Has anyone had problems with Trader Joe's plastic shrink-wrapping?

R

richard-in-cincy

Well-known member
Partiularly for frozen things like fish. I've had several packages that apparently had holes in them and leaked all over the place as they defrosted. I have even had an employee take a package out of my hand in the store as I was shopping because he noticed the seal was broken.

I can usually tell because the vacuum seal is gone (and I always check), but I had a package of cod that leaked all over the place and it appeared to have been sealed since the plastic was still clinging to the fish in the frozen state. Must have been frozen to the surface and not vacuum sealed. It definitely wasn't vacuum sealed when I picked it up out of my meat drawer this morning. Ick. A pint of cod juice covered the bottom.

Which of course begs the question, if the packages aren't reliably sealed, how safe can the food be?

I was wondering what other's experiences are before I talk to the management about this problem.

Thanks.

 
I used to buy their Alaskan Cod. Lately, I've gotten a lot of really tough...

...cod. Pieces or parts of a piece are tough and chewy. I've never noticed if the seal was broken or not. I'm like you... I check.

I stopped buying it last fall. Can't afford to throw away that kind of money.

Michael

 
I had a similar problem with the frozen scallops...

...I defrosted it in the fridge and ended up with a mess all over the top shelf because the package leaked. (At least it made me clean out the fridge.) This happened with the last two packages I bought. Hearing your stories makes me think this is perhaps worth mentioning to the manager. (Especially as it appears to be a nationwide problem, given our locales).

I also found a hair (ick!) in the sushi vegetable rolls I bought there. I did report that to the manager, and she refunded my money instantly.

Amanda_Illinois

 
Interesting...

thanks for the info. I have been wary of this, because I felt the store had to be REALLY aware of the problem for an employee to take a package out of my hand and replace it because of the problem.

I think I'll send a letter to their headquarters and see what they say.

 
I have brought stuff back to TJ's and they have always taken it back without even a moment's . . .

hesitation.

I have returned mushy (upon defrosting) fish, cat food my cats wouldn't touch, coffee that was old tasting, cook-in-pouch stuff that was leaking. . . They may or may not know of the problem, but they really do live up to the ol' "guarrantee you'll like it" part and have taken back anything I have returned very willingly.

I really like their in-store customer service. It is very willing and not forced (at least to me!).

 
Having dealt professionally with their buying offices in Pasadena, I can say...

...that they are friendly, professional and definitely standouts when it comes to the treatment most buyers give a vendor.

Now, these were buyers I dealt with, not customer service, but I tend to think scheisse flows downhill, so a good attitude is probably fostered from the top.

Let us know how it goes, ok?

Michael

 
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