Woolworths Caught in Fruit Juice Contamination Saga Again

Woolworths is under fire after reports of mould contamination in their ‘Tropical Splash’ fruit juice surfaced, raising serious concerns about quality control and customer safety.

Phetolo Sematha and Nsuku Khosa

(The Post News)- Renowned retail giant Woolworths has come under scrutiny due to reports of contamination in their Tropical 100% Fruit Juice. The contamination issue seems to have surfaced post-takeover, with customers reporting mould in products that are still within their shelf life.
The timeline of events is critical to understanding the gravity of the situation.

On January 31, 2024, a customer named Lulama shared alarming images on social media, showing foreign substances in a Woolworths juice carton. This post quickly went viral, prompting Woolworths to issue a statement. Rachel Alberts, a spokesperson for Woolworths, assured the public that the company was treating the matter with the utmost priority and had launched an internal investigation.

A customer, Miss Istorinah Mokoena, recently discovered mould in her fruit juice carton and reached out to Woolworths’ customer service via email.

According to Mokoena, Zikhona Mahono, a Customer Care Consultant, suggested that a “possible poor seal could have been the cause of this complaint as unsterile air slowly entered the pack and, with further handling and storage, allowed the mould to grow.”

The supplier’s evaluation of the batch did not reveal any mould damages, but they expressed willingness to conduct further investigation if the actual sample could be obtained. Woolworths has since informed its supplier, distribution centre, and stores to closely monitor the handling of tetra packs to prevent latent spoilage.

Despite reports, the company initially didn’t take action. To mitigate the damage, Woolworths could have immediately addressed customer concerns, issued an apology, and implemented a product recall. Instead, they attempted to quietly discount the affected products, offering a “buy 2 for R100” deal, which raised suspicions and further eroded trust.

By not taking responsibility and transparently addressing the issue, Woolworths exacerbated the problem, leading to a loss of customer loyalty and reputation. A swift and sincere response could have contained the damage and maintained customer trust.

In an interview with The Post News, Mokoena voiced her disappointment, highlighting the delay in the promised action from Woolworths, stating, “Their customer service is bad, and they had said that they were going to send the other 4 boxes to quality assurance within 2 days, but they still didn’t come to pick them up, and it’s been over 7 days.”

This incident has raised questions about the quality control measures in place since the acquisition of Pioneer Foods by PepsiCo. The acquisition was finalised on March 8, 2020, marking one of PepsiCo’s largest foreign acquisitions. The deal included a commitment to maintain employment levels and invest in the South African operations of Pioneer Foods.
However, the recent contamination issues have cast a shadow over these commitments, raising concerns about the production line and accuracy of their labelling practices as consumers rely on these labels to determine the safety and freshness of their food and beverages.

Scientific analysis of juice contamination typically involves identifying the type and source of the contaminant, assessing the risks to consumer health, and determining the failure points in the production process. In the case of ‘Tropical Splash,’ experts from the Centre for Food Safety at Stellenbosch University suggested that spoilage such as Penicillium was likely the culprit, exacerbated by packaging breaches that allowed air infiltration.