Mouldy food within packaging within use by date - no refund

adrianr

Firstly I am not too fussed about the refund aspect, but I am interested from a consumer point of view. 

I bought a supermarkets own-brand food which had gone mouldy before its best before date (which is tomorrow), unfortunately I did not keep the receipt but did have the entire shop transaction on the my bank statement from 2 days earlier. I contacted the supermarket via twitter messaging and asked the supermarket to put some points on my Morrisons more card as a refund, I shared them the picture of the green food and bank statement showing the total purchase. Unfortunately they refused saying they can not refund without a proof of purchase and a bank statement does not prove this.  

Two questions; 1. The product is in its own-brand packaging and within the best before date (so not given to charity after the BBE date passed), so should I need a proof of purchase? 2. If I can show the bank transaction isn't it the retailers responsibility to log all purchases to the transaction (so a search for the date and total amount would be easy to find).  

thanks in advance

MovingForwards

As you've got a more card they should be able to trace exactly what you purchased and when, they did when I raised a problem a few years ago.

user1977

There's no specific law about needing a "proof of purchase", ultimately it would be up to a court to decide on the balance of probabilities whether you bought the item from the retailer.

In practice, I'd be taking it to the store, they might just be wary about random people contacting them online with pictures of mouldy food.

lincroft1710

Proof of purchase proves you purchased the item and did not steal it. Although it is not infallible as a customer may have purchased an item and at the same time stolen a second identical item 

adrianr

user1977 said:

There's no specific law about needing a "proof of purchase", ultimately it would be up to a court to decide on the balance of probabilities whether you bought the item from the retailer.

In practice, I'd be taking it to the store, they might just be wary about random people contacting them online with pictures of mouldy food.

thanks,  it was just quicker to message them, and I thought easier than mess with a refund queuing in store.  The BBE date of the product on the photo with the mould is tomorrows date / production codes so not a random picture found online but one they could probably trace to the store if they wanted/needed to.   I was just surprised with their refusal to add points/ refund without a receipt. 

cannugec5

Surely it depends on the item purchased and storage conditions. If you bought a chilled product, kept it in the boot of your car for a couple of days and then put it in your fridge. Opened it a day or two later, but before the best before date, it would hardly be their fault if it has gone mouldy. 

However, I am still surprised that any supermarket has not  given you an immediate refund without question. 

adrianr

cannugec5 said:

Surely it depends on the item purchased and storage conditions. If you bought a chilled product, kept it in the boot of your car for a couple of days and then put it in your fridge. Opened it a day or two later, but before the best before date, it would hardly be their fault if it has gone mouldy. 

However, I am still surprised that any supermarket has not  given you an immediate refund without question. 

agree, but it was an ambient product. storage instructions said store in a cool dry place. 

born_again

adrianr said:

Firstly I am not too fussed about the refund aspect, but I am interested from a consumer point of view. 

I bought a supermarkets own-brand food which had gone mouldy before its best before date (which is tomorrow), unfortunately I did not keep the receipt but did have the entire shop transaction on the my bank statement from 2 days earlier. I contacted the supermarket via twitter messaging and asked the supermarket to put some points on my Morrisons more card as a refund, I shared them the picture of the green food and bank statement showing the total purchase. Unfortunately they refused saying they can not refund without a proof of purchase and a bank statement does not prove this.  

Two questions; 1. The product is in its own-brand packaging and within the best before date (so not given to charity after the BBE date passed), so should I need a proof of purchase? 2. If I can show the bank transaction isn't it the retailers responsibility to log all purchases to the transaction (so a search for the date and total amount would be easy to find).  

thanks in advance

Would it not have been better to take it back to the store?
I can see why they would reject something like that on social media. With just a bank statement and a picture of a item..

adrianr

born_again said:

adrianr said:

Firstly I am not too fussed about the refund aspect, but I am interested from a consumer point of view. 

I bought a supermarkets own-brand food which had gone mouldy before its best before date (which is tomorrow), unfortunately I did not keep the receipt but did have the entire shop transaction on the my bank statement from 2 days earlier. I contacted the supermarket via twitter messaging and asked the supermarket to put some points on my Morrisons more card as a refund, I shared them the picture of the green food and bank statement showing the total purchase. Unfortunately they refused saying they can not refund without a proof of purchase and a bank statement does not prove this.  

Two questions; 1. The product is in its own-brand packaging and within the best before date (so not given to charity after the BBE date passed), so should I need a proof of purchase? 2. If I can show the bank transaction isn't it the retailers responsibility to log all purchases to the transaction (so a search for the date and total amount would be easy to find).  

thanks in advance

Would it not have been better to take it back to the store?
I can see why they would reject something like that on social media. With just a bank statement and a picture of a item..

sorry in these times no, 10 mile trip, not worth it.