Is a hygiene complaint about Hello Fresh packaging reasonable?

[Gdodk]

received my hello fresh delivery today. I am a long time user of the service, although with a pause of a few months when I got really fed up of receiving leaking/damaged/spoiled stuff.

anyway, they’ve recently changed their packing style to put peppers right next to raw chicken (see photo). Peppers used to come in the brown paper bag with the spices etc. the rest of the veg now comes loose in the box (fine) but it seems really unhygienic to put peppers slapped right up to chicken. I would never pack supermarket food like this when I’m shopping. Also, they increase the number of ice blocks for the hot weather presumably, but they stacked them all at the bottom and put the chicken right at the top so the chicken was nowhere near the blocks.

do you think a hygiene complaint is warranted based on this packaging?

also, just to note that I have been delivered leaking chicken before and so their chicken does leak on occasion so it’s very possible there’s raw chicken on the outside of many of the packages. Today, one of my meat packages is a cooked meat dish and it’s leaked on a pack of baby corn. I feel as though unpacking hello fresh is like a dumpster dive but I value the convenience as I am busy and cooking/planning is not something I enjoy or am really good at.

thanks for any advice

I can't see the photo yet, but assuming the chicken is in a sealed plastic packet, I really don't see the issue?

Based on the research showing how much Campylobacter gets on t he outside of raw chicken packaging, I would raise it, yes.

I wouldn’t be fussed. Just wash the peppers.

The issue is that the chicken delivered to me on several occasions has been leaking. So even if the packets I received today aren’t leaking, others originally stored with them could have been leaking onto the outside of mine. Supermarket packaging has been shown to have loads of bacteria on the outside of chicken packaging. I just think it’s a gross way to pack food.

Aren’t you cooking the peppers? If not wash them. I do get frustrated with hello fresh packaging sometimes (hello completely squashed bread rolls!) but I think this is fine (unless it does leak, then get a refund).

I totally agree. I’d be unhappy with this packing set up too. To be honest, I’m really anti Hello Fresh now. We used their service years ago and despite numerous times opting out of them contacting me to encourage me to sign up again, they just use different ways of badgering me.
We’ve now switched to Simply Cook and we just buy our own perishable items when we want to use the spice pots. We’ve been really impressed so far. I see they’ve now also started a full box like Hello Fresh so if you like the convenience of this then maybe give them a try instead?

I’d be unhappy and complaining if it had leaked on this occasion. But otherwise I would just wash the peppers and not be too bothered. I wouldn’t complain on the basis that things may have leaked if they haven’t. Especially if it’s something I’m washing and cooking.

I thought you meant the peppers were in with raw chicken. Just wash the pepper FGS! You don’t know how anything’s been packed or stored prior to receiving it, and fruit and veg should always be properly washed regardless.

Chicken packets can leak in any supermarket delivery, or in your own shopping bags. It doesn’t mean you should be asking for yet more packaging to be added to every Hello Fresh order. YABU.

This leakage is (I believe) from a package of cooked meat from the same section as the raw chicken, and it has leaked into a veg pack.

This. I always assume that my packed chicken has raw chicken juices on the outside, and so treat it as I would raw chicken - don't pack it or store it in contact with raw foods. Can't remember when I was told this, but vaguely remember the research being publicized.

I don’t think the packaging looks great and perhaps chicken should be separated but if it’s not leaked then not sure what the issue is really. If the pepper was in a brown paper bag the leaky chicken would soak through anyway?

not got gusto for ages but when we did the meat was in a. Different section. But all cardboard - so any major spillage would have gone everywhere anyway. Only thing to stop it would be plastic. But the state of the world and global warming - I’d rather a risk a bit of leaked chicken once in a while.

you can’t always be assured things haven’t at somepoint leaked somewhere. Unless you go to the supermarket and check it all there. We get a grocery delivery and things are delivered in random arrangements- often eggs at the bottom!!

as for the ice packs - if the chicken is warm then get a refund and don’t eat. But if it’s cool then straight into fridge and I’m sure it’s fine.

dont you wash your veg before you use it?

We use hello fresh and have done for a long time. Not once has anything leaked 😬 we’ve been quite happy with it. I think you’re being a bit precious, to be honest. There is quite enough packaging.

If the chicken was to leak I don't think the paper bag would do much to protect any of the veg anyway? I'd be washing it either way and would still use it on this occasion

That said we've just cancelled our hello fresh subscription, we had delivery issues at least once a month. It's a shame 'cos apart from that they were good

I do, yes, but I think the purpose of that is to wash off debris, bits of dirt, pesticide residue. A rinse under the tap is absolutely insufficient to wash of any potential contamination from raw chicken.

I meant the paper bags that are in a different section from the meat. Those paper bags are still supplied, they just now contain cartons and spices etc rather than the actual peppers. so the paper bag doesn’t need to protect against spills, it’s just really a container.

The peppers have been moved to the meat section, which I find quite strange. But it is a thing that they’ve done for a few weeks and I don’t like it.

Do you think the baby corn in the second photo with cooked meat juices leaking onto it is ok as well?

Are you cooking the peppers?

I should think so, but not always, and if there are peppers in the fridge, someone may come and cut them up and eat them raw. I am relatively careful with food hygiene.

If it’s leaking complain
if it’s not leaking non issue

I've been using Gousto for a good 10 years, and the raw meat packets are pretty much always touching other raw veg, like in the photo you've shown. I've not gotten sick as yet.

I've never noticed any leakage from the packets though, although there's sometimes water it's always just condensation from the ice packets, especially when its warm like it is at the moment.

I always assume veg has been touched by people who have dirty hands (as in cross contamination).

Obviously when it’s picked people will have dirty hands, the shop assistants will be stacking the shelves easily going from doing the meat section to the veg section, the public will be picking up the veg and inspecting them etc.

So I think the argument that there could be bacteria on the outside of the chicken packaging us a little weak.

However, a brown paper bag for just meat wouldn’t be that difficult for them and would reduce the cross contamination.

I would probably give them some feedback but I would expect any refunds or anything.

I wouldn’t be bothered about the pepper being next to the chicken but I prefer it when all the chilled stuff is in a separate section with ice bags.