It’s not uncommon for shoppers to find foods on store shelves that are either expired or past their best-by dates. However, have you ever found a product on a shelf that was there for more than four years?
That’s what TikToker Lauren (@laurenuuhh) says happened to her when she bought a package of pretzel bites from a Walmart location in Humble, Texas. She claims the pretzels moldy and sent her daughter to the hospital after she consumed them.
@laurenuuhh Be careful what you buy, check the packaging and sell by date. It could save you or your child’s life. MY DAUGHTER HAS TO SEE A DOCTOR. Never shopping here again. The manager’s name is Deborah. This is in humble, Texas. #expiredfood #walmart #badcustomerservice ♬ original sound – LayLay🙄
“Be careful what you buy, check the packaging and sell by date,” Lauren wrote in the video’s caption. “It could save you or your child’s life. MY DAUGHTER HAS TO SEE A DOCTOR. Never shopping here again. The manager’s name is Deborah. This is in humble, Texas.”
Recording while in line at the Walmart location, Lauren explains that she purchased the bag of pretzel bites two nights ago. She then opens the bag, showing off the bites that are covered with mold.
“This is pretzel bites. This expired four years. Mold all over them,” she says in the clip. “I’ve never in my life had this happen. But my daughter had to go to the hospital this morning because of it. Very sick.”
In a follow-up video, Lauren provides more context to the situation. She says it took her over an hour to receive any help from store representatives.
@laurenuuhh I cant get over how badly this situation was handled and how long we had to stand there. After we left, she vomited out the window of my car… my poor baby didnt deserve to suffer like this….
♬ original sound – LayLay🙄
She writes in a text overlay in the additional video, “Manager being disrespectful after my daughter ate 4 year old pretzel bites!!”
This clip shows Lauren at the customer service desk with her daughter. She spins the camera around, which shows the active Walmart location and two employees assisting her with her issue. A pregnant employee behind the counter is handling the spoiled product, and Lauren expresses concern for the woman, stating that given the fact she’s pregnant, she maybe shouldn’t be handling the moldy goods.
Another Walmart worker, who appears to be a manager assisting Lauren with the issue, is working on a tablet before she turns around and notices that the TikToker is recording the incident.
“You’re not videoing me, are you?” the Walmart manager asks.
“Mm-hmm,” she responds.
The employee then asks her why she’s being recorded, before requesting that she not be put on camera. Lauren argues that she has the right to record as the Walmart customer service desk is “public property,” however Walmart’s website states that unauthorized filming is prohibited within its stores and that it “reserve[s] the right to enforce that policy.”
“Please, please don’t video me,” the manager requests again. “I need to take an incident report for your daughter but I can’t have you videoing me.”
“It’s not illegal,” Lauren replies.
“I don’t want to be in the video,” the manager says.
“You’re not in the video,” the Tiktoker says.
“OK, I don’t feel comfortable with that,” the manager notes.
After Lauren repeats that the manager is not in the video, the worker once again requests that she stop recording. The clip then cuts out.
Lauren added in a caption for the video that after her daughter left the store, she threw up while they drove away.
“I cant get over how badly this situation was handled and how long we had to stand there,” she wrote. “After we left, she vomited out the window of my car… my poor baby didnt deserve to suffer like this….”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Lauren via TikTok comment and Walmart via email for further information.
In the comments section, viewers recognized Walmart’s mistake but also urged Lauren to check the expiration date.
“IK Walmart is in the wrong but do u not check the expiration date before u buy something,” one user wrote.
“I’m confused how did you not see the mold when you opened it ?” another asked.
Others said it’s not unreasonable to assume that if a major retailer is selling an item, it won’t be expired.
“No I don’t check expiration dates on packaged food a lot a grocery store. It’s assumed it’s not expired if it’s on the shelf,” one user argued.
Some even claimed to have also purchased expired items at Walmart locations. “Man I called Walmart cause they were selling expired baby Tylenol was a year old,” someone wrote.
