Tag: Woolworth’s

Woolworths customers in two states have reported concerning incidents with recent iceberg lettuce purchases, prompting the supermarket giant to launch an investigation.

Sharing on Facebook, two shoppers – from Queensland and NSW – revealed that they’d discovered brown spots in lettuce that were recently purchased from Woolies.

It’s understood the discolouring is associated with excessive humidity and wet weather conditions in growing regions.

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While the disease – believed to be a bacterial soft rot – looks unsavory, 7NEWS.com.au understands that lettuce heads that have the discolouring are not a health risk and can be consumed.

With iceberg lettuce prices soaring to record highs in recent months, the customers have voiced their frustration at having taken home lettuce that were less than perfect.

Both shoppers reported that the icebergs appeared to be normal and in good condition when they were purchased.

However it was only when they peeled back the outer leaves at home, that the brown spots and slime became visible.

“I treated us to a ‘fresh’ iceberg lettuce today from Woolworths for the first time in months,” said one Ipswich customer.

“Took off the outer leaves to put the ‘fresh’ inner leaves on our chicken burgers for dinner. Yeah, that didn’t happen considering I was met with a slimy, rotten mess. Yuck!

“The outer leaves looked normal … certainly not paying $6.50 for something I have to chuck straight to the chooks!”

Another Sydney customer shared a photo of her brown lettuce, saying: “I don’t mind paying what you guys ask but this is ridiculous.”

Experts say brown, slimy spots on a lettuce – which don’t appear on the outer leaves – can be a sign of bacterial soft rot in the lettuce.

Bacterial soft rot – or pectobacterium carotovorum – is typically caused by moist conditions and injury to the plant.

The disease causes brown-coloured rot on infected areas and may go unnoticed until the leaves are removed.

Some Facebook users pointed out that recent flood conditions may have contributed to any problems with the lettuce.

“Did you stop and think that maybe, just maybe, they have been flood affected?” asked one. “It would be impossible to see what the inside looks like under the outer leaves.”

Woolworths responds

A Woolworths spokesperson has said that the supermarket is investigating the incidents.

“We take food quality seriously and are disappointed to receive similar reports from these customers,” the spokesperson told 7NEWS.com.au.

“We’ve passed this onto our suppliers and supply chain teams, who are assessing existing lettuce supply for any discolouring. This will continue to be monitored.

“We haven’t received any other reports on similar products at this time.”

Woolworths customers are encouraged to contact their local store for a replacement and refund if they are disappointed with the quality of one of the supermarket’s products

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A Woolworths shopper has been left scratching her head after having an unexpected experience with an employee at her local store.

Sharing on Reddit, the Melbourne mum revealed that the incident happened while she was attempting to pay for groceries at the self-serve checkout.

After her payment failed to process, the customer was referred to the Woolworths Service Desk so she could finalize the transaction.

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With her newborn baby “kicking off”, the Woolies worker told the mum to go home with her groceries – saying that she would pay for the items herself.

In her post, the shopper said she was left “grateful” but also “mortified” over the experience.

“I just got back from Woolworths where I tried to pay with my phone on self checkout,” she said.

“It wasn’t working so they printed me a barcode and took me to the service desk to pay, but my phone payment still didn’t work.

“After trying a few times and my newborn kicking off, the staff member said, don’t worry it’s on me.

“I was really taken back and asked if I could transfer her the money. She said no and then said, seriously it’s on me.

“My baby was screaming the place down by this point. I was so grateful and also mortified.”

The Reddit user then went on to ask for advice about the incident, worried that the worker could get in trouble for her kind act.

“What I want to know is can Woolworths staff do this? Or is it a dodgy?” she said.

“I want to go back and give her something to say thank you, but don’t want to get her in trouble if she’s done something she’s not supposed to have done.”

Many said that it wasn’t uncommon for supermarket workers to carry out kind of acts like this.

“She will have paid for it, she would want you to accept it as the gift it was meant to be,” said one.

Added another: “My partner works at a supermarket and has paid for people before. It feels good. Pay it forward.”

Write a third: “I’ve done it a couple of times. I don’t see how it’s dodgy? The customer was struggling and I just tapped my own card to pay.

“I’m 99% sure they will pay it for you. Not all of us retail employees are lazy c-word even though we are treated like lowlies on daily basis.”

One more said: “Accept the kindness, and remember it next time you see someone else in need.”

Woolworths has announced major changes to its national trading hours and the way it operates its deli, seafood and meat departments.

The supermarket giant has confirmed to 7NEWS.com.au that store opening and closing hours will be adjusted to make them more consistent across Australia.

Learn more about the major Woolworths changes in the video above

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This means selected stores will open an hour later or close an hour earlier to align with stores in other states (see full details below).

In addition to this, Woolworths has shortened the trading hours of its fresh service counters.

From August 1, the supermarket’s deli, meat and seafood department will close at either 7pm or 8pm – regardless of the store’s trading hours (see full details below).

A Woolworths spokesperson said that changes were made after careful consideration.

“We’ve made a change to the trading hours of our fresh service counters nationwide, due to a shift in customer shopping behaviour. This includes our meat, seafood and deli counters,” the spokesperson told 7NEWS.com.au.

“Customers can still purchase similar products, such as chicken breast fillets and salmon, within our packed Fresh Convenience range located in-store.

“We’ve also moved to standardize our overall operating hours so we can offer a consistent customer experience across our store network.

“Select stores across the country will open one hour later or close one hour earlier to align with other stores and better match customer shopping patterns.

“We’ll closely monitor customer and team member feedback over the next few months.”

New fresh service trading hours

From August 1, Woolworths deli, seafood and meat counters will have the following trading hours:

• The fresh service deli will trade from 7am to 8pm (7 days).
• The seafood and meat counters will trade from 9:30am to 7pm (weekdays) and 9am to 7pm (weekends).
• 7NEWS.com.au understands that only a handful of stores will operate longer fresh service counter hours as there’s still high customer demand in those stores.
• In-store signage has been placed at the fresh service counters and at the front of stores to inform customers of the altered trading hours.
• It’s understood the new initiative was trialled in a handful of NSW stores in May 2022.

New store trading hours

Woolworths has announced the following changes to trading hours.

• Select stores across Australia will open one hour later or close one hour earlier to align with other stores across the Woolworths network.
• 7NEWS.com.au understands that the change means that if your local store typically opens at 6am, it will now open at 7am. And instead of closing at 10pm, it will now close at 9pm.
• The change means that if a customer travels from state to state, trading hours will be roughly the same across the country.
• Customers are encouraged to head here to see how the trading hours of their local Woolworths store have been affected by the change.
• At the front of each Woolworths, signage will notify customers of the store’s new trading hours.

News of the change to Woolworths deli, meat and seafood trading hours has already attracted mixed reviews on social media.

One Woolies customer criticized the decision, saying all of the supermarket’s services should be available during opening hours.

“If Woolworths proceeds to limit services within their stores from 7pm onwards, we will no longer be using their services,” said the Adelaide-based customer.

“Shoppers need to remember that Woolworths openly asked and endorsed extended grocery store trading hours for 9pm.

“Now that they have these they don’t want to provide you with that service.”

Mixed reviews

He added: “As someone who works irregular hours, I typically do my shopping after 8pm at night – and now I can no longer get access to the service deli.”

But many other Facebook users felt it was a good move for Woolworths employees.

“It makes absolutely no sense to keep the deli open until the store closes given how long it takes to clean,” said one.

Added suggested “they have made this decision because the sales in the last hour just aren’t there”.

“They are running a business not a public service.”

Two Woolworths customers have created controversy over their treatment of a toilet paper display at one store.

Posting on TikTok, the two shoppers shared footage that showed one of them crashing through a neatly stacked pile of Quilton Toilet Paper.

Watch the controversial Woolworth toilet paper video above

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The video shows one of the customers setting up his phone – which was recording the incident – inside a Woolworths freezer, situated opposite the toilet paper section.

While he held the freezer door open, the camera shows his friend emerging from behind the row of toilet paper packs.

Crashing through the display, the shopper’s actions sent the stack of toilet paper falling to the ground.

The shoppers can then be seen smiling and dancing for the camera, as the packs of Quilton lie in disarray.

With toilet paper still in limited supply for some supermarket shoppers around Australia, a video showing packs being mistreated is sure to infuriate many.

Customers have taken to social media in recent weeks to complain of ongoing shortages.

“Can someone please explain why there is no toilet paper yet again?” said one Woolworths customer on Facebook.

“I have been trying for four weeks now to get toilet paper, going into the store twice a week. This is getting ridiculous!”

The incident is reminiscent of a similar incident in June 2021 which saw a female Woolworths shopper jump onto a pallet of toilet paper packs.

“She needs to be thrown out of the store,” said one TikTok user at the time.

“Pathetic,” added another.

Write a third: “Do you feel cool now?”

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