topic Re: Returning produce to Walmart? in Kitchen

Returning produce to Walmart?

Allegedly — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 13:13:46 GMT

Has anyone returned produce to Walmart? They have a 100% love it or return it guarantee. I purchased some nectarines on Friday that are TERRIBLE..dry, mealy, and tasteless.

I tried looking on their website for the specifics of the guarantee but the website is under maintenance. I know I only paid a couple dollars, but I am considering using the guarantee as almost every time I get produce at Walmart it stinks. I need to stop purchasing there.

Re: Returning produce to Walmart?

debic — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 13:19:56 GMT

If you have a receipt I would think it's perfectly ok to do so.

Re: Returning produce to Walmart?

gardenman — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 13:23:13 GMT

I can honestly say I've never gotten bad produce from Walmart and I buy a lot there. Of course I carefully select the produce so maybe that's why. As a rule if you want to return something they'll take it back. You may get some odd looks from the customer service staff returning fruit, but they'll take it back and refund your money since the customer is always right. They may be a bit confused about it, but they'll refund your money.

Re: Returning produce to Walmart?

Allegedly — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 13:29:15 GMT

Thanks for the replies. Walmart has specially been running commercials on their produce, saying if you do not love it you can return it. That is why I asked the question. I think each Walmart has their own local suppliers. My mom's Walmart has gorgeous produce, my Walmart stinks. Perhaps if more people returned produce, they would change suppliers.

Re: Returning produce to Walmart?

gardensla — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 13:33:21 GMT

Go for it!

For such a vendor with such huge purchasing power, their produce is awful in my opinion. I think produce is graded into classes and they buy from the lowest traunch possible.

Re: Returning produce to Walmart?

HonnyBrown — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 14:49:59 GMT

You can return everything to WalMart.

Re: Returning produce to Walmart?

Deadeye Daisy — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 15:08:51 GMT

Not necessary to actually bring the produce. Just bring your receipt (and if product had ID or pricing stickers on it, bring that in). You're NEVER required to actually bring in perishable items to get a refund at ANY store.

Suppose you only shop once or twice a month - surely, you're not going to hang on to an inferior perishable item that long, be it an animal or vegetable procuct.

I would say that almost every time I go in to Publix or Ingles, I bring in a produce receipt for refund. That peach may smell like a peach when you buy it, but if it tastes 'mealy', it means that somewhere along the line, they were refrigerated. Stone fruits should NEVER be refrigerated, even at home.

When I buy strawberries at Publix or Ingles, I buy two, sometimes three packages. When I get home, I make one package of the ripe ones that are edible. The other one or two unripe packs, I get refunded. When I get at the farmer's market, I make up my own container with only ripe berries. And before you ask, when I buy grapes in a supermarket, I pick one or two compact bunchs and put it a fresh bag. I NEVER buy grapes with a bunch of loose ones rolling around in the bag.

NEVER pay any attention to anyone in a store who tries to tell you that that ANY fruit will be fine 'when it ripens'. Once a fruit has been picked, sugar production STOPS!. That goes for ALL stone fruits (peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines, etc), ALL melons, grapes, berries. Those strawberries that are half ripe will NEVER be ready to eat. If that cantaloupe doesn't smell like a melon when you buy it, it will NEVER taste like one.

Once removed from the vine, sugar production stops. That's why orchardists use a refractometer to verify the sugar content of fruit before picking and shipping. Once correct sugar content is reached, the fruit can be picked even if it's rock hard (preferred by orchardists who ship cross country). Rock hard, but fully ripe fruit will become edible after a few days.

For stone fruits, color is NOT an indication of ripeness. In peaches, though, you never want ANY green around the stem end. Stem end should be a yellow/orange color, even if the rest of the peach is 'peachy' color.

Pineapples are ALWAYS to be picked fully ripe. They will not ripen after picking. They just get softer.

Bananas and plantains are two of the very few fruits that actully continue to ripen and develop sugar content after being picked.

Re: Returning produce to Walmart?

wagirl — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 16:31:23 GMT

I have returned produce, meat and some cheese that were awful after just one day with no problems at all. I don't shop at Walmart, but I do at Safeway, Haggen and Albertson. Most do not want the actual thing back but a receipt is all that is needed.

Re: Returning produce to Walmart?

lovesrecess — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 16:43:27 GMT

I never buy produce at WM other than bananas, limes/lemons occasionally....almost everything else I have bought there has been terrible but I didn't return them just tossed them. I rarely shop there...the line for returns always has at least a dozen people in it with one disinterested CS behind the counter.

Re: Returning produce to Walmart?

Pickwickpapers — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 17:05:23 GMT

My WM will accept produce returns even if you have eaten or used part of the items providing you have a receipt. I was in line at the return desk one day and a man returned two gallons of milk and a tray of pastries. When he was asked the reason for the return he said that he bought too much and didn't need the others for the meal that he was having. The clerk didn't say anything and refunded his money. When it came my time, I asked her what would happen to his returned food and she said that it would be trashed. I can see a refund if the produce was bad but returning food items because you purchased too much is odd to me but that's my opinion.

Re: Returning produce to Walmart?

ivey — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 17:11:42 GMT

I have had several bad experiences buying the cut up fruit in a container (like watermelon, honey dew, cantaloupes.) It has been beyond tasteless, it's spoiled)! I've gotten my money back, but I just quit buying. And I check the dates on it.

Re: Returning produce to Walmart?

Nightowlz — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 17:32:26 GMT

If you take it back without a receipt they give you credit on a Wal-Mart gift card. I bought canned pineapple in syrup instead of juice that I use in different salads & they told me I could not return that type product. I asked why not since it was canned & not opened & all I wanted to do was exchange it for the pineapple in it's own juice instead of syrup. They finally let me exchange them. It's not like they cannot resell that. It was Wal-Mart's fault they stocked the in syrup cans where they had the in juice cans or vice versa. I bought 5-6 cans since it was around the holidays & 2 were in juice & the others were in syrup. Now I have to look at each can when I buy something. I also have to make sure to check the dates. Nothing worse then paying good money for old food.

Re: Returning produce to Walmart?

BigOrangeKitty — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 17:39:01 GMT

I would return it and I'm sure they would give you your money back. My Stop & Shop gives you DOUBLE your money back when you return bad produce.

Re: Returning produce to Walmart?

Steffdoggy10 — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 17:41:46 GMT

Yes, I have returned produce to Walmart that rotted too soon and/or was tasteless. I have no idea where they get their produce but the quality is horrible. I no longer buy produce there and did state exactly why on their website. If everyone would return their substandard produce, they might do something to improve on it.

Re: Returning produce to Walmart?

circles — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 17:43:29 GMT

I shop at WM all the time...their produce is always good....no matter what I purchase....all through the winter months my WM had strawberries...and they were delicious as though they were just fresh picked....like in the summer....

Re: Returning produce to Walmart?

chrystaltree — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 18:08:27 GMT

I'm pretty sure you can return any produce to any supermarket and they'll take it back. I never heard of one that didn't.

Re: Returning produce to Walmart?

Jannabelle — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 18:30:01 GMT

On 7/14/2014 MOM of Mason said:
My WM will accept produce returns even if you have eaten or used part of the items providing you have a receipt. I was in line at the return desk one day and a man returned two gallons of milk and a tray of pastries. When he was asked the reason for the return he said that he bought too much and didn't need the others for the meal that he was having. The clerk didn't say anything and refunded his money. When it came my time, I asked her what would happen to his returned food and she said that it would be trashed. I can see a refund if the produce was bad but returning food items because you purchased too much is odd to me but that's my opinion.

That is so wrong, if it was bad, no problem, but to get a refund for that reason, for food is taking advantage...and it contributes to higher prices.

Re: Returning produce to Walmart?

mysweetlife — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 18:43:12 GMT

I agree with the poster above who suggested that returning bad quality items gives a company a heads up that the quality isn't acceptable. Particularly true with fruit which may look fine on the outside but is scarcely edible when you open it up. If enough people return the fruit items, they will most likely look for another (hopefully better) supplier.

I do know that Walmart's produce and meat quality varies widely from one area to another. I wouldn't buy either at the store in my area, but when we were on vacation recently, the Walmart in that town had lovely produce and good quality meat.

Re: Returning produce to Walmart?

Cyndog — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 18:46:48 GMT

I've wasted so much money over the years not returning things that now I return anything I'm not happy with. If I pay $10 for a cake and it tastes like a cheap chemical cake for example, it's going back.

Re: Returning produce to Walmart?

pegsue — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 19:05:24 GMT

My WM has a terrible produce section and I will make another trip to Schnucks down the road for my fresh veggies, fruit and deli items. Not only are the items fresh but the employees are much friendlier and I get waited on in no time at the deli counter. It is a pain to go to 2 stores but like cyndog I have wasted too much money not returning those items.