Whole Foods customer speculates rotten food gets pawned off on pick-up, delivery customers

Photo byCarlos Yudica/Shutterstock @shelby.church/TikTok Stockcreations/Shutterstock

‘You’re paying more than average'. Earlier in the year, CNET reported that Amazon expanded its unlimited grocery delivery service. This applied to both Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods in over 3,500 cities across the U.S. With free unlimited deliveries, 1-hour delivery windows, and 30-minute pickup options, it seems a convenient way of getting the groceries you need. However, a Whole Foods shopper recently voiced concerns about the grocery store’s delivery and pickup services.

TikTuber Shelby Church, boasting more than 27,000 subscribers, asserts that the standard of fresh produce and perishable items has noticeably dropped.

“I can’t be the only one who’s starting to think Whole Foods delivery and pickup is trying to pawn off the rotting food onto us,” Church starts in her TikTok. “‘Cause just look at what I ordered this week.”

In her video, she presents instances of a decaying apple and iceberg lettuce marked with brown blemishes, even though these items are usually more expensive than those found in the store.

“You’re paying more than average for an apple at Whole Foods, so I do kind of expect it to be fresh,” she says.

It’s an inconvenience to her routine when Whole Foods delivers rotten food. She explains, “I did actually want that apple.”

“I don’t think they’re really doing it on purpose, because why would they do that?” Church starts before slightly backtracking. “But maybe? Because they know that … a certain amount of people aren’t going to go through the effort of even getting a refund.”

How do others feel about Whole Foods delivery and pick-up?

The video from the church was watched more than 12,000 times.

Her complaints mirrored those of other customers. These complaints shared a common theme of frequently getting poor quality and perishable items from Whole Foods.

One commenter shared, “The produce is ALWAYS bad.”

Another, @pipandpa, added, “The produce actually always sucks at Whole Foods.”

Beyond produce, users also pointed out that other perishables are affected.

For example, @user9836144038308 noted, “I keep getting whole loaves of bread that expire in 2 days.”

Some users raised additional issues of price discrepancies between online and in-store shopping. They pointed out that items are often priced higher online, even though they’re cheaper in the store. This discrepancy has created further frustration for customers relying on delivery services.

What are the solutions available to customers?

Being confined to bed or dependent on delivery options can be particularly frustrating when it comes to receiving spoiled items. When grocery deliveries turn out to be spoiled food, it places a heavy load on individuals who find it difficult to visit physical stores.

Despite these challenges, Church points out that obtaining a refund via the Whole Foods app is not overly complicated. Yet, she remains doubtful about the effectiveness of quality control, given the belief that not every customer will request a refund.

At the end of her video, Church urges Whole Foods to step up its quality control measures.