Social media divided over 'concerning' aisle act at Woolies
- Replies 25
A recent incident in a Woolworths supermarket aisle has sparked a fierce debate on social media.
A Sydney shopper spoke of their displeasure after they noticed a Woolworths employee at their local store placing meat packs on the floor of the chilled foods aisle while stocking shelves and labelling the products.
Posting an image of the act to Facebook, the customer said it wasn't the first time they had witnessed workers at the southern Sydney Woolworths store doing the same.
'Photo taken at Woolworths today showing staff putting the meat products on the floor,' they wrote. 'It happens often, and I had already sent two complaints via the feedback form on Woolworths' website last year, but the situation is getting worse.'
They went on to say: 'Could you please do something about it? The store manager didn't seem to be able to get the staff to do the right thing…'
The majority of the commenters in the post agreed with the shopper, saying that this was unsanitary and should be addressed. However, there were several people in the comments who felt differently.
One person wrote: 'Don't lick or eat the packaging, and you'll be fine.'
'Take the plastic off first before cooking. You should be fine,' another suggested.
A third added: 'Who cares? It's packaged.'
'You do realise that the meat is covered in plastic, right? No contamination is going to happen,' one more argued.
Other users, however, thought that it was rather unnecessary for the customer to make a big fuss about the issue. 'This is the pettiest complaint yet,' one person said.
On the flip side, there were some who questioned why the meat wasn't being stacked in a trolley.
'So they don't have trolleys to put meat on?' asked one.
Another added: 'They could stack meat in a trolley instead of the floor - and why are they packing the fridge with so much meat in the first place?'
As a result of the backlash, the store addressed in the post was contacted by a Woolworths representative to 'raise awareness and review' the circumstances of the matter.
Recent reports of Woolworths employees placing packages of pork onto the floors of their chilled foods aisles have highlighted the importance of having certain protocols for staff handling food products in supermarkets.
These protocols serve as an essential part of maintaining food safety, and a breach of them could have serious consequences.
Some of the protocols stores should and probably do have in place are that food products, particularly those that could easily become contaminated, should always be stored above the ground and should never be placed directly onto any dirty surface.
In this scenario, we don’t know why the meat was being placed on the floor, but we can only assume there may have been a valid reason for doing so.
It is clear that protocols for staff handling food products in supermarkets must be strictly followed in order to ensure the safety of consumers.
If a store fails to follow these protocols strictly, it could not only be damaging to its reputation but could also lead to violation of health codes or even illness in customers.
In these kinds of situations, another concern is the risk of foodborne illnesses - which are spread by consuming contaminated food or beverages.
It can be caused by a variety of factors, from the improper handling of food (i.e. the meat being left on the floor for too long) to the presence of germs or toxins. In addition to contaminated food, food-borne illnesses can also be spread through the cross-contamination of surfaces and utensils.
Common sources of contamination include animals, mishandling of food, and improper hygiene practices.
Do you think the shoppers had the right to air their concerns about the employees' habits in the supermarket? Or do you generally agree that there's nothing wrong with the act? Let us know in the comments below!
A Sydney shopper spoke of their displeasure after they noticed a Woolworths employee at their local store placing meat packs on the floor of the chilled foods aisle while stocking shelves and labelling the products.
Posting an image of the act to Facebook, the customer said it wasn't the first time they had witnessed workers at the southern Sydney Woolworths store doing the same.
'Photo taken at Woolworths today showing staff putting the meat products on the floor,' they wrote. 'It happens often, and I had already sent two complaints via the feedback form on Woolworths' website last year, but the situation is getting worse.'
They went on to say: 'Could you please do something about it? The store manager didn't seem to be able to get the staff to do the right thing…'
A supermarket staff was spotted leaving meat packs on the floor while stocking the shelves and labelling the products. Credit: Facebook.
The majority of the commenters in the post agreed with the shopper, saying that this was unsanitary and should be addressed. However, there were several people in the comments who felt differently.
One person wrote: 'Don't lick or eat the packaging, and you'll be fine.'
'Take the plastic off first before cooking. You should be fine,' another suggested.
A third added: 'Who cares? It's packaged.'
'You do realise that the meat is covered in plastic, right? No contamination is going to happen,' one more argued.
Other users, however, thought that it was rather unnecessary for the customer to make a big fuss about the issue. 'This is the pettiest complaint yet,' one person said.
On the flip side, there were some who questioned why the meat wasn't being stacked in a trolley.
'So they don't have trolleys to put meat on?' asked one.
Another added: 'They could stack meat in a trolley instead of the floor - and why are they packing the fridge with so much meat in the first place?'
As a result of the backlash, the store addressed in the post was contacted by a Woolworths representative to 'raise awareness and review' the circumstances of the matter.
These protocols serve as an essential part of maintaining food safety, and a breach of them could have serious consequences.
Last year, another Woolies employee was seen putting meat products on the floor and placing them in the fridge. Credit: Facebook.
Some of the protocols stores should and probably do have in place are that food products, particularly those that could easily become contaminated, should always be stored above the ground and should never be placed directly onto any dirty surface.
In this scenario, we don’t know why the meat was being placed on the floor, but we can only assume there may have been a valid reason for doing so.
It is clear that protocols for staff handling food products in supermarkets must be strictly followed in order to ensure the safety of consumers.
If a store fails to follow these protocols strictly, it could not only be damaging to its reputation but could also lead to violation of health codes or even illness in customers.
It's important to be careful about food safety, especially when handling products such as raw meat. Credit: Pexels/Los Muertos Crew.
In these kinds of situations, another concern is the risk of foodborne illnesses - which are spread by consuming contaminated food or beverages.
It can be caused by a variety of factors, from the improper handling of food (i.e. the meat being left on the floor for too long) to the presence of germs or toxins. In addition to contaminated food, food-borne illnesses can also be spread through the cross-contamination of surfaces and utensils.
Common sources of contamination include animals, mishandling of food, and improper hygiene practices.
- Animals can carry germs, bacteria, and toxins that can contaminate food through contact or the presence of faeces.
- Poor handling of food can also lead to contamination, particularly when food is handled with unwashed hands or stored at unsafe temperatures.
- Poor hygiene practices, such as not washing hands or surfaces after handling raw food, can also lead to the spread of food-borne illnesses.
Do you think the shoppers had the right to air their concerns about the employees' habits in the supermarket? Or do you generally agree that there's nothing wrong with the act? Let us know in the comments below!
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