AIBU to go to the press after finding bird poo inside baby hat from George at Asda?

[Rendeak]

WARNING - George, Asda, baby clothes unsafe and dangerous!

I’m honestly still in shock and disgusted. I ordered a two pack of baby sun hats from George at Asda, and when I opened them, I found two separate bird poos inside one hat!!! Not just on the outside – inside the fabric where my baby’s head would go. And there was poo on the outside of both hats too.

It’s not just a hygiene issue, it’s a genuine health risk. Bird droppings can carry serious bacteria and diseases like salmonella, E. coli, and even psittacosis. The idea that this was meant to go on a baby’s head is horrifying.

Even worse – other items in the same parcel are now contaminated. This wasn’t a one-off mark. This was clear evidence that birds have been inside their stock or warehouse, and if it happened to my order, it could be happening to others. If they have birds, do they also have mice and rats?!

I contacted customer service expecting a serious response, but all I received was:

• A refund for the hats
• A £10 voucher

Not even a refund for the pack of bras that were in the same package. VILE. I was told to return them, but thinking about touching any of the items is making me sick!

That’s it. No escalation. No real investigation update. Just a generic apology.

This isn’t about money – it’s about safety. It’s absolutely unacceptable for a baby clothing supplier to be shipping out items in this condition. It makes me worry about how many other babies could be exposed if people don’t inspect and wash everything before using it.

PLEASE – if you’re buying baby clothes from George (or anywhere) – inspect and wash thoroughly before letting your baby wear them.

I’ve attached photos so you can see for yourself.
@GeorgeAtAsda @foodgov @WhichUK @UKGovcomms – this needs to be looked into properly.

Should I contact local media to raise awareness more widely? I feel this is being swept under the rug, and I’m truly shook, disgusted, and very concerned for other parents.

Why did you buy a hat with a visible stain on it? You should get a refund but that's as far as it should go in my opinion. Sit on a park bench and there's bird shit. You're unlikely to get ill from it being dried on a hat.

If you've been refunded for the hats,I'd simply wash them.
Surely you don't mean just because the bras were in the same postage bag they're contaminated?
Most people who peg washing out to dry will at some point find a bird poo on it, you're lucky if you don't
."oh bugger,I'll have to rewash that" is the usual response for most of us I'm sure.

And you really think the press would be interested in this nonsense? It would have to be a very slow news day to take up this non story.

For goodness sake you were refunded and given a voucher. What is it with people these days that always have to have a blame game going on. Sometimes stuff happens. It's called life.

I work in a manufacturing warehouse. There is currently a pigeon stuck inside. They get through the doors and don't seem to find a way out.
It happens, I would say the pickers should probably have picked this up and sent them out though

Have you ever been in a warehouse? They're not hermetically sealed, sterile environments! I guess if you wanted to pay ten times the price for everything you buy, they could employ people to check and sterilise everything. Or you could just have washed the items you bought and got on with your life.

Oh stop overdramatising. If it was poo it was well dried and beyond being unsafe, get real. Not nice but you got a refund. Move on! I expect you can wash the baby hats and use them.

There are some utter princesses on this site😂

If only someone invented something that could wash clothes for you…. Like I dunno a washing machine!

Er, no.

i have worked in logistics. There is no way that rates or other vermin should be inside modern warehouses.
there are pest control measures. These are simply not expenses. Even for large warehouse.
warehouses are not old remshackly sheds - they are generally modern,
purpose built, secure and controlled spaces. Especially Asda.
this sort of practice is operated in warehouses for decades
life thisnis stored in same warehouse as other Asda distribution form food chain, the. They have manger issues breaching the food hygiene regulations.

OP, I’d be escalating this to the customer service complaint team asking for full investigation. Frankly they can test these deposits and determine where they were contamined in supply chain, in final distribution warehouse, or earlier in their supply chain. Bird poop , or whatever it is, is a biological hazard.

don’t go to press currently. Don’t make this about compensation at this point . Get them to identify where contamination occurred and how and why. What failed in their supply chain and inspection process. Once they e recognised they’ve got an issue, then discuss compensation.

addres a WRITTEN letter to CEO by tracked signed for delivery if needed. You can find name and address on company house register. Also put it on their social media sites with photos. They’ll respond to that far faster than press. This is a good start. Hopefully someone on here who works for them will escalate it (Asda employees out there?)

it isn’t acceptable for you. But it is also indicative that they’ve lost control of their supply chain.

Bonus points if you mention you’re a key worker

I agree it's grim.
It's just not genuinely newsworthy grim.
If you do go to the press, they may print it but they'll only be doing it to take the piss. You'll end up in those sad face fb groups with people laughing at you.

Just send them back. Use gloves. It won't kill you.

You don't want to know just how grotty factories, warehouses and even food production places are in general. It's... nasty.

With OP @ so many orgs she thinks she already has

Hmm I think you need to find a hobby or something to provide joy in your life. You sound like you’re easily upset.
did you say any of this out loud before you posted? Because I’m thinking maybe you should have.

Also, have you never used a clothes line to dry clothes?

My line-dried clothes often end up with a bird poo mark. I just rewash.

No compensation required.

I've got a small house and me & Mr MC are both short arses - we'll take the spare off your hands. It'll save you having to go outside to the bins.

It's gross, definitely. I'd be escalating it further within the company.
That is pretty bad, imagine if it's on baby dummies or stuff they put in their mouth? Obviously they could easily catch something off the hat also.

If you sell the story to the Sun or whatever they'll probably give you a few hundred quid. But it's a bit cringe having to do a sad face photo with the product and millions of strangers scrutinising how legit they think your complaint is?

Is it the trend to start mental posts on a Friday afternoon ( thinking of the teacher one last Friday )

Yes I have. I worked in supply chain and that included logistics . Whist warehouses are not hermetically sealed, they should always
have pest control, secure entry systems (warehouse doors are usually automatic even in loading bays these days) , EHS practices, and regular monitoring for pest.
unless you work in backstreet tin pot outfits.

asda isn’t that. They have controlled supply chains, that use (probably) outsourced specialist distribution chains. Those warehouses will be covered with regulations around security, EHS etc.

as much as anything it is an EHS risk for their employees to work in areas with pests going uncontrolled

Who? a Pigeon?

That is exactly what my DPartner said, so we have come to the conclusion that @Rendeak had better not let her PFB? outside until the law makes them take her to school. If she is still paranoid by then, I suppose she could Homeschool...

Wash them ...

@Limehawkmoth So are all outdoor workers, farmers, builders, gardeners at risk too? The world is full of birds and animals and bugs and yet most of us somehow survive.

Oh OP, do you seriously have nothing else going on in your life that you need to have a hissy fit over a bit of poo?

You've been refunded and compensated now let it go. And maybe boycott Asda if you are that traumatised.