Monday, February 19, 2007

If I never see another jar of peanut butter again

If I never see another jar of peanut butter again in my life, it will be too soon.

Ever since the Great Peanut Butter Recall of 2007, we've been taking the stuff back. But nothing like this weekend. We had the bottom of a buggy covered by 11 a.m. and a full buggy by 6 p.m. It was like "Oh, I'll go to the Wal-Mart and trade in my peanut butter."

Never mind that every piece of media ever released said DO NOT RETURN TO STORES FOR A REFUND. For refunds (and probably coupons and other goodies) customers were supposed to mail the jar lids back to ConAgra. Did the sheep listen? Nopers.

What did they do? They hauled that stuff back into the Wal-Mart in thundering droves.

And of course they didn't have their receipts. So we had to ask for a drivers license. Which hacked more than a few of them off. And I mean really? You're using up one of your no-receipt returns for a jar of peanut butter?

If it were me, I'd take the mess back to the Publix. It's probably worth more at the Publix too!

So quite a few old people just get all pithy when we ask for their drivers licenses.

The typical conversation goes something like this:

THEM: "We want to return this peanut butter."
ME: "Okay." And I check the top for the lot number. You never know. "Do you still have your receipt?"
THEM: "Who keeps food receipts?"
ME: "Okay. I just need your drivers license then."
THEM: "Why? I didn't need it when I bought it?"

And so on. All day long. WHY DO I HAVE TO HAVE A DRIVERS LICENSE TO RETURN RECALLED PEANUT BUTTER? No matter how much they bought I gave them cash back, even though we're supposed to do more than $5 on a gift card. I wasn't about to face off with some evil grannies and grampers over some salmonella-infected PB.

But really. My grandma saves EVERYTHING, even plastic bread bags. I thought all old people did. And they don't have receipts? And they get stroppy when we ask them for a DL when they return stuff?

Personally, I'd figure something out for the peanut butter returns -- because after all, Wal-Mart is the one selling the mess. But I bet we returned some PB from other stores.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

The PB recall, affecting Great Value and Peter Pan brands (both manufactored by ConAgra), I knew would effect you. In fact, when I heard Great Value PB was part of the recall, I immediately thought of this blog.

Personally, I wouldn't waste the time and gas money going to Wal-Mart for a refund on PB. Nor would I mail in a cap. Good grief. I'm not rich, but I'd just chunk it, chalk it up to a loss and buy some gd pb next time I was out.

As it is, I eat Skippy Crunchy so I don't have to worry about it. :-)

Anonymous said...

Penut butter recall? I guess that's like the massive cadburys recall of chocolate over here due to salmonella.

As it is, if I'd bought penut butter and it was recalled, I wouldnt waste my time or that of the poor person I'd be talking to at the store trying to return the damn stuff. That would be silly.


To be honest, I'd probably eat it anyway. Mmmmpenutbutter..




Awesome blog btw, It was a very happy several hours I spent reading it all and now I am up to date. Very addictive writing style.

DS said...

There is a peanut butter recall?

What can't you learn from blogs! :)

Larry Kollar said...

I found a press release from ConAgra concerning the recall.

"As of Feb. 16, ConAgra Foods has authorized retailers to accept returns of open or unopened jars of Peter Pan Peanut Butter or Great Value Peanut Butter marked with a product code beginning with 2111 for a full refund. You should return your peanut butter to the store where you bought it."

(Or you can mail in the lid.)

Good luck with the returns… you'll probably be seeing them pouring in for at least the next week. :-P

Debo Blue said...

You are hilarious! I too work in customer service and I've realized that no matter where you work, customers are customers are customers are customers!

Anonymous said...

Honestly, what was ConAgra thinking trying to make people mail the lids in so that they could get a refund? Oh, wait, that's right... They knew that and envelope big enough for the lid to fit and the postage would probably cost about as much as the refund.

Walmart requiring a driver's license to return a recalled product, even without a receipt, is damn stupid. --Don't get me wrong, I keep receipts for a while, but not as long as peanut butter lasts.

Anonymous said...

I agree with the previous poster. But man for you to have to go through this, a person unaffiliated with peanut butter manufacturing, just sucks. Sorry man.

Anonymous said...

Does pnut butter actually cost $5.00? Just wondering.

Anonymous said...

Great Value PB (the Wal-Mart brand) does not cost $5, even for a massive jar. In fact, I can buy two super-sized jars of Skippy for $6. The only pb I can think of that's $5 for one jar would be that all-natural stuff which can get pricey. Even if it were $5, Id chunk it in the trash and just buy some next time.

Chimera said...

Just outa curiosity, what do you do when a customer does not have a driver's license?

Anonymous said...

States issue ID's for people that don't drive. Looks just like a driver's license, except it will expressly say that it isnt for vehicle operation.

Ryan said...

I ate the peanut butter. Hell, I'd already consumed 2/3 of the jar by the time the recall was issued.

You won't be seeing me at your customer service counter - unless I'm sick.

In that case, you will have a new blog topic.

Anonymous said...

Looks like I've already eaten half the jar of one of the recalled jars. I love my Peter Pan PB.......hmmmm, guess I better return my jar to Walmart....where I know for a fact I bought it...no reciept though.....what store did you say you work in (just kidding). Into the garbage can it goes.

Anonymous said...

Why would someone waste their time returning fricking samonella tainted peanut butter? I think I'd just throw that shit away rather than wasting gas/time trying to get a dollar something back. Thats just me though...

Anonymous said...

If you are at the store anyway, why wouldn't you return the bad peanut butter? Otherwise ConAgra gets to keep your money for peanut butter that they contaminated. Walmart will get reimbursed by ConAgra so why should Walmart care if you have a receipt as long as you have the peanut butter container?

Anonymous said...

You're exactly what's wrong with Wal-Mart.