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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to tell you to avoid Green Chef like the plague?

57 replies

Fohxy · 20/09/2024 08:54

Green chef are one of those meal box companies.
I saw an offer online but to look at the menu you had to add payment details.
I looked at the menu and they had automatically stuck two meals in my cart which I removed. One of which contained an ingredient which my child is very allergic to.
I looked at the menu but there was nothing I wanted so cancelled the subscription and left.
4 days later I got the box delivered containing the 2 meals that had been auto added to the cart.
I've explained all this to them. They say they have a 5 day cut off, but I only looked at the site 4 days before it was delivered.
I got my money back as I paid via paypal, but now they are emailing me asking me to pay.

Honestly, I can't afford it. It's "only" £20 but that's a significant amount of my current weekly budget. The food was donated.

So, obviously, please don't use these people, online reviews of this company are full of the same story, but also does anyone have any advice here? I'm trying to contact them again but getting nowhere.

OP posts:

TortillaChipAddict · 20/09/2024 09:55

I can totally see how this has happened, it’s called dark something, algorithms I think, and is made to make it tricky for people to have full control over what is happening for them online. Examples include making the x too small to accurately press on an advert so you end up clicking the link instead. Anyway, on Tuesday I signed up for a free trial of a sheet music subscription site. I clicked the link that said seven day free trial, had to enter payment details as you usually do for free trials, and then was immediately charged for the whole year. Unfortunately it had included an automatic download of some music so I can’t get the money back. I will probably use it again as I’m a professional musician but was pretty annoyed at the time.

Tdcp · 20/09/2024 09:51

BeMintBee · 20/09/2024 09:22

Hello Fresh did the same to me. Couldn’t see the menus without signing up and they auto fill your basket. Having looked at the options we decided to cancel less than 24 hours after signing up but they still sent the pre selected box and charged us. The pre selected meals were their cheapest crappest options (I mean jacket potatoes? Come on!)

We complained but got no where. Voted with our feet and went back to Gousto.

The same thing happened to me. I've stuck with Gousto ever since.

Original poster

Fohxy · 20/09/2024 09:51

MouseMama · 20/09/2024 09:38

Outrageous behaviour. there is a bit here about online sellers not being able to charge you for things they add to your basket or which are selected for you through pre-ticked boxes:

www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/regulation/consumer-contracts-regulations-ajWHC8m21cAk

Thank you. That's quite helpful.

OP posts:

Original poster

Fohxy · 20/09/2024 09:49

theemmadilemma · 20/09/2024 09:38

Nope lack of understanding and reading on your part.

They preselect meals, you have to change them.
Of course they have a cut off period.

Next time read thing properly before you sign up!

I deleted the preselected meals.
I did not choose any further meals.
I cancelled the account and left the site.
They still sent the preselected meals, that I had deleted.

OP posts:

HoppityBun · 20/09/2024 09:47

theemmadilemma · 20/09/2024 09:38

Nope lack of understanding and reading on your part.

They preselect meals, you have to change them.
Of course they have a cut off period.

Next time read thing properly before you sign up!

But, it’s difficult to work out what else the OP could have done:

”they had automatically stuck two meals in my cart which I removed”

there was nothing I wanted so cancelled the subscription and left 4 days later* I got the box delivered containing the 2 meals that had been auto added to the cart.”

”They say they have a 5 day cut off, but I only looked at the site 4 days before it was delivered.”

Original poster

Fohxy · 20/09/2024 09:47

Lovelysummerdays · 20/09/2024 09:14

I’ll be honest and say I’d probably cough up the cash to make the problem go away. I’d of eaten the food though. I’d also leave lots if accurate reviews everywhere.

Did you contact the company initially when food was delivered and what did they say to do?

Yes I contacted them and they were most unhelpful citing a 5 day cut off for cancellation. However the date I first looked at the site, and the date of delivery were 4 days apart, so by their conditions cancellation was technically impossible. I thought, as I'd got the money back from paypal it was done with.
I couldn't eat it as it contained an ingredient my son is allergic to. (I kissed his cheek once and he got a rash as I'd eaten something earlier in the day) Plus the reason I removed it from the cart is that it wasn't food that I like. There was nothing much I either liked, or didn't contain the allergen, hence the reason for not ordering (or so I thought).
My neighbour volunteers at a local charity meal service so I passed the food to her.
I really can't afford to spend £20 on food if I'm not eating it. My weekly food budget for 4 is currently £55 a week. We're struggling financially. I thought this might be a nice treat as I'd got a small bonus.

OP posts:

LessMeek · 20/09/2024 09:43

I would heavily emphasise the allergy issue with them, and how they hadn't checked allergies. Ask them what their policies are re allergy. If they're poor you can always report them but not sure where to. Their local environmental health? Time to get on the offensive, their behaviour is absolutely deserving of it.

Inspireme2 · 20/09/2024 09:42

Email or Call them and ask Why you are expected to pay £20 for a auto added menu.
Keep this in your saved inbox.
Or ring and tell them to follow through and follow up this error.
(Get it together also)

CharlotteBog · 20/09/2024 09:42

Not Green Chef, but Hello Fresh. I used them for a bit, then cancelled. Used them again when they lured me back with special offers.
I don't want to use them again. It took me many, many attempts to get me removed from their database. I unsubbed from the mailing list, contacted them to tell them to stop sending me letters in the post. Time and time again.
You speak to someone who can't see your records 'for privacy' and assure you you've been removed.
Oh and don't even get me stated on the oven cleaning service.......

theemmadilemma · 20/09/2024 09:38

Nope lack of understanding and reading on your part.

They preselect meals, you have to change them.
Of course they have a cut off period.

Next time read thing properly before you sign up!

MouseMama · 20/09/2024 09:38

Outrageous behaviour. there is a bit here about online sellers not being able to charge you for things they add to your basket or which are selected for you through pre-ticked boxes:

www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/regulation/consumer-contracts-regulations-ajWHC8m21cAk

Original poster

Fohxy · 20/09/2024 09:38

Button28384738 · 20/09/2024 09:36

Sorry but I've used green chef loads and never had a problem. You've done something wrong and they've refunded you- bit unreasonable to tell people to avoid them!

Paypal refunded me. Green chef are harassing me for payment as presumably paypal have taken the money back from them.

OP posts:

stopwindingeachotherup · 20/09/2024 09:37

Hello Fresh refer to debt agency for non payment. I'd pay up I'm afraid.

Original poster

Fohxy · 20/09/2024 09:37

Nemasu · 20/09/2024 09:04

How did they manage to send you the meals, you must have added your address details etc?

As some have said, if you sign up via the discount links you can't even see the menu unless you add payment details.

The confirmation email ended up in my spam box and I didn't even see it until after the stuff was delivered.

OP posts:

Button28384738 · 20/09/2024 09:36

Sorry but I've used green chef loads and never had a problem. You've done something wrong and they've refunded you- bit unreasonable to tell people to avoid them!

BobbyBiscuits · 20/09/2024 09:32

Tell them once and for all, in an email, that you did not order those items so you won't be paying for them. You got a refund and will not discuss the matter further. If they want to send a courier to pick it up then fine. Else it's going in the bin.
Then block.

BeMintBee · 20/09/2024 09:24

Lovelysummerdays · 20/09/2024 09:16

Possibly not through the same subscription offer though? Sometimes the cheapie links take you on a different route.

Show quote history

Yes I think if you are using one of the signup/discount offers you have to register first to see the menu’s.

BeMintBee · 20/09/2024 09:22

We complained but got no where. Voted with our feet and went back to Gousto.

Arlanymor · 20/09/2024 09:16

poetryandwine · 20/09/2024 09:08

We were writing at the same time.

Show quote history

Indeed.

Lovelysummerdays · 20/09/2024 09:16

ItTook9Years · 20/09/2024 09:06

I was looking at them yesterday and looked at the menus for the next 3 weeks without giving them so much as an email address. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Possibly not through the same subscription offer though? Sometimes the cheapie links take you on a different route.

Lovelysummerdays · 20/09/2024 09:14

I’ll be honest and say I’d probably cough up the cash to make the problem go away. I’d of eaten the food though. I’d also leave lots if accurate reviews everywhere.

Did you contact the company initially when food was delivered and what did they say to do?

poetryandwine · 20/09/2024 09:08

Arlanymor · 20/09/2024 09:07

Yes they were, otherwise what does this mean?

4 days later I got the box delivered containing the 2 meals that had been auto added to the cart.

Show quote history

We were writing at the same time.

poetryandwine · 20/09/2024 09:08

poetryandwine · 20/09/2024 09:06

The meals were not sent to OP.

Show quote history

I apologise, @Nemasu . I was focussed on the fact that OP had cancelled

Arlanymor · 20/09/2024 09:07

poetryandwine · 20/09/2024 09:06

The meals were not sent to OP.

Show quote history

Yes they were, otherwise what does this mean?

4 days later I got the box delivered containing the 2 meals that had been auto added to the cart.

doodleschnoodle · 20/09/2024 09:06

Hmm? She got the meals but donated them she said.

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