Toy covered in meat.

[OCOC]

AIBU? I ordered a kids toy for my baby from a well known online retailer. Upon opening it, the toy was covered in sticky saucy fingerprints which seem like some kind of Bolognese (plus some lumps!) and I nearly threw up. I am a vegetarian too. Obviously I couldn’t give to DD but I didn’t quite want the sticky packaging and meat in my house. particularly as we don’t eat it.

So I asked online retailer (the item was only £6.99) if I could throw it away because I do not want it smelling overnight in my house and also I just in general do not like meat around. They said no.

AIBU? It’s quite gross that they’d even send something like that. I just don’t want the item overnight and I could wear gloves to pack I guess?

PS please can we not turn this thread into vegetarian bashing?

It was me, Citizens advice consumer helpline give advice on what to do next - if someone is genuinely concerned regarding a health hazard, and the company is not assisting, that's the place to go. i went to them when I had an issue with a furniture company massively delaying picking up a faulty item and it wasnt until I logged an issue with them the company took seriously.

Contact the consumer service - Citizens Advice

It was inside a plastic bag, almost a bag you get your fruit and veg in. So I think someone returned it in that.

V annoyed I have to make a post office trip ergh. It’s a bit far away and I just went yesterday!

it might have been a vegetarian sauce? what a fuss! take a photo, bag it up in a sandwich bag and return it! When you say sold 'as new'. what does this mean? it was either new or it wasn't?

for the sake of £6.99 leave a 1 star review for the seller and chuck it in the bin if it disgusts you that much to have it in the house?

Yes it was new. As are most items on this site.

It’s really not a health hazard though. It’s some dried food on a toy. Disgusting, yes. A health hazard, no.

Use something over your hand to pick it up, put it in a bin bag and seal. Anyone would think it was nuclear waste.

It's not a bloody health hazard as long as the op doesn't stick it in her mouth. Wear gloves, give your hands a good scrub after.

It's a manky toy, not a lump of uranium.

I'm not sure I buy this (if I've read it right). So you bought an item (brand new) from a retailer (not ebay and second hand?) and it arrived covered in meat and sauce?

Wasn't the toy boxed (if it was brand new), and was it just the box covered in meat? Or the toy itself covered in crap?

If you send it back, no one is going to believe that you didn't cover it in filth yourself and send it back for a refund, surely?

so where is the original packaging it came in? are we allowed to know what the site is? it might help

That is indeed correct! The toy arrived in a plastic bag which was clean bur the toy itself was covered in crap. I contacted customer service about 5 mins after receiving it and took pics! Why would I lie about this…! In addition I’m re ordering the same item!

That's gross and frankly they're not doing themselves any favours asking for it back - for a low-value item, I think they could have refunded you without seeing it!

It didn’t come in original packaging it came in a plastic bag (inside a brown box)

I sent them many photos too!

🤢 send it back and if the paperwork has options of why write - it was covered in food.

If it was Amazon, they usually just refund you and advise you to dispose of the item as you wish.

Have you taken pictures of the item and sent to the retailer.

I would email or phone again before going to the PO.

"You have sent me a used item that is dirty and covered in food, including meat. It should have never been sent to me and it would be completely inappropriate to sell this used, dirty item to another buyer who, like me, expects to receive a new, clean item. As it's covered it meat products, I am uncomfortable handling it for hygiene reasons for both myself and the staff at your warehouse who would be expected to handle it. I am not satisfied at the response that suggests I go to the inconvenience of repackaging and returning this via the post office. It's only reasonable that you should refund me and that this item is safely disposed of immediately."

I have used disposable gloves and packaged it up and put in the garden!

That’s really really good message. Thank you.

Not acceptable though is it? The consumer helpline doesnt just deal with helath hazards, if at all actually! The company sent a (fairly disgusting) item and instead of apologising and reimbursing asked for it back at inconvenience. That's exactly what the consumer helpline is for, if the company continues with this ridiculous line of not reimbursing immediately!

I’m a veggie and whilst this is gross, it’s a massive overreaction and it’s this type of thing that gives veggies a bad name IMO.

Just package it up and return it, no need for such drama.

Surely it's got nothing to do with being veggie. I'm not and I'd be disgusted if I received an item covered in meat and sauce. It's really not acceptable

Where is the photo of this horror, OP?

Exactly. I'm not veggie. It's potentially been in someone elses mouth and it's a dead animal at the end of the day! It's completely vile.

Ooh, that's not very nice OP. I get the disgust. I'm also a(n almost lifelong) vegetarian and I wouldn't much like that either. I'd do as others suggest, wrap it up and stick it in the garage or something to post later. Annoying and silly the shop are insisting on it when all they'll do is bin it, but it is what it is.

To try to help non vegetarians understand, it would feel about the same to me as having roadkill of unknown age or provenance on my item. Or perhaps poop. Yes yes I KNOW it's not as "bad" as those things and I know meat eaters (and some vegetarians) will vehemently disagree. But for me it would be a similar level of Ick.

Sorry but that's disgusting whether you're a vegetarian or not. I eat meat and I'd be really annoyed if any retailer shipped me an item covered in someone's dinner leftovers.

I understand it's gross, but come on. Just wrap it in a plastic bag and put it back in the box and you don't have to look at it, touch it or smell it.

What do you actually think is going to happen?

Why should it give vegetarians a bad name? We shouldn't be held responsible for people's irrational hatred of us.

She's not harming anyone with her emotional reaction. And she is right to be disgusted by a filthy toy falsely sold as new.

I don't understand why the company would want it back anyway unless they are intending to sell it on again. Shysters.