Supermarket Sleuths: Soggy blueberries, cracked eggs - here's why some shoppers won't ask for a refund

Most of us have lost count of the number of times we've purchased a grocery item, only to take it home and discover something is wrong with it.

I recently purchased two punnets of blueberries for $5 each and discovered quite a few of them were rotten and soggy and inedible. Did I go back to the supermarket and demand replacements or a refund?

No I didn't. I threw them away. I did vow to check blueberries more carefully next time I bought them.

This has happened so many times before.

More recently a colleague bought a carton of eggs and four of them were stuck inside the carton. They had cracked and leaked and she couldn't use those four, so had paid for 12 but been left with less.

She considered returning them and asking for a replacement or a refund but didn't, although she did mention checking the eggs more carefully next time she purchased them.

Which might be a bit tricky.

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I do see people opening cartons of eggs and checking for visible damage, but it is harder to notice them stuck to the carton due to cracks on the bottom of them.

Are we meant to lift each one up to ensure they are perfect? We're normally too busy to do that, and it would feel a little embarrassing.

But that's just the thing, we're too busy.

Too busy to check the blueberries and the eggs and therefore we end up not getting what we have paid for. We're also too busy to return the items and ask for a replacement or a refund.

We are ripping ourselves off at this point, which is particularly annoying seeing as the cost of groceries has increased substantially over the past few years amid the ongoing cost of living crisis.

Blueberries and eggs are expensive! If we're going to by them, we should at least get what we are paying for.

Gavin Northey, Associate Professor at the Department of Marketing at Griffith University, explains to Nine.com.au there are three reasons customers will return items:

1. They have identified a product failure
2. They are dissatisfied with the product
3. Because they have some fraudulent intent

Of those of us who don't return items for product failure or dissatisfaction, Northey says his is due to the "effort vs value tradeoff".

"The time and effort required to return to a supermarket for a product that cost $1, $5 or $10 may not be worth it to many. So, there is a distinct effort vs value imbalance," he explains.

"That said, everyone has their threshold, so once products hit $20, $50, $100 or whatever, suddenly the effort vs value dynamic has levelled out, which makes the journey back to the store worthwhile."

If customers were to add up every $1, $5 or $10 item they should have returned over a 12-month period, it would certainly add up to that threshold, which is something to keep in mind.

"Modern life is busy, and time is the most valuable non-renewable resource we have, so time constraints and busy lifestyles definitely reduce the desire to make yet another trip to the shops," Northey says.

"Again, though, it depends on the value of the product in question. The more expensive the product, the more likely the consumer is to want to return it if it doesn't meet their expectations."

Value of the product and a lack of time aside, Northey also says "many people do not like any form of confrontation".

"For many people, having to return a product absolutely creates a level of social discomfort," he says.

"The interesting thing is that while research has shown some consumers will use returns as a way to reduce or remove their 'post-purchase dissonance', others will choose not to return a defective product to reduce potential anxiety or social discomfort that might occur from a confrontation."

Overall, research shows only between four and 30 per cent of dissatisfied customers will voice their complaint, the ultimate complaint being asking for a replacement or a refund for an item.

"This means there is a large 'silent majority' that are somehow dissatisfied with their purchase."

Northey advises supermarket shoppers to "do everything in their power to ensure they don't need a refund" in the first place. So choose carefully, and take the time to check each item is worth the money you are paying for it.

"Also, in terms of perishable grocery items, it's critical to check the quality and expiration dates to avoid any surprises once you get home."

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