More Trader Joe Discussion...

R

richard-in-cincy

Well-known member
I went shopping at lunchtime and was finding all sorts of items with expired dates. I am actively watching this now at TJs.

Finally, I went and got a basket, put it in my cart, and when I found expried dates, put the stuff in there and went to the manager's desk when I was finished. I found bread, cheese, vitamins, unsealed packages (left those in the freezer case though), etc.

They were most gracious about it, as I tried to be as well. Just told them that I had so many things, especially cheese, that wasn't good when I got home that I decided that I was going to start bringing all expired items I find to them. They said they appreciated it and I said, "But I'd rather not find them, that's why I'm telling you."

As I pointed out to them, some of the cheeses that were bad when I opened them still had valid sell by dates (I'm usually very careful about checking product expiration dates, now do it on every item that goes into the cart). This tells me that the product was mishandled before it went on the shelf. Cartons left on loading dock during summer heat, etc. They said, "Oh, we hope you brought those back in for a refund." Well no, I didn't because it wasn't worth my time and effort to go back for a $5 refund (it's a very high traffic area of the city and I HATE going there). After all this, I thought sure they would have given me a free cheese, but no...

Anybody else finding this, or is it just the store I shop at? I can't figure it out because this is the only Cincinnati store, it's in a very upscale area with high commercial traffic, and it's always packed with people shopping.

 
yes, I've found that same at local gourmet healt food store (becoming more & more like TJ)

For 2 mos. now I've bought things and found they were already expired; also the same date as something I've had in my fridge for a month.

Same as your TJ's they do so much business...they just remodeled, about tripled their size and still not big enough....

Now I'll have to be more cautious about expiration dates.

 
I haven't looked, but I will.

My TJs is in a strip mall in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. The space is small and it's always very crowded. Next time I go shopping there (probably next week), I'll check on expiration dates.

The staff seems to struggle with keeping the shelves stocked, and their supply trucks don't always seem to come at the right time. (Although supply chain issues are tricky, especially for grocery stores with lots of perishable items.)

Mostly my problem has been with produce that just collapses as soon as I get it home. I've found that some bread, too, goes stale faster than I expect it to.

However, the staff genuinely seems to care about customer service, and they really hustle. I've never seen a TJ employee standing around doing nothing, unlike other stores.

 
Richard, did you contact corporate headquarters? I'm willing to forgive almost anything there

because of the friendly staff and general great values, but a whole cartful of expired products is a serious problem. Obviously, the older items are not being rotated forward. They should want to hear from you about this.

I think TJ's is going through a rapid expansion and is having growing pains.

 
I second Joe's advice. I would call Pasadena and let them know. They will...

...most certainly get the store manager's attention and have him/her focus on the issue.

I also agree with Joe in that the staff has always been eager to please in my store. I had a wine bottle neck shatter on me when I tried to un-cork it. I mentioned it to the manager the next time I came in; more to let him know that since this brand came from out of the country, maybe they were having problems with those vintners, and not to get a replacement. He immediately sent a worker to get me another bottle, even though I didn't bring in the broken one.

Michael

 
May I say something here? I love TJ's but we don't have one here in Texas. I was just in one in

Georgia and I was very disappointed and suprised at the change. It was said that they had been a
privately owned company and was recently bought out, is that true. Maybe that's the answer. Thanks for letting me put my two cents in.

 
They are still privately owned, I believe. But "Joe" of Trader Joe's sold it to a private

corporation. A Germany-based family-owned corportion now owns it, or so I'm told.

This is just what one of their long-time employees told me. I have no way to confirm it.

 
Oh boy, how do you describe ALDI? It's kind of a bare bones, generic products

store with some interesting finds every time you go in, like German Stollen during the holidays and imported chocolates or confections. But, they are known for no bagging---bring your own and you pay for using a shopping cart, but get your $$ back when you return it. Cashiers used to ring up the items by memory---don't know if they still do that or if they have moved into the scanner age since we don't have any Aldi's up here.

 
Aldi's is founded and owned by Germans. They are the king of the 'private label' and they usually..

...set up shop across from a major supermarket chain.

They plan on folks shopping at the supermarket for the stuff the 'bare bones' Aldi's doesn't stock.

Experienced bargain shoppers make two stops. One at Aldi's and one at the supermarket across the street for the stuff Aldi's doesn't stock.

Michael

 
Michael-thanks-guess we don't have any of them here in Tx, either.>>

use to live in Mesa-kinda miss it in a way but not the heat right now.

 
I shop at Aldi's for some things...

it took me a couple months after shopping there the first time to go back again. Almost everything is generic, and with some things, I am not a generic kind of girl. What struck me, and keeps me going back is their produce prices. They are literally more than half the price of the grocery stores, at least. And the produce is very fresh. You do have to put a quarter in to get a shopping cart, but you do get it back. And if you don't bring some bags with you, you do need to buy your own, but they are $.10 a bag for some heavy-duty bags. I really like this store for the prices, but it is bare boned. My store is clean and well-lit, with friendly people working there. They also have some very good imported sweets, at least according to my husband. I will give you one for instance, 4 packaged peppers, two green and one orange and one red, for $2.49, at the grocery store, $4.50. So you can see why I am fine with bagging my own groceries.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top