ONE disgusted shopper is blasting Aldi for selling a popular dessert item that came with an unwanted surprise: a used bandaid.
After her complaints to Aldi and Too Good Gourmet went unanswered, one frustrated shopper shared her frustrations – and an unsavory photo – on social media.
On Monday, X user Tiffany, also known as @TiffanytheSLP, revealed the troubling incident to her followers and fellow X users.
“@toogoodgourmet giving out used bandaids to customers in boxes of cookies is absolutely disgusting and a major food safety issue,” she wrote.
Tiffany purchased a box of Too Good Gourmet’s Churros Cookies, which include a six-ounce bag of “crispy-airy cinnamon sugar cookies brushed with butter.”
Based on the photo she shared, it appears the cookies were thankfully unscathed and untouched by the bandaid.
The photo showed an open box, a pile of cookies in a sealed, clear plastic bag, and a clearly-used blue bandaid.
“I have attempted to contact you and have received no response,” she continued, letting fellow shoppers know the gourmet cookie brand did not have a response, reason, or explanation as to how the situation happened.
“@AldiUSA love you, but you should not be selling products from a company with no QC,” she added, indicating that Too Good Gourmet does not have or did not meet any quality control.
Food quality control is a set of guidelines and procedures used by the food industry.
It ensures food products meet safety and quality standards throughout the supply chain, from production, handling, storage, processing, packaging, and distribution.
Aldi did respond to Tiffany’s post the following day, asking her to message them directly – and privately.
“Oh, no! We’re so incredibly sorry to see this,” Aldi USA wrote.
“Please direct message us, so we can get this reported right away,” they added.
On Aldi’s website, the company states that its “top priority” is the safety of its customers.
Aldi also claims it works with ” trusted manufacturers on product quality and testing…to fulfill that promise.”
ALDI TWICE AS NICE RETURN POLICY
Despite the occasional issue with a food item or other product, Aldi's return policy is one of the best among fellow discount chains and grocery stores.
Most food products sold at Aldi are covered by its Twice as Nice Guarantee.
That means shoppers not only get their item replaced but also receive a refund for the amount of money they originally paid for an item.
To receive the Twice as Nice Guarantee, customers must return “the product packaging and any unused product” to their local Aldi store manager.
A receipt is required to receive a refund in the original form of payment.
However, shoppers who may have discarded or otherwise lost their receipt aren’t out of luck, either.
They’ll simply receive an “Aldi Merchandise Credit” on a gift card, “equal to the current retail price of the returned item.”
The Twice as Nice Guarantee does not apply to:
- Non-food Aldi Finds items
- Alcohol
- National brands
- Non-quality related issues
The company also writes that it has a “rapid response plan” it implements to “swiftly and effectively remove” products that do not meet “Aldi or government” standards, such as those in nationwide recalls.
Still, it’s unclear whether Aldi plans to remove these cookies—or other desserts from the brand—from its stores or whether this was an isolated, one-off incident.
ALDI AT LARGE
This isn’t the first time Aldi has been called out for selling items deemed a “major food safety issue.”
Last month, one shopper who purchased a package of Season’s Choice 20-count Hash Brown Patties said he was happy to be alive after nearly choking on a metal wire baked into his breakfast dish.
“I’ve lost my appetite for the rest of the day. Man I’m shocked,” he posted on X.
In July, the grocery chain was warned to throw away select fresh produce due to a health recall.
According to the FDA, bagged cucumbers, peppers, green beans, squash, and jalapeños were all at risk of being contaminated with the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes.
Despite a few incidents over the last few weeks, Aldi remains the go-to grocery store for bargain deals.
Shoppers have raved over the chain’s low prices, even when compared to fellow discount chains like Walmart.
The discount grocery retailer is also collaborating with Instacart’s Connected Stores technology to enhance its customers’ shopping experience, even when shopping and ordering items online.