To think this is poor customer service from Sainsburys

[Hatechoosingnickname]

Yesterday (9/5), I bought a selection of fruit, one was a punnet of Strawberries with a best before date of 12 May, and the other was a tub of melon and grapes with a best before date of 11 May.

Both were purchased at 4.30, and were in the fridge by 5pm.

This morning the strawberries were covered in thick furry mould, not just turning they had gone.

I opened up the melon and grapes and they were fermented, and gone off.

When I went to my store to obtain a refund, they said that there was no guarantee with fresh fruit, and that's what happens when something's fresh and they won't refund it.

What's the point of a Best Before Date? Selling me fruit that under 24 hours later is not fit for consumption is a complete rip off.

AIBU to expect a refund/replacement of product?

I think they should have refunded both as they were still before their best before dates. I usually find Sainsburys fruit lasts a lot longer than fruit from other places, often days past its best before date. Perhaps it had been incorrectly stored prior to going on the shelves?

that's awful! I have had the mould problem a few times, and sainsburys always always always refunded me. when I got some yoghurt from an online shop, and found it was mouldy, they refunded me AND gave me a £5 voucher.

I don't think YABU at all.

YANBU - contact their central customer services dept.

It often happens with strawberries, just one that has got bashed and turned can turn a whole tray. Same really with cut fruit. Imo yabu, sorry.

They should replace the fruit if it's still inside the BB date. Usually, they'll replace it just outside as well because it all gets recovered from the suppliers anyway. BTW it probably happened because of the wet weather. If soft fruit is packed wet it rots incredibly quickly.

YANBU that's disgusting. I ordered fruit online from Asda, when I complained the oranges were on the turn (edible but a bit dry) they said throw them and gave me another bag.

sounds like they are breaking the sales of goods act to me - if its gone off before the best before date and you've looked after it as a reasonable 'man' would. agree about speaking with head office (I did this once at morrisons because lady on till wouldn't see sense and they quickly gave me a refund and vouchers). if you get no joy trading standards are very helpful - but i would be amazed if it came to that.

I have got refunds on products that've gone off before UBD, including fresh fruit from Sainsburys. Yanbu

Email them with your nectar card number and request that they refund the value of the fruit in nectar points. Have fine this several times with meat from Sainsburys that had gone bad before sell by.

Have *done this several times. Stupid auto correct.

Thanks for the advice, I will contact HO.

whenever I've had that with either sainsbury or tesco they have happily swapped the fruit for a new punnet/melon/bag etc