Customer Service New World

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pctek

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#253117 26-Jul-2019 15:33

I bought two packs of lamb racks from local Napier New World the other day.

I have noticed the labels have new ones stuck over.
And the price on them has INCREASED.

I checked this as price per kg was same and weight was same.
I see the old labels the price was incorrect and new ones were right.

However, The new ones have the packed on date increased by 9 days. The expiry has been increased by 4 days.

I went in to the store and saw the butchery manager and he said the label machine was broken that day.

This is nonsense, I used to repair those machines.
It would not print a new label with a corrected price but adjusted dates - because of being "broken".

This guy snickered at me when I said fine I'll take it further then and he snatched them off me, screwed them up and put his hands behind his back.
He refused to give them back, sniggering, I had to resort to physically wrestle them back off him.
We were in full view of the checkout staff and two customers in the store.

I emailed New World HO who just emailed me and flicked me off, saying the store owner would contact me.
He did not. Not sure I want him to anyway, my issue was originally the altered dates on it.
Secondly was the actions of this manager, never had anyone snatch a label and hide it away, no apology or anything.

Yes it's Best before, not Use By, however you do NOT change a date on a meat package.

The dates say
Packed on 16 Jun 2019
new Packed on date: 5 July 2019

Old best before: 11 July 2019
New Best before: 15 July 2019

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#2284293 26-Jul-2019 15:40

What a terrible experience.

I cannot believe you had to wrestle a store employee!

Lay a complaint with New World head office first.

Hammerer

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#2284298 26-Jul-2019 15:45

"Best before" dates can be changed by the seller as the food is usually safe to eat for several days and even months later. It is only a guide.

"Use by" dates are a different matter and foods cannot legally be sold past the use by date.

You can check out the food safety standards if you want:

http://www.foodstandards.govt.nz/consumer/labelling/dates/Pages/default.aspx

Geektastic

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#2284299 26-Jul-2019 15:47

pctek:

I bought two packs of lamb racks from local Napier New World the other day.

I have noticed the labels have new ones stuck over.
And the price on them has INCREASED.

I checked this as price per kg was same and weight was same.
I see the old labels the price was incorrect and new ones were right.

However, The new ones have the packed on date increased by 9 days. The expiry has been increased by 4 days.

I went in to the store and saw the butchery manager and he said the label machine was broken that day.

This is nonsense, I used to repair those machines.
It would not print a new label with a corrected price but adjusted dates - because of being "broken".

This guy snickered at me when I said fine I'll take it further then and he snatched them off me, screwed them up and put his hands behind his back.
He refused to give them back, sniggering, I had to resort to physically wrestle them back off him.
We were in full view of the checkout staff and two customers in the store.

I emailed New World HO who just emailed me and flicked me off, saying the store owner would contact me.
He did not. Not sure I want him to anyway, my issue was originally the altered dates on it.
Secondly was the actions of this manager, never had anyone snatch a label and hide it away, no apology or anything.

Yes it's Best before, not Use By, however you do NOT change a date on a meat package.

The dates say
Packed on 16 Jun 2019
new Packed on date: 5 July 2019

Old best before: 11 July 2019
New Best before: 15 July 2019

I predict the response will be as follows:

"Yeah. Nah. Sorry about that."

heavenlywild

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#2284313 26-Jul-2019 16:34

The fact that the butchery manager tried to take the label from you tells me he doesn't think it's OK either?

sbiddle

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#2284314 26-Jul-2019 16:34

As pointed out there are are no legal issues extending the best before date of a product and while it's bad practice there is nothing wrong or illegal in doing what they have done.

Changing the packed on date however is an issue, and this should have been blanked out. I don't know if they're using Bizerba scales there but there are limitations when it comes to doing such things.

quickymart

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#2284350 26-Jul-2019 18:12

I'd put a public post on their FB page. That will get their attention.

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heavenlywild

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#2284399 26-Jul-2019 20:12

The physical wrestle is of more concern. We weren't there but if correct it is concerning.

lNomNoml

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#2284401 26-Jul-2019 20:15

Did you take photos?

networkn

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#2284406 26-Jul-2019 20:28

I don't agree with what the butchery manager did (Snatching them from you), but you escalated this into a physical altercation?

I feel a more reasoned response would have been to immediately call for the store manager and confront them both in a firm but unemotional way. It is, after all some labelling on food, not a National Security issue.

pctek

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#2285937 30-Jul-2019 18:35

lNomNoml:

Did you take photos?

Of?
The labels...yes.

The battle? No, but it will be on their store CCTV.

I did contact HO, no response.

And yes I know the difference between best before and use by.

But. They changed it. Why. If it's no big deal, leave it a lone. Then just say so. Not snatch it and try to hide it away from me.

And yes, it became more of an issue because of his behavior, not so much the label,

I escalated? No, I just got my labels back, I did not throw him to the floor, smack him one or anything.

Why should I stand there and say oh well, I've lost the labels, being my only proof., Sorry but no.

dejadeadnz

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#2285993 30-Jul-2019 19:52

networkn:

I don't agree with what the butchery manager did (Snatching them from you), but you escalated this into a physical altercation?

If you are going to go for that schtick of constantly pretending to be some kind of voice of reason, at least try and think through the issues. Based on the facts as alleged by the OP (note that I am not stating that what he said is true - I have simply, as you have, taken his words literally), the butchery manager committed an assault under the Crimes Act first.

Think more and post less often.

Edit: grammar

New World

Shop on-line at New World now for your groceries (affiliate link).

dejadeadnz

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#2286022 30-Jul-2019 20:25

Equally, how can you argue that it is justifiable to assault a customer in order to destroy material that is damaging of one's employer's reputation? You have absolutely zero grounds for choosing to exclusively criticise the OP. Also, whilst there's no per se law on best before dates in the situation at issue, the Fair Trading Act does actually proscribe against misleading and deceptive conduct in trade. Altering a packed date (if the original date was correct) is very likely a breach of the FTA.

Edit: Responding to a deleted post by networkn.

networkn

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#2286026 30-Jul-2019 20:30

How many non-lawyers would reasonably be expected to know that snatching a bit of paper from someone would be assault under the crimes act (I'd be interested to see if a conviction has ever been obtained under such circumstances) vs the wrestling of said receipt back from someone physically?

It's appaling customer service conduct no doubt, but escalation to an onsite manager would have been a far far more appropriate and effective way to resolve the situation and would likely have resulted in a much more serious consequence for the staff member in question.

networkn

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#2286030 30-Jul-2019 20:34

dejadeadnz:

Equally, how can you argue that it is justifiable to assault a customer in order to destroy material that is damaging of one's employer's reputation? You have absolutely zero grounds for choosing to exclusively criticise the OP. Also, whilst there's no per se law on best before dates in the situation at issue, the Fair Trading Act does actually proscribe against misleading and deceptive conduct in trade. Altering a packed date (if the original date was correct) is very likely a breach of the FTA.

Edit: Responding to a deleted post by networkn.

I did not exclusively criticize the OP for a start. I clearly stated I disagreed with the butchery staffs handling of it, but I felt her response was even more over the top.

MikeB4

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#2286035 30-Jul-2019 20:37

@pctek fire a letter off to Chris Quin and see what he has to say.

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

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