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When one returns an item to a store, they may not know exactly what the store plans on doing with it afterward.
As it turns out, stores have different policies regarding what to do with returned products. Some will resell them as used items, while others will simply dispose of them in a landfill.
Some stores appear to accept returns, then turn around and resell the item as brand new. For example, several Amazon customers have noted that they ordered new items only to receive items that were used, while others have alleged that they accidentally bought used products at stores like Target.
Now, a user on TikTok is calling out Walmart after claiming that they were selling a returned item as new. How does she know? Because she’s the one who returned it.
Is Walmart selling opened food as new?
In a video with more than 24,000 views, TikTok user Stephanie Herrera (@stephanieherr) shows the shelves of a Walmart location in Farmers Branch, Texas. In her hands is a bottle of Flavortown Kickin Chipotle Sauce.
“I bought this exact sauce right here…a couple of days ago,” Herrera states.
“He opened this bottle, right?” she continues, referring to her husband. “And you know how we know we opened this bottle? Well, it’s expired. That’s the first thing; it’s expired, and the date on this thing is 7-13-24, so it was last year. We bought this same exact bottle—and it’s open, and they put it back on the shelf!”
After saying this, Herrera opens the cap of the bottle to show that it has, in fact, been used.
“I’m literally telling you guys, check expiration dates, because this Walmart doesn’t give a crap,” she concludes. “This is ridiculous. We returned this exact same bottle with the same exact date on the receipt that I have, and it’s expired.”
According to the caption, Herrera returned the product after opening it because it had expired.
“This has been the third time we have came to this Walmart, and I always see expired items on their shelf,” she writes. “This exact sauce is the one I LITERALLY returned it and they had the AUDACITY to put it back on the shelves.”
In a comment, she added, “The manager could care less when I told her.”
This isn’t the first time
Similar allegations to Herrera’s have been levied against Walmart in the past.
For example, one internet user claimed that she returned cupcakes to Walmart, only to see them for sale on shelves a few days later.
That said, it’s unclear how this sort of accident can happen, if it did as alleged by Herrera. While policy states that customers can return or exchange food products, Walmart workers on sites like Reddit claim that all returned food is to be thrown out given the risk that it could have been contaminated.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Walmart via media relations contact form for clarification on this issue.
Commenters share their thoughts
In the comments section, users shared their own Walmart purchasing experiences, as well as their thoughts on Herrera’s video.
“i’ve bought expired milk that was on the shelfs last time,” wrote a user. “i took the l and just never bought it again LOL.”
“I check everything before I put it in my cart and that’s exactly why I don’t do grocery pickup,” added another.
“That was my old local Walmart and they alwaysssss have expired items even milk and when you tell them they don’t care they keep leaving them out to purchase,” alleged a third. In response to another comment, Herrera echoed this sentiment, writing, “they literally had expired milk from like two weeks ago that same night we went.”
We’ve reached out to Herrera via Instagram DM and TikTok comment.
@stephanieherr PSA!! We returned this EXACT same bottle just this past SUNDAY… my husband had already opened it on Sunday morning serving it on his breakfast when it came out all orange/black. He checked the expiration, and mind youuu its 2025. THIS SAUCE WAS EXPIRED LAST YEAR!!! This has been the third time we have came to this Walmart, and I always see expired items on their shelf. This exact sauce is the one I LITERALLY returned it and they had the AUDACITY to put it back on the shelves. and the thing is my Husband really LOVES this sauce but we always seem to have this same problem at this walmart @Walmart @Flavortown @Hunter Fieri #walmart #dfw #farmersbranch #fyp #foryou #news #texas #expirationdates #guyfieri ♬ original sound – Stephanie Herrera
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