Costco. Can I return this?

amother

Wed, May 11 2022, 1:41 pm

Bought a bag of grapefruits from Costco and after I punctured the bag open realized it's a product of Israel, shmita issue. Can I return it? I guess I can ask them but a little embarrassed so I want to find out what others would do.

amother

Navyblue

Wed, May 11 2022, 1:56 pm

Why not? They have a no questions asked policy. If it doesn't suit your need, they gladly take it back.
This is the reason they are so successful and selling more. People know they can always return.

amother

Burntblack

Wed, May 11 2022, 1:58 pm

Yes you can return it. They can always repackage it and sell it anyway.

amother

Stone

Wed, May 11 2022, 2:34 pm

No need to be shy. At my local Costco the line for returns is out the door.

amother

Valerian

Wed, May 11 2022, 2:41 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Costco will take it back, but I think you need to ask your LOR what to do, I don't think it's so straightforward how to handle shemittah produce.

amother

Magnolia

Wed, May 11 2022, 2:50 pm

The grapefruit at Costco right now are not a shmitta problem.

Grapefruit will be an issue from Aug. 2022-Dec.2023, as it has to do with when the fruit starts to grow.

If it is the same ones as I have, there is an OU on the package, which means that Trumot and Maasrot have already been taken.

Please see attached link from the Beis Din of London. https://www.kosher.org.uk/shemittadates

(Although just an FYI, you really can return anything to Costco)

amother

Magnolia

Wed, May 11 2022, 2:53 pm

amother [ Burntblack ] wrote:

Yes you can return it. They can always repackage it and sell it anyway.

They cannot and do not repackage. It gets thrown out.
It would absolutely be illegal to repackage food of any sort. They cannot even donate it as they do not know what happened to it in your home and it would be an enormous liability.

amother

Wed, May 11 2022, 3:40 pm

amother [ Magnolia ] wrote:

Thank you. This was very helpful. It has an OU.

And thanks to everyone else who answered.

abaker

Wed, May 11 2022, 8:58 pm

I return things to costco if it breaks or wears out. They are great about it. No questions asked. But there was a man next to me at the returns counter who returned like 10 double packs of rye bread saying that the expiration date was the next day. The clerk kindly told him to check next time while shopping because the items cannot be put back on the shelf, they go to the garbage. So if I mistakenly bought something I might ask around if anyone else could use it, rather than sending it to the landfill. (I realize it doesn't apply in the grapefruit situation) as a side note, glad you're grape fruit is good to keep!

amother

Seafoam

Wed, May 11 2022, 9:51 pm

Ive once bought Persian cucumbers
The cucumbers were no good
I went to return something else and casually mentioned that the cucumbers were also no good
They returned me the money on the cucumbers that I DID NOTbringback to the store