Thursday, October 4, 2012

Whose responsibility is it?


Went to the grocery store last week and I had a free product coupon for Kraft Cracker Barrel cheese snacks. I was buying a number of other things as well.

Dh had eaten six out of the 8 packages and when he took the next one he found it was moldy.

I called Kraft, and as I was talking to her I looked at the expiry date and discovered it was for June 4th, 2012
I then said to the woman at Kraft, listen this isn't your fault, I need to take this up with the store. Meanwhile the woman at Kraft insisted on sending me a Free Product Coupon for the item regardless.

I went to the grocery store today and told them what happened and they didn't seem overly shocked. They said that this product should all have been taken off the shelves, as it was being replaced by another product. They gave me a block of cheese as a replacement.

Now this is a large grocery store with a lot of customers, so product turnover should be good. I feel slightly responsible as I should have checked the expiry date; but like most people I tend to multi task and I was obviously distracted.

However at the end of the day I feel its the stores fault for not rotating their stock and removing expired items? I am happy with the outcome, as I got a replacement product. Dh wasn't ill.......mind you he has an iron clad stomach!!!

What do you think? 

10 comments:

Aodhnait said...

Hi Gill, Thanks for following me. I must read back through all your blog posts about renovating your house. I feel like it has been a major challenge renovating our house - but so worth it in the end!
Hope your build goes well! Enid
PS> I hate buying something and finding it is out of date - when you go back to the shop with the product I always feel that they are thinking that I kept the item in my press until it went off to then return it!!!!

Boyett-Brinkley said...

This happens to me a lot and yes, I believe it is the store's fault -- they should rotate their stock and stay on top of things. However, after finally accepting that they don't, I routinely check the dates on anything I pick up and tend to choose my items from the back as they are fresher. My husband laughs when I do that but I get very upset when I get home, after spending too much money to begin with, and find that something is expired and I either have to just accept it or make a trip back to
the store. I don't like grocery shopping to begin with and I sure don't like to have to take things back!

Cindy@NorthofWiarton said...

Consumers shouldn't have to check Best Before Dates in the store unless they are planning on having it on their own shelf at home for an extended time. Product should be rotated, but such is life and I am certain there is the odd thing going to be overlooked in such a big place, even as there has been when finding undesirables in my fridge some weeks..ha!ha! Nice they replaced with product, making up on the Customer Service end of things.

Anonymous said...

I think husbands should be just a tiny bit responsibile for what they eat, too. They need to be aware also. May come a time when all men have to do some grocery shopping on their own. Bess

Rose said...

It is so hard to always remember to check the expiration date....I too blame the stores but I suppose the same thing happens to them/their employees.

Evelyn said...

I find cheese goes moldy quick on store shelves, especially shredded cheese. it is the stores responsibility to rotate stock and take off out of date products or mark them down

JohnD said...

Rhonda always checks the expiry/best by/use by date. I'm not so fussy in some cases. I keep telling her we ate canned corned beef in 1946 that had been left over from 1914-1918 and was being 'recycled' onto the consumer market as an austerity measure!

Cheapchick said...

I agree, the store needs better handling of expired items. I assume because the item is in the store it has not yet expired. Especially things like cheese and yogurt. Kraft responded well though - nice of them to send you a coupon.

EG CameraGirl said...

I think the grocery store is very lucky it were able to make you happy. Yes, somebody employed by that store ought to be checking the dates on packages on the shelves.

~Carla~ said...

My husband is an asst. manager at a high end & busy grocery store & I can tell you that most nights they are understaffed & sometimes getting to all the products, etc... just doesn't get done. It seems that the only time there's enough guys in to complete all the work is when the "big wigs" are coming in to take a look around and hubby is allowed to give out some extra hours without getting in deep! ;)

Sunday Song

From 1977 - Thelma Houston; Don't You Leave Me This Way I remember dancing to this......... However I prefer this version and remember d...