Woolworths or any other supermarket? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below.
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