It is really frustrating to discover that the bread you bought a few days ago has already gone bad.

Bread generally has a pretty short shelf life, which is why we usually only buy what we need and consume it fairly quickly. But what happens when you've ordered groceries online and the loaf of bread you receive is already starting to go off?

Unfortunately, this seems to be a growing problem in Australia as more and more people turn to online grocery shopping due to the convenience factor.

A Coles customer who found herself in this situation recently took to social media to express her frustration with the supermarket giant.

You see, she received an online order from Coles which included a loaf of bread… with only two days left until its expiry date!

Understandably concerned, she then contacted Coles’ customer service about the issue and was told that their ‘minimum acceptance for all bread products is 2 days’.

‘Unfortunately, as these products were within our minimum acceptance guidelines we are unable to provide you with a refund or exchange for these items,’ they added.

Would you buy bread that expires two days after your purchase? Credit: Pexels/Laura James

Really, it was just a roundabout way of saying there was nothing they could do for her.

The woman was not happy with this response, as she felt that she had been done dirty by the supermarket.

‘Apparently, Coles’ policy on bread is if it has two days use-by on the tag, they will sell it. It’s not fresh daily,’ she said in her post.

The shopper’s experience was a familiar one for many who reacted to her post.

Another Coles shopper shared: ‘Bread isn’t the only thing they do it with.’

‘(I received) so many items delivered that were almost out-of-date and got the same generated response after complaining. It’s disgusting.’

‘It’s the same with their meat too. Got a click-and-collect from Coles… and got some meat that only had two days’ expiry on it,’ a third one shared.

‘When I questioned the store, they said the same thing: “It’s within the guidelines”.’

There is no specific mention of a two-day minimum acceptance guideline in Coles’ Frequently Asked Questions page on its website as of writing, so it must be something disclosed upon return or replace queries.

How unfortunate for shoppers, if we may say so.

In 2021, research from consumer advocacy group CHOICE revealed that 46 per cent or almost half of Aussie shoppers have experienced receiving orders such as meat and fruit and vegetables near their expiry dates.

Thirteen per cent experienced having food items delivered online that were past their dates for recommended consumption.

Had they been available to choose the said items in-store, 78 per cent said they would not have chosen the items with their indicated use-by dates.

Almost half of Aussies in a 2021 CHOICE survey reported receiving items near their expiry dates in their online grocery orders. Credit: Coles

Thirty-eight per cent also admitted to changing their meal plans to accommodate the unexpected expiry dates listed on their grocery items.

Maybe as a compromise, these supermarkets would be open to receiving payments past recommended dates too… kidding!

CHOICE also sought out the sides of Coles and Woolworths, who they said are Australia’s biggest online grocery retailers.

‘We aim to stock only fresh products of the highest quality in all of our fresh food departments,’ a spokesperson for Coles said.

‘When packing Coles Online orders our team members follow strict guidelines that detail the minimum use-by date acceptance – these differ across our fresh produce categories including dairy, meat, bakery and eggs.’

They also said: ‘We don't currently offer our customers the choice to select specific use-by dates for individual items.’

It is unclear whether they have at the very least planned to address the customer concern since their statement to CHOICE.

Meanwhile, Woolies said customers have the option to let their preferences be known by adding notes to their online order.

‘Our dedicated personal shoppers hand-pick fruit and veg for online orders to meet the unique requests of our customers. This can include picking an under-ripe banana for later in the week or ready-to-eat avocado for that night's dinner.’

‘Our personal shoppers will do their best to meet their needs based on the stock available at the time,’ they added.

If only all supermarkets did this, they’d be making a lot of shoppers less stressed!

Key Takeaways

• A Coles customer has highlighted a growing problem with food expiration dates and online grocery shopping in Australia.
• The customer shared that she was given bread expiring in two days in her online shopping order.
• According to her, Coles denied her a replacement or refund for the bread as 'minimum acceptance (period) for all bread products is two days'.
• Many shared the customer's displeasure, and came forward with similar experiences.
• Forty-eight per cent of shoppers surveyed by CHOICE in 2021 said they have received items near expiry dates in their grocery orders.

Speaking of Coles you might also want to check out this story of a shopper’s ‘dangerous’ find that started calls for the supermarket to ‘do better’.

Also… the supermarket is now selling a new dish with a classic Aussie twist!

So what is your reaction to this story? Have you had similar experiences from Coles or other online retailers?

Tell us in the comments section below!

 

[gollywog]

All the more reason not to do on-line shopping!!!
I like to 'SEE' what I am paying for: product wise AND date wise!!

 

[samlink]

It is really frustrating to discover that the bread you bought a few days ago has already gone bad.

Bread generally has a pretty short shelf life, which is why we usually only buy what we need and consume it fairly quickly. But what happens when you've ordered groceries online and the loaf of bread you receive is already starting to go off?

Unfortunately, this seems to be a growing problem in Australia as more and more people turn to online grocery shopping due to the convenience factor.

A Coles customer who found herself in this situation recently took to social media to express her frustration with the supermarket giant.

You see, she received an online order from Coles which included a loaf of bread… with only two days left until its expiry date!

Understandably concerned, she then contacted Coles’ customer service about the issue and was told that their ‘minimum acceptance for all bread products is 2 days’.

‘Unfortunately, as these products were within our minimum acceptance guidelines we are unable to provide you with a refund or exchange for these items,’ they added.

View attachment 8880

Would you buy bread that expires two days after your purchase? Credit: Pexels/Laura James

Really, it was just a roundabout way of saying there was nothing they could do for her.

The woman was not happy with this response, as she felt that she had been done dirty by the supermarket.

‘Apparently, Coles’ policy on bread is if it has two days use-by on the tag, they will sell it. It’s not fresh daily,’ she said in her post.

The shopper’s experience was a familiar one for many who reacted to her post.

Another Coles shopper shared: ‘Bread isn’t the only thing they do it with.’

‘(I received) so many items delivered that were almost out-of-date and got the same generated response after complaining. It’s disgusting.’

‘It’s the same with their meat too. Got a click-and-collect from Coles… and got some meat that only had two days’ expiry on it,’ a third one shared.

‘When I questioned the store, they said the same thing: “It’s within the guidelines”.’

There is no specific mention of a two-day minimum acceptance guideline in Coles’ Frequently Asked Questions page on its website as of writing, so it must be something disclosed upon return or replace queries.

How unfortunate for shoppers, if we may say so.

In 2021, research from consumer advocacy group CHOICE revealed that 46 per cent or almost half of Aussie shoppers have experienced receiving orders such as meat and fruit and vegetables near their expiry dates.

Thirteen per cent experienced having food items delivered online that were past their dates for recommended consumption.

Had they been available to choose the said items in-store, 78 per cent said they would not have chosen the items with their indicated use-by dates.

View attachment 8879

Almost half of Aussies in a 2021 CHOICE survey reported receiving items near their expiry dates in their online grocery orders. Credit: Coles

Thirty-eight per cent also admitted to changing their meal plans to accommodate the unexpected expiry dates listed on their grocery items.

Maybe as a compromise, these supermarkets would be open to receiving payments past recommended dates too… kidding!

CHOICE also sought out the sides of Coles and Woolworths, who they said are Australia’s biggest online grocery retailers.

‘We aim to stock only fresh products of the highest quality in all of our fresh food departments,’ a spokesperson for Coles said.

‘When packing Coles Online orders our team members follow strict guidelines that detail the minimum use-by date acceptance – these differ across our fresh produce categories including dairy, meat, bakery and eggs.’

They also said: ‘We don't currently offer our customers the choice to select specific use-by dates for individual items.’

It is unclear whether they have at the very least planned to address the customer concern since their statement to CHOICE.

Meanwhile, Woolies said customers have the option to let their preferences be known by adding notes to their online order.

‘Our dedicated personal shoppers hand-pick fruit and veg for online orders to meet the unique requests of our customers. This can include picking an under-ripe banana for later in the week or ready-to-eat avocado for that night's dinner.’

‘Our personal shoppers will do their best to meet their needs based on the stock available at the time,’ they added.

If only all supermarkets did this, they’d be making a lot of shoppers less stressed!

Key Takeaways

• A Coles customer has highlighted a growing problem with food expiration dates and online grocery shopping in Australia.
• The customer shared that she was given bread expiring in two days in her online shopping order.
• According to her, Coles denied her a replacement or refund for the bread as 'minimum acceptance (period) for all bread products is two days'.
• Many shared the customer's displeasure, and came forward with similar experiences.
• Forty-eight per cent of shoppers surveyed by CHOICE in 2021 said they have received items near expiry dates in their grocery orders.

Speaking of Coles you might also want to check out this story of a shopper’s ‘dangerous’ find that started calls for the supermarket to ‘do better’.

Also… the supermarket is now selling a new dish with a classic Aussie twist!

So what is your reaction to this story? Have you had similar experiences from Coles or other online retailers?

Tell us in the comments section below!

Living in larger regional NSW still find better to go to shop as found my experience with click and collect had missing items or pick up dates changed. Items not available were available in store. Not all is fresh have picked up bakery items that have been frozen and are thawing on shelf. Ok if using straight away but what about out of towners that shop less regularly and are taking items home to freeze unaware item had already been frozen, recipe for disaster.

 

[JXDON]

It is really frustrating to discover that the bread you bought a few days ago has already gone bad.

Bread generally has a pretty short shelf life, which is why we usually only buy what we need and consume it fairly quickly. But what happens when you've ordered groceries online and the loaf of bread you receive is already starting to go off?

Unfortunately, this seems to be a growing problem in Australia as more and more people turn to online grocery shopping due to the convenience factor.

A Coles customer who found herself in this situation recently took to social media to express her frustration with the supermarket giant.

You see, she received an online order from Coles which included a loaf of bread… with only two days left until its expiry date!

Understandably concerned, she then contacted Coles’ customer service about the issue and was told that their ‘minimum acceptance for all bread products is 2 days’.

‘Unfortunately, as these products were within our minimum acceptance guidelines we are unable to provide you with a refund or exchange for these items,’ they added.

View attachment 8880

Would you buy bread that expires two days after your purchase? Credit: Pexels/Laura James

Really, it was just a roundabout way of saying there was nothing they could do for her.

The woman was not happy with this response, as she felt that she had been done dirty by the supermarket.

‘Apparently, Coles’ policy on bread is if it has two days use-by on the tag, they will sell it. It’s not fresh daily,’ she said in her post.

The shopper’s experience was a familiar one for many who reacted to her post.

Another Coles shopper shared: ‘Bread isn’t the only thing they do it with.’

‘(I received) so many items delivered that were almost out-of-date and got the same generated response after complaining. It’s disgusting.’

‘It’s the same with their meat too. Got a click-and-collect from Coles… and got some meat that only had two days’ expiry on it,’ a third one shared.

‘When I questioned the store, they said the same thing: “It’s within the guidelines”.’

There is no specific mention of a two-day minimum acceptance guideline in Coles’ Frequently Asked Questions page on its website as of writing, so it must be something disclosed upon return or replace queries.

How unfortunate for shoppers, if we may say so.

In 2021, research from consumer advocacy group CHOICE revealed that 46 per cent or almost half of Aussie shoppers have experienced receiving orders such as meat and fruit and vegetables near their expiry dates.

Thirteen per cent experienced having food items delivered online that were past their dates for recommended consumption.

Had they been available to choose the said items in-store, 78 per cent said they would not have chosen the items with their indicated use-by dates.

View attachment 8879

Almost half of Aussies in a 2021 CHOICE survey reported receiving items near their expiry dates in their online grocery orders. Credit: Coles

Thirty-eight per cent also admitted to changing their meal plans to accommodate the unexpected expiry dates listed on their grocery items.

Maybe as a compromise, these supermarkets would be open to receiving payments past recommended dates too… kidding!

CHOICE also sought out the sides of Coles and Woolworths, who they said are Australia’s biggest online grocery retailers.

‘We aim to stock only fresh products of the highest quality in all of our fresh food departments,’ a spokesperson for Coles said.

‘When packing Coles Online orders our team members follow strict guidelines that detail the minimum use-by date acceptance – these differ across our fresh produce categories including dairy, meat, bakery and eggs.’

They also said: ‘We don't currently offer our customers the choice to select specific use-by dates for individual items.’

It is unclear whether they have at the very least planned to address the customer concern since their statement to CHOICE.

Meanwhile, Woolies said customers have the option to let their preferences be known by adding notes to their online order.

‘Our dedicated personal shoppers hand-pick fruit and veg for online orders to meet the unique requests of our customers. This can include picking an under-ripe banana for later in the week or ready-to-eat avocado for that night's dinner.’

‘Our personal shoppers will do their best to meet their needs based on the stock available at the time,’ they added.

If only all supermarkets did this, they’d be making a lot of shoppers less stressed!

Key Takeaways

• A Coles customer has highlighted a growing problem with food expiration dates and online grocery shopping in Australia.
• The customer shared that she was given bread expiring in two days in her online shopping order.
• According to her, Coles denied her a replacement or refund for the bread as 'minimum acceptance (period) for all bread products is two days'.
• Many shared the customer's displeasure, and came forward with similar experiences.
• Forty-eight per cent of shoppers surveyed by CHOICE in 2021 said they have received items near expiry dates in their grocery orders.

Speaking of Coles you might also want to check out this story of a shopper’s ‘dangerous’ find that started calls for the supermarket to ‘do better’.

Also… the supermarket is now selling a new dish with a classic Aussie twist!

So what is your reaction to this story? Have you had similar experiences from Coles or other online retailers?

Tell us in the comments section below!

The supermarkets have it all over us. They can do what they like.
That is why I prefer to go into the store and select my own by quality and date!

 

[Lynjw]

It is really frustrating to discover that the bread you bought a few days ago has already gone bad.

Bread generally has a pretty short shelf life, which is why we usually only buy what we need and consume it fairly quickly. But what happens when you've ordered groceries online and the loaf of bread you receive is already starting to go off?

Unfortunately, this seems to be a growing problem in Australia as more and more people turn to online grocery shopping due to the convenience factor.

A Coles customer who found herself in this situation recently took to social media to express her frustration with the supermarket giant.

You see, she received an online order from Coles which included a loaf of bread… with only two days left until its expiry date!

Understandably concerned, she then contacted Coles’ customer service about the issue and was told that their ‘minimum acceptance for all bread products is 2 days’.

‘Unfortunately, as these products were within our minimum acceptance guidelines we are unable to provide you with a refund or exchange for these items,’ they added.

View attachment 8880

Would you buy bread that expires two days after your purchase? Credit: Pexels/Laura James

Really, it was just a roundabout way of saying there was nothing they could do for her.

The woman was not happy with this response, as she felt that she had been done dirty by the supermarket.

‘Apparently, Coles’ policy on bread is if it has two days use-by on the tag, they will sell it. It’s not fresh daily,’ she said in her post.

The shopper’s experience was a familiar one for many who reacted to her post.

Another Coles shopper shared: ‘Bread isn’t the only thing they do it with.’

‘(I received) so many items delivered that were almost out-of-date and got the same generated response after complaining. It’s disgusting.’

‘It’s the same with their meat too. Got a click-and-collect from Coles… and got some meat that only had two days’ expiry on it,’ a third one shared.

‘When I questioned the store, they said the same thing: “It’s within the guidelines”.’

There is no specific mention of a two-day minimum acceptance guideline in Coles’ Frequently Asked Questions page on its website as of writing, so it must be something disclosed upon return or replace queries.

How unfortunate for shoppers, if we may say so.

In 2021, research from consumer advocacy group CHOICE revealed that 46 per cent or almost half of Aussie shoppers have experienced receiving orders such as meat and fruit and vegetables near their expiry dates.

Thirteen per cent experienced having food items delivered online that were past their dates for recommended consumption.

Had they been available to choose the said items in-store, 78 per cent said they would not have chosen the items with their indicated use-by dates.

View attachment 8879

Almost half of Aussies in a 2021 CHOICE survey reported receiving items near their expiry dates in their online grocery orders. Credit: Coles

Thirty-eight per cent also admitted to changing their meal plans to accommodate the unexpected expiry dates listed on their grocery items.

Maybe as a compromise, these supermarkets would be open to receiving payments past recommended dates too… kidding!

CHOICE also sought out the sides of Coles and Woolworths, who they said are Australia’s biggest online grocery retailers.

‘We aim to stock only fresh products of the highest quality in all of our fresh food departments,’ a spokesperson for Coles said.

‘When packing Coles Online orders our team members follow strict guidelines that detail the minimum use-by date acceptance – these differ across our fresh produce categories including dairy, meat, bakery and eggs.’

They also said: ‘We don't currently offer our customers the choice to select specific use-by dates for individual items.’

It is unclear whether they have at the very least planned to address the customer concern since their statement to CHOICE.

Meanwhile, Woolies said customers have the option to let their preferences be known by adding notes to their online order.

‘Our dedicated personal shoppers hand-pick fruit and veg for online orders to meet the unique requests of our customers. This can include picking an under-ripe banana for later in the week or ready-to-eat avocado for that night's dinner.’

‘Our personal shoppers will do their best to meet their needs based on the stock available at the time,’ they added.

If only all supermarkets did this, they’d be making a lot of shoppers less stressed!

Key Takeaways

• A Coles customer has highlighted a growing problem with food expiration dates and online grocery shopping in Australia.
• The customer shared that she was given bread expiring in two days in her online shopping order.
• According to her, Coles denied her a replacement or refund for the bread as 'minimum acceptance (period) for all bread products is two days'.
• Many shared the customer's displeasure, and came forward with similar experiences.
• Forty-eight per cent of shoppers surveyed by CHOICE in 2021 said they have received items near expiry dates in their grocery orders.

Speaking of Coles you might also want to check out this story of a shopper’s ‘dangerous’ find that started calls for the supermarket to ‘do better’.

Also… the supermarket is now selling a new dish with a classic Aussie twist!

So what is your reaction to this story? Have you had similar experiences from Coles or other online retailers?

Tell us in the comments section below!

I rarely Online shop these days due to so many items unavailable snd I won’t do substitutions due to food intolerances. I then have to go in store to find those items. I prefer Woolies to Coles online. A lower price limit for ordering and can add notes to picker. Coles fruit I find goes off faster too. They prob choose close to expiry as they r the ones left as in store people buy items with longer wxpiries. It’s a waiting get rid of perishable foods that would otherwise be dumped.

 

[Yvonne C.]

They used to make "1/2 loaves" too which are great for people who live alone, but Coles are not interested in reintroducing them either. (requests ignored) They would solve this problem too maybe?

I live on my own so when I buy a loaf of bread I put half in the freezer. That way I always have fresh bread.

 

[Mark1]

This is the biggest down fall for online shopping.
I've purchased crumpets that expired that day. Milk with 3 day expiry and I purched 4 x 3 litre.
I call and usually receive either a credit or refund.
I've also received mouldy vegies and brown fruit

Easy. Go and shop for yourself.

 

[ElleJay]

They used to make "1/2 loaves" too which are great for people who live alone, but Coles are not interested in reintroducing them either. (requests ignored) They would solve this problem too maybe?

Helga's make half loaves, and the bread is nice!

 

[Ricci]

Helga's make half loaves, and the bread is nice!

But it works out damned expensive, not much difference in price from a full loaf!

 

[Colette 3799]

They used to make "1/2 loaves" too which are great for people who live alone, but Coles are not interested in reintroducing them either. (requests ignored) They would solve this problem too maybe?

I buy Woolies bakery low GI bread (dietician’s recommendation) and they make a half loaf which was perfect for me. Now my husband has started eating it too so I am buying the full loaf

 

[JustPat]

No but then I prefer do mt own shopping and choose my produce.

 

[John.RS]

I have not bought bread at Coles for many years as it was always old, stale and rock hard.

 

[poolec14]

It is really frustrating to discover that the bread you bought a few days ago has already gone bad.

Bread generally has a pretty short shelf life, which is why we usually only buy what we need and consume it fairly quickly. But what happens when you've ordered groceries online and the loaf of bread you receive is already starting to go off?

Unfortunately, this seems to be a growing problem in Australia as more and more people turn to online grocery shopping due to the convenience factor.

A Coles customer who found herself in this situation recently took to social media to express her frustration with the supermarket giant.

You see, she received an online order from Coles which included a loaf of bread… with only two days left until its expiry date!

Understandably concerned, she then contacted Coles’ customer service about the issue and was told that their ‘minimum acceptance for all bread products is 2 days’.

‘Unfortunately, as these products were within our minimum acceptance guidelines we are unable to provide you with a refund or exchange for these items,’ they added.

View attachment 8880

Would you buy bread that expires two days after your purchase? Credit: Pexels/Laura James

Really, it was just a roundabout way of saying there was nothing they could do for her.

The woman was not happy with this response, as she felt that she had been done dirty by the supermarket.

‘Apparently, Coles’ policy on bread is if it has two days use-by on the tag, they will sell it. It’s not fresh daily,’ she said in her post.

The shopper’s experience was a familiar one for many who reacted to her post.

Another Coles shopper shared: ‘Bread isn’t the only thing they do it with.’

‘(I received) so many items delivered that were almost out-of-date and got the same generated response after complaining. It’s disgusting.’

‘It’s the same with their meat too. Got a click-and-collect from Coles… and got some meat that only had two days’ expiry on it,’ a third one shared.

‘When I questioned the store, they said the same thing: “It’s within the guidelines”.’

There is no specific mention of a two-day minimum acceptance guideline in Coles’ Frequently Asked Questions page on its website as of writing, so it must be something disclosed upon return or replace queries.

How unfortunate for shoppers, if we may say so.

In 2021, research from consumer advocacy group CHOICE revealed that 46 per cent or almost half of Aussie shoppers have experienced receiving orders such as meat and fruit and vegetables near their expiry dates.

Thirteen per cent experienced having food items delivered online that were past their dates for recommended consumption.

Had they been available to choose the said items in-store, 78 per cent said they would not have chosen the items with their indicated use-by dates.

View attachment 8879

Almost half of Aussies in a 2021 CHOICE survey reported receiving items near their expiry dates in their online grocery orders. Credit: Coles

Thirty-eight per cent also admitted to changing their meal plans to accommodate the unexpected expiry dates listed on their grocery items.

Maybe as a compromise, these supermarkets would be open to receiving payments past recommended dates too… kidding!

CHOICE also sought out the sides of Coles and Woolworths, who they said are Australia’s biggest online grocery retailers.

‘We aim to stock only fresh products of the highest quality in all of our fresh food departments,’ a spokesperson for Coles said.

‘When packing Coles Online orders our team members follow strict guidelines that detail the minimum use-by date acceptance – these differ across our fresh produce categories including dairy, meat, bakery and eggs.’

They also said: ‘We don't currently offer our customers the choice to select specific use-by dates for individual items.’

It is unclear whether they have at the very least planned to address the customer concern since their statement to CHOICE.

Meanwhile, Woolies said customers have the option to let their preferences be known by adding notes to their online order.

‘Our dedicated personal shoppers hand-pick fruit and veg for online orders to meet the unique requests of our customers. This can include picking an under-ripe banana for later in the week or ready-to-eat avocado for that night's dinner.’

‘Our personal shoppers will do their best to meet their needs based on the stock available at the time,’ they added.

If only all supermarkets did this, they’d be making a lot of shoppers less stressed!

Key Takeaways

• A Coles customer has highlighted a growing problem with food expiration dates and online grocery shopping in Australia.
• The customer shared that she was given bread expiring in two days in her online shopping order.
• According to her, Coles denied her a replacement or refund for the bread as 'minimum acceptance (period) for all bread products is two days'.
• Many shared the customer's displeasure, and came forward with similar experiences.
• Forty-eight per cent of shoppers surveyed by CHOICE in 2021 said they have received items near expiry dates in their grocery orders.

Speaking of Coles you might also want to check out this story of a shopper’s ‘dangerous’ find that started calls for the supermarket to ‘do better’.

Also… the supermarket is now selling a new dish with a classic Aussie twist!

So what is your reaction to this story? Have you had similar experiences from Coles or other online retailers?

Tell us in the comments section below!

The reasons above are why I always shop in store.

 

[Kudjela]

I have been shopping online for about 15 years and use both Coles and Woolies. The only issue I have ever had is receiving a bag of food that was meant for someone else. If I buy bread it goes straight in the freezer. If I wanted meat, I would duck to the store and choose it myself and leave the big order to online shopping. thankfully I rarely eat meat. I shop online because I work fulltime and it is convenient. I am grateful for my local supermarkets who do my orders.

 

[Luckyus]

It is really frustrating to discover that the bread you bought a few days ago has already gone bad.

Bread generally has a pretty short shelf life, which is why we usually only buy what we need and consume it fairly quickly. But what happens when you've ordered groceries online and the loaf of bread you receive is already starting to go off?

Unfortunately, this seems to be a growing problem in Australia as more and more people turn to online grocery shopping due to the convenience factor.

A Coles customer who found herself in this situation recently took to social media to express her frustration with the supermarket giant.

You see, she received an online order from Coles which included a loaf of bread… with only two days left until its expiry date!

Understandably concerned, she then contacted Coles’ customer service about the issue and was told that their ‘minimum acceptance for all bread products is 2 days’.

‘Unfortunately, as these products were within our minimum acceptance guidelines we are unable to provide you with a refund or exchange for these items,’ they added.

View attachment 8880

Would you buy bread that expires two days after your purchase? Credit: Pexels/Laura James

Really, it was just a roundabout way of saying there was nothing they could do for her.

The woman was not happy with this response, as she felt that she had been done dirty by the supermarket.

‘Apparently, Coles’ policy on bread is if it has two days use-by on the tag, they will sell it. It’s not fresh daily,’ she said in her post.

The shopper’s experience was a familiar one for many who reacted to her post.

Another Coles shopper shared: ‘Bread isn’t the only thing they do it with.’

‘(I received) so many items delivered that were almost out-of-date and got the same generated response after complaining. It’s disgusting.’

‘It’s the same with their meat too. Got a click-and-collect from Coles… and got some meat that only had two days’ expiry on it,’ a third one shared.

‘When I questioned the store, they said the same thing: “It’s within the guidelines”.’

There is no specific mention of a two-day minimum acceptance guideline in Coles’ Frequently Asked Questions page on its website as of writing, so it must be something disclosed upon return or replace queries.

How unfortunate for shoppers, if we may say so.

In 2021, research from consumer advocacy group CHOICE revealed that 46 per cent or almost half of Aussie shoppers have experienced receiving orders such as meat and fruit and vegetables near their expiry dates.

Thirteen per cent experienced having food items delivered online that were past their dates for recommended consumption.

Had they been available to choose the said items in-store, 78 per cent said they would not have chosen the items with their indicated use-by dates.

View attachment 8879

Almost half of Aussies in a 2021 CHOICE survey reported receiving items near their expiry dates in their online grocery orders. Credit: Coles

Thirty-eight per cent also admitted to changing their meal plans to accommodate the unexpected expiry dates listed on their grocery items.

Maybe as a compromise, these supermarkets would be open to receiving payments past recommended dates too… kidding!

CHOICE also sought out the sides of Coles and Woolworths, who they said are Australia’s biggest online grocery retailers.

‘We aim to stock only fresh products of the highest quality in all of our fresh food departments,’ a spokesperson for Coles said.

‘When packing Coles Online orders our team members follow strict guidelines that detail the minimum use-by date acceptance – these differ across our fresh produce categories including dairy, meat, bakery and eggs.’

They also said: ‘We don't currently offer our customers the choice to select specific use-by dates for individual items.’

It is unclear whether they have at the very least planned to address the customer concern since their statement to CHOICE.

Meanwhile, Woolies said customers have the option to let their preferences be known by adding notes to their online order.

‘Our dedicated personal shoppers hand-pick fruit and veg for online orders to meet the unique requests of our customers. This can include picking an under-ripe banana for later in the week or ready-to-eat avocado for that night's dinner.’

‘Our personal shoppers will do their best to meet their needs based on the stock available at the time,’ they added.

If only all supermarkets did this, they’d be making a lot of shoppers less stressed!

Key Takeaways

• A Coles customer has highlighted a growing problem with food expiration dates and online grocery shopping in Australia.
• The customer shared that she was given bread expiring in two days in her online shopping order.
• According to her, Coles denied her a replacement or refund for the bread as 'minimum acceptance (period) for all bread products is two days'.
• Many shared the customer's displeasure, and came forward with similar experiences.
• Forty-eight per cent of shoppers surveyed by CHOICE in 2021 said they have received items near expiry dates in their grocery orders.

Speaking of Coles you might also want to check out this story of a shopper’s ‘dangerous’ find that started calls for the supermarket to ‘do better’.

Also… the supermarket is now selling a new dish with a classic Aussie twist!

So what is your reaction to this story? Have you had similar experiences from Coles or other online retailers?

Tell us in the comments section below!

It has never occurred to purchase comestibles on line, as far as bread goes I buy it from my local baker and not from department stores.

 

[ShannyN]

They used to make "1/2 loaves" too which are great for people who live alone, but Coles are not interested in reintroducing them either. (requests ignored) They would solve this problem too maybe?

Buy full loaf separate freeze half for next week or ftn I do saves heaps just takes a few minutes

 

[Angelabray]

It is really frustrating to discover that the bread you bought a few days ago has already gone bad.

Bread generally has a pretty short shelf life, which is why we usually only buy what we need and consume it fairly quickly. But what happens when you've ordered groceries online and the loaf of bread you receive is already starting to go off?

Unfortunately, this seems to be a growing problem in Australia as more and more people turn to online grocery shopping due to the convenience factor.

A Coles customer who found herself in this situation recently took to social media to express her frustration with the supermarket giant.

You see, she received an online order from Coles which included a loaf of bread… with only two days left until its expiry date!

Understandably concerned, she then contacted Coles’ customer service about the issue and was told that their ‘minimum acceptance for all bread products is 2 days’.

‘Unfortunately, as these products were within our minimum acceptance guidelines we are unable to provide you with a refund or exchange for these items,’ they added.

View attachment 8880

Would you buy bread that expires two days after your purchase? Credit: Pexels/Laura James

Really, it was just a roundabout way of saying there was nothing they could do for her.

The woman was not happy with this response, as she felt that she had been done dirty by the supermarket.

‘Apparently, Coles’ policy on bread is if it has two days use-by on the tag, they will sell it. It’s not fresh daily,’ she said in her post.

The shopper’s experience was a familiar one for many who reacted to her post.

Another Coles shopper shared: ‘Bread isn’t the only thing they do it with.’

‘(I received) so many items delivered that were almost out-of-date and got the same generated response after complaining. It’s disgusting.’

‘It’s the same with their meat too. Got a click-and-collect from Coles… and got some meat that only had two days’ expiry on it,’ a third one shared.

‘When I questioned the store, they said the same thing: “It’s within the guidelines”.’

There is no specific mention of a two-day minimum acceptance guideline in Coles’ Frequently Asked Questions page on its website as of writing, so it must be something disclosed upon return or replace queries.

How unfortunate for shoppers, if we may say so.

In 2021, research from consumer advocacy group CHOICE revealed that 46 per cent or almost half of Aussie shoppers have experienced receiving orders such as meat and fruit and vegetables near their expiry dates.

Thirteen per cent experienced having food items delivered online that were past their dates for recommended consumption.

Had they been available to choose the said items in-store, 78 per cent said they would not have chosen the items with their indicated use-by dates.

View attachment 8879

Almost half of Aussies in a 2021 CHOICE survey reported receiving items near their expiry dates in their online grocery orders. Credit: Coles

Thirty-eight per cent also admitted to changing their meal plans to accommodate the unexpected expiry dates listed on their grocery items.

Maybe as a compromise, these supermarkets would be open to receiving payments past recommended dates too… kidding!

CHOICE also sought out the sides of Coles and Woolworths, who they said are Australia’s biggest online grocery retailers.

‘We aim to stock only fresh products of the highest quality in all of our fresh food departments,’ a spokesperson for Coles said.

‘When packing Coles Online orders our team members follow strict guidelines that detail the minimum use-by date acceptance – these differ across our fresh produce categories including dairy, meat, bakery and eggs.’

They also said: ‘We don't currently offer our customers the choice to select specific use-by dates for individual items.’

It is unclear whether they have at the very least planned to address the customer concern since their statement to CHOICE.

Meanwhile, Woolies said customers have the option to let their preferences be known by adding notes to their online order.

‘Our dedicated personal shoppers hand-pick fruit and veg for online orders to meet the unique requests of our customers. This can include picking an under-ripe banana for later in the week or ready-to-eat avocado for that night's dinner.’

‘Our personal shoppers will do their best to meet their needs based on the stock available at the time,’ they added.

If only all supermarkets did this, they’d be making a lot of shoppers less stressed!

Key Takeaways

• A Coles customer has highlighted a growing problem with food expiration dates and online grocery shopping in Australia.
• The customer shared that she was given bread expiring in two days in her online shopping order.
• According to her, Coles denied her a replacement or refund for the bread as 'minimum acceptance (period) for all bread products is two days'.
• Many shared the customer's displeasure, and came forward with similar experiences.
• Forty-eight per cent of shoppers surveyed by CHOICE in 2021 said they have received items near expiry dates in their grocery orders.

Speaking of Coles you might also want to check out this story of a shopper’s ‘dangerous’ find that started calls for the supermarket to ‘do better’.

Also… the supermarket is now selling a new dish with a classic Aussie twist!

So what is your reaction to this story? Have you had similar experiences from Coles or other online retailers?

Tell us in the comments section below!

I recently bought two Simsons low carb wraps at 2 for $10 and one of them was covered in mould. I emailed Coles as I no longer had the receipt and know how stores can be with exchanges without receipts but have heard nothing! The use by date was Feb 23 - not happy Coles!

 

[JehazFNQ]

All the above serve to remind me why, while I can still drive a car or ride my Harley, I’ll be doing my own shopping. Every so often either Coles or Woolies will try to snare me into online, click and collect or some other means of getting my shopping, but always at the back of my mind is “how fresh is it going to be?” I really don’t mind quite so much with meat as it can go in the freezer (although I am always very careful around blown packs of “fresh” chook and they would go straight back, use by date notwithstanding) but I try to eat healthily and I can’t grow all my own, so really get picky on the fruit and veggies. And at the price of their berries (frozen really can be better) they better be top notch! Keep complaining, shoppers, take it back, make an embarrassing noise (to, not AT the service desk) and demand they do better. Even in these hard times, they are making big profits; the least they can do is deliver fresh goods which are actually FRESH!

 

[Kimwyatt5052]

Both Cole’s and Woolies Freeze and defrost Gluten Free bread. At $7.50 a loaf you would like to know if it has been thawed as it goes mouldy very quickly in the plastic At the very least there should be a sign letting customer’s know it has been frozen

 

[JustPat]

I rarely eat bread but the hubby does and we buy it once a week from Bakers Delight and freeze it using the amount we want as it defrosts quickly and we only ever get grain bread. The hubby does not like most of the supermarket breads and when I was eating bread I found it was Bakers Delight's I could eat and keep my blood sugars in control.

 

[brendanvp]

It is really frustrating to discover that the bread you bought a few days ago has already gone bad.

Bread generally has a pretty short shelf life, which is why we usually only buy what we need and consume it fairly quickly. But what happens when you've ordered groceries online and the loaf of bread you receive is already starting to go off?

Unfortunately, this seems to be a growing problem in Australia as more and more people turn to online grocery shopping due to the convenience factor.

A Coles customer who found herself in this situation recently took to social media to express her frustration with the supermarket giant.

You see, she received an online order from Coles which included a loaf of bread… with only two days left until its expiry date!

Understandably concerned, she then contacted Coles’ customer service about the issue and was told that their ‘minimum acceptance for all bread products is 2 days’.

‘Unfortunately, as these products were within our minimum acceptance guidelines we are unable to provide you with a refund or exchange for these items,’ they added.

View attachment 8880

Would you buy bread that expires two days after your purchase? Credit: Pexels/Laura James

Really, it was just a roundabout way of saying there was nothing they could do for her.

The woman was not happy with this response, as she felt that she had been done dirty by the supermarket.

‘Apparently, Coles’ policy on bread is if it has two days use-by on the tag, they will sell it. It’s not fresh daily,’ she said in her post.

The shopper’s experience was a familiar one for many who reacted to her post.

Another Coles shopper shared: ‘Bread isn’t the only thing they do it with.’

‘(I received) so many items delivered that were almost out-of-date and got the same generated response after complaining. It’s disgusting.’

‘It’s the same with their meat too. Got a click-and-collect from Coles… and got some meat that only had two days’ expiry on it,’ a third one shared.

‘When I questioned the store, they said the same thing: “It’s within the guidelines”.’

There is no specific mention of a two-day minimum acceptance guideline in Coles’ Frequently Asked Questions page on its website as of writing, so it must be something disclosed upon return or replace queries.

How unfortunate for shoppers, if we may say so.

In 2021, research from consumer advocacy group CHOICE revealed that 46 per cent or almost half of Aussie shoppers have experienced receiving orders such as meat and fruit and vegetables near their expiry dates.

Thirteen per cent experienced having food items delivered online that were past their dates for recommended consumption.

Had they been available to choose the said items in-store, 78 per cent said they would not have chosen the items with their indicated use-by dates.

View attachment 8879

Almost half of Aussies in a 2021 CHOICE survey reported receiving items near their expiry dates in their online grocery orders. Credit: Coles

Thirty-eight per cent also admitted to changing their meal plans to accommodate the unexpected expiry dates listed on their grocery items.

Maybe as a compromise, these supermarkets would be open to receiving payments past recommended dates too… kidding!

CHOICE also sought out the sides of Coles and Woolworths, who they said are Australia’s biggest online grocery retailers.

‘We aim to stock only fresh products of the highest quality in all of our fresh food departments,’ a spokesperson for Coles said.

‘When packing Coles Online orders our team members follow strict guidelines that detail the minimum use-by date acceptance – these differ across our fresh produce categories including dairy, meat, bakery and eggs.’

They also said: ‘We don't currently offer our customers the choice to select specific use-by dates for individual items.’

It is unclear whether they have at the very least planned to address the customer concern since their statement to CHOICE.

Meanwhile, Woolies said customers have the option to let their preferences be known by adding notes to their online order.

‘Our dedicated personal shoppers hand-pick fruit and veg for online orders to meet the unique requests of our customers. This can include picking an under-ripe banana for later in the week or ready-to-eat avocado for that night's dinner.’

‘Our personal shoppers will do their best to meet their needs based on the stock available at the time,’ they added.

If only all supermarkets did this, they’d be making a lot of shoppers less stressed!

Key Takeaways

• A Coles customer has highlighted a growing problem with food expiration dates and online grocery shopping in Australia.
• The customer shared that she was given bread expiring in two days in her online shopping order.
• According to her, Coles denied her a replacement or refund for the bread as 'minimum acceptance (period) for all bread products is two days'.
• Many shared the customer's displeasure, and came forward with similar experiences.
• Forty-eight per cent of shoppers surveyed by CHOICE in 2021 said they have received items near expiry dates in their grocery orders.

Speaking of Coles you might also want to check out this story of a shopper’s ‘dangerous’ find that started calls for the supermarket to ‘do better’.

Also… the supermarket is now selling a new dish with a classic Aussie twist!

So what is your reaction to this story? Have you had similar experiences from Coles or other online retailers?

Tell us in the comments section below!

We don’t shop click and collect or have orders delivered. We shop in store where you can see the dated