Sunday, November 20, 2011

Letter From a Reader: Insects in My Cereals



Dear Fashion PULIS,

When I opened this box of cereals that I bought from this supermarket located somewhere in Quezon City, I was surprised to see insects inside it. This was not actually the first time it happened to me. In both cases, it involved the same brand of cereals.

The first time this happened to me, I immediately returned the box of cereals to the supermarket and was issued a credit receipt.  I wanted to speak to the manager but the customer service representative told me that he was busy at that moment. To prove my point, I opened the box of cereals in front of her and when she saw the insects coming out of the box, she was not surprised at all. I even informed her that I went to check the shelves and saw that there were other boxes with the same problem but she did not seem to mind at all.

A few months later, the same incident happened to me. This time around, I insisted to speak to the manager. In an attempt to prove that my case was perhaps an isolated one, the manager instructed one of his staff to get a new box of cereals from the shelves. When he opened it in front of me, he was horrified when he saw the insects crawling out of the box. To save his face, he immediately ordered his staff to pull out this brand of cereals from the shelves. 

The manager apologized to me and gave me a credit receipt. He said that was the best he could do. I understood what he meant so I just requested him to give me the email addresses of the supermarket management and the company that produced the said cereal. I sent them emails months ago and until now,  I have not heard a word from any one of them.

Thank you FP for posting my letter. I just want to warn your readers to be more careful with the things that put in their shopping cart.

Thank you,
Brownie

67 comments:

  1. Brand name, please? Or a clue na lang.

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  2. Hindi kaya ang house nila ang marumi at madami clang mga alagang insekto na nakapasok sa bag ng cereal? Dumi kc ng kapaligiran sa house nila kya di na ako nagtaka:)

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  3. KalerQui! Dumi kasi ng house nila kaya daming insektong nagliparan:)

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  4. Parang sobrang luma na nung cereal bka expired na yan echos lang nung ngrreklamo hehe pero mas madumi ung kuko nya huh tska ung tiles prang daming molds ewwww haha

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  5. This is not a blind item. It is a fact as you've attested. Name the brand. Name the store. Know and exercise your rights, complain to the maker of the cereal. Complain to the department of commerce and the department of health or any other government bodies responsible for monitoring this problem. Making it a blind item is totally pointless.

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  6. Some people are just so annoying because they don't read the featured BI carefully...sinabi na nga ng reader that she actually saw the insects in the cereal boxes in the supermarket pero yung iba nag-iinsist pa na baka madumi ang kanilang bahay...talk about stupid!

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  7. Gross!!! Can u please give us a clue as to what brand of cereal this is? We need to know to protect ourselves!

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  8. YOU ARE NOT READING !!! she said that even the boxes that are still at the store also have insects on them...

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  9. hmmm... why did he have to buy the same brand of cereals at the same store again?
    try nya baka nag improve na? ginagalit mo lang sarili mo, if a store or product is not clean, do not patronize.

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  10. U have to give a clue about the name of the cereal...

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  11. Kung ganyan nmn pala why still buy that same brand of cereals kung hassle pala.

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  12. ANOTHER USELESS COMPLAINT. KUNG MAG CO-COMPLAINT KAY FP, PANGALANAN PARA MAKA WARNNG AT MAKA TULONG SA FELLOW FP ADDICTS, HA HA HA

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  13. The names of the cereal and store are provided in the video.

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  14. the brand is Sammy the sailor. kita sa video.

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  15. Mga baliw! Panuorin nyo kya un video, kita yung name ng cereal!!! Wag nyo na awyin FP,

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  16. MAGIC TIME (SAMMY D SAILOR) .. NEVER HEARD ITEY NA TATAK.

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  17. i find the lady's reaction annoying though. magtagalog ka na lang :)

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  18. Hay, daming di nag view ng video. Details are all there, o eto yung website ng manufacturer - http://www.magictime-intl.com. I think it would be a good idea to send the video directly to the US office. They might in turn, alert their distributor here in the PHL. For all we know, US office might not be aware that their brand is not being managed well here by their chosen distributor/s. Right?

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  19. Brownie, you can write or send your complaint here - http://www.magictime-intl.com/contact_us.php. It would also be a great idea to attach a link to your video in your communication (as a more solid basis for your complaint). Ganyan, proactive dapat.

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  20. Check the video to see the name and brand of the cereal and where it was bought as well.

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  21. Cereals: Milby the Seaman
    Location: A place of great interest; a reference point (North)

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  22. WATCH THE VIDEO UL SEE THE BRAND's nAME

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  23. pota ung mga iba dito di mga shunga di nagbabasa ng BI and nanunuod ng video. magaling lang magcomment.

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  24. sa dami ng cereal brands ang hirap hulaan nito...dapat hindi ito ginagawang BI.

    libelous ang isang paratang na walang supporting evidence pero ito as the video has shown - may ebidensya at ayon sa letter posted, binuksan yung ibang boxes of the same cereal brand from the shelf at naglabasan yung mga insects so hindi na dapat matakot na mademanda..kaya it is only RIGHT to name the brand and the store selling it

    kung gagawin lang BI ito ni FP, you are not doing your readers a good service - para ka lang host ng comedy show na may "hulaan" segment

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  25. Mas annoying yung mag hindi nagbabasa muna at di pinanood yung video, basta makapagpost lang. Mas kadiri yung nagtatali-talinuhan pero obvious ang katangahan. Read before you click lol

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  26. These are of great help to us: "..this box of cereals.." "..this supermarket in Makati.."

    Keep on printing these kinds of blind items so you'll keep us guessing at the same time "warning us." Bravo, FP!

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  27. The one reader here is right. Nothing will change in this country if you don't complain to the right people. Complaints should be directed to the store owner, the cereal maker, the department of health and the department of commerce.

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  28. Magictime's Sammy The Sailor! ano ba naman puro complain, sana pinanood nyo yung video diba?! nandun, kita yung brand! KALOKA!!!

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  29. kainis mga nag comment na hindi muna magbasa... binuksan nga sa harap ng manager diba??? asar

    FP this is so eeeewwww... this is worth posting than hospital thingy last time...

    -a.c.

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  30. simple lang solution sa problem nya: EH DI WAG NA SYANG ULI BIBILI...PATHETIC

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  31. Anonymous said...
    simple lang solution sa problem nya: EH DI WAG NA SYANG ULI BIBILI...PATHETIC

    November 20, 2011 1:38 PM
    -------------------------------------------------
    eto ang solution mo sa problema? huwag nalang siyang bibili? eh papaano naman yung ibang bibili ng product na iyan for the first time na hindi alam tungkol sa nakakadiring insects na yan? eh di sila naman ang dehado. first & foremost dapat protektado ang LAHAT ng consumers sa ganitong klaseng irresponsibility at negligence. the management should look into this legitimate complaint.
    tapos may name-calling ka pa--PATHETIC pa ngayon ang consumer? kaya walang asenso ang pilipino, screwed up ang scruples, morals & principles. at content sa band-aid solutions lang, (ex. huwag nalang bumili ng produkto) you should get to the root of the problem.
    thank you FP for posting this letter, picture & video for your readers.

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  32. dapat ireport na sa dti for negligence at pra wala na ring mabiktima pang iba.

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  33. Pa free taste mo! sa pinagbilhan mo! etchos lang! hahaha

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  34. I've experience the same but in another supermarket. I also complained and wanted a refund on the item I bought but the irony is I have to wait for more than 30 mins. because of their procedure if you wanted a refund. I didn't agree to be replaced cause when I saw the remaining products it is past the expiration dates. I even told the sales girl to pull out the stocks cause it is past their expiration dates but it seems that she didn't hear me.
    I think it is the responsibility of the store owner to have a memo that expired products should be pulled out from the shelves.

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  35. next time buy n lng the known brand of cereals...never heard of that brand!!

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  36. Sa mga nagrereklamo na hindi pinangalanan yung brand kaya useless ang post na 'to, PANUORIN NIYO KAYA YUNG VIDEO BAGO KAYO MAGREKLAMO!

    FP posted both pics and video! Sana kasi tinitignan muna lahat bago nagtatatalak!

    To the letter sender:
    Kung hindi manager ang nakausap niyo sa customer service, don't expect sympathy from them (KAHIT SAAN APPLICABLE TO). Sabi mo "...when she saw the insects coming out of the box, she was not surprised at all." Ugali talaga yan ng mga staff. Wala rin naman kasi silang magagawa para sayo, kaya wala rin silang pakialam sa reklamo. So it's always best to always ask for the manager. At least, pag sila ang no reaction, eh talagang dapat nang gyerahin sila! LOL

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  37. wag na wag kayong bibili ng brand na yan. baka kung anong klaseng magic ang ginagawa nyan sa mga products nila. di lang cereals ang product nila, infairness mukha kasing attractive mga products pero di natin alam kung san galing yan

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  38. Maglinis ka kaya ng bahay mo. Eeewwwww......

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  39. Please watch the video! The video actually shows the brand of the cereal and the company who made it! Its not the buyers fault, the problem is either with the supermarket or the shipper of the product. The problem with our country is, we don't have laws that would protect us consumers!

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  40. Kung hindi manager ang nakausap niyo sa customer service, don't expect sympathy from them (KAHIT SAAN APPLICABLE TO). Sabi mo "...when she saw the insects coming out of the box, she was not surprised at all." I TOTALLY AGREE. ANG STAFF KC WALA SILANG PAKIALAM, ANG IMPORTANT LANG SA KANILA SUSWELDO SILA SA 15-30, TIME IN NG 8AM OUT NG 9PM YUN LANG. BAKA NGA PATI MANAGER WALANG PAKIALAM!

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  41. a lot of people commenting here are clearly s _ _ _ __d..imagine giving an advice of just not buying the same product or avoiding the store,even calling the complainant pathetic just shows how feeble their brains are! it has nothing to do about her house or her tiles or her nails you fools! its about exercising her rights as a consumer to have access to safe products and getting her money's worth even if the product is not popoular..kaya ang pilipinas napaka lousy when it comes to returning defective,unsafe products!!!

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  42. FP repost the post that you deleted! I haven't seen it yet :( lol

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  43. tama rin na pinost ito pero mas ok kung pina-alam sa proper authorities..para maaksyonan ng husto at warn ang public nagbabasa man o hindi ng FP ok? Kuha?

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  44. yung iba dito ang galing lang manita na maglinis ng bahay, ano brand ng cereal. BASAHIN PO AT PANOORIN YUNG VIDEO BEFORE MAGCOMMENT.

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  45. never heard of that brand of cereal, lol!

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  46. Anonymous said...
    Maglinis ka kaya ng bahay mo. Eeewwwww......
    November 20, 2011 4:50 PM

    - YOU'RE DUMB AND INSENSITIVE FOR PUTTING A COMMENT LIKE THAT. what the hell is your problem .

    - FOR PEOPLE CALLING THE SENDER PATHETIC.. MAS PATHETIC KAYO. YOU HAVE TO STAND UP FOR YOUR CONSUMER RIGHTS. NOT NECESSARILY ABUSE THIS POWER.. BUT IF YOU SEE INSECTS IN YOUR CEREALS YOU SHOULD FREAKIN' COMPLAIN AND NOT LET IT PASS.

    - IF SOMETHING IS DEFECTIVE YOU DON'T JUST ACCEPT IT AND SAY PWEDE NA YAN WALA NG MAGAGAWA. YOU RETURN THE ITEM AND COMPLAIN. ITS NOT JUST FOR YOUR OWN GOOD BUT THE COMPANY AS WELL. AND NOT JUST FOR ITEMS THIS GOES FOR BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE.KAKAHIYA.. AND PEOPLE ABROAD THINK FILIPINOS ARE HOSPITABLE.

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  47. Something similar happened to me although a different brand and different supermarket. It's an inhouse brand and no, hindi ung favorite ma-BI dito, it's their competitor. They have an inhouse brand na "healthy" ang positioning and who doesn't want to be healthy right? Healthy me, healthy you - we all want that. So I bought their cereal because it was priced reasonably and the variant seemed tasty - almonds, granola winner! Ah well it was tasty all right, so tasty the insects wanted a piece of it too hehe. I think it's a storage problem, the products were not stored properly at one point. Well who knows where the chain of neglect occurred. These things happen and sometimes the supermarket doesn't have a way of knowing until the customers bring it to their attention.

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  48. Hello??? Think girl!!! How could be an insects like that.... I mean that visible be in that package without even noticing thru quality control??? Taking their company at stake??? You make me laugh. Siguro sa cabinet or food storage yan na pinaglagyan. GAWD!!! One word..... IDIOTA!!!

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  49. I complained to BFAD and sent the pics and video link to them. I also included pictures of the cereal boxes that were still displayed on the supermarket shelves.

    I also copied Mon Tulfo in the email that I sent to the management of the supermarket.

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  50. walang video kaninang umaga. so without the video, useless talaga ang BI. At bakit kailangan pang gawing blind item kung totoo naman? Name the brand and the store in the main article kaagad and send a complaint to bfad and dti

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  51. What's my problem???? It's your face!!! Commenting on my comment??? Save your relatives on that box. PROBLEM YOUR FACE!!!

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  52. Anonymous November 20, 2011 10:41PM

    bago ka tumawag sa ibang tao ng IDIOTA, mag-correct English grammar ka muna! "How could be an insects like that"! Hahaha!

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  53. after watching the video, these are my realizations:

    1. that's what you get for buying cheap cereals from unknown brands. this is being sold in 99php american stores also, so it is one of the cheapest cereals being sold in the market. you get what you pay for, obviously. not willing to buy a slightly expensive and known brand para makatipid? expect poor quality of everything.

    2. eets een da plasteec! and ders anader!
    don't you just hate her trying hard english?

    3. i know why her nick is brownie! because her finger is so brown and her nails are so dirty!

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  54. ang cheapangga ng cereal, kasing cheapangga ng bumili!

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  55. ang galing naman nung maid! marunong na mag-video, nag-eenglish pa! what? siya yung letter sender and not the maid? oh, tough luck then. :)

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  56. brownie, parang jebs lang noh? hahhahaha! may pagka- boba si letter sender, the incident happened to her before, di pa rin natuto, she still ended up buying the same brand. if for anything, it serves her right. learn from your mistakes dumdum. and clean your nail! amd learn how to pronounce better. how's that for your 5 minutes of fame, brownie? happy much already?

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  57. the title of the post should be, insects in my cereal, dirt in my fingernails, makes sense to me. magdonate nga kayo ng pang paraffin wax sa kamay at manicure nito!

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  58. HAHAHA

    Anonymous said...
    Anonymous November 20, 2011 10:41PM

    bago ka tumawag sa ibang tao ng IDIOTA, mag-correct English grammar ka muna! "How could be an insects like that"! Hahaha!
    November 21, 2011 12:02 AM - hahah agreee.


    Anonymous said...
    What's my problem???? It's your face!!! Commenting on my comment??? Save your relatives on that box. PROBLEM YOUR FACE!!!
    November 20, 2011 11:52 PM
    - idiot. papansin lang. mag comment sana ng nakakatulong.

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  59. storage nga ang nakikita kong problema dito. storage sa supermarket ha. yan ay kung di pa expired or malapit na mag expire ang cereals na yan.

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  60. sa lahat (or isang tao ka lang?) na nagsasabing dumdum, boba, idiota (gosh all this name-calling!) yung letter sender, kung mangyari sa inyo/iyo ito even once, you may not buy the same product again nga, but with your palaban attitude, i bet you will raise hell over it, much more than brownie pa!! :D

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  61. HINDI BA SYA EXPIRED? BETTER TO SHOW YOUR PROOF MISMO SA DTI. THEY HAVE A HOTLINE, COMPLAIN KA DOON. MAS MAAKSUNAN PA YAN!

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  62. MagicTime is a US brand for those of you ignorant fools. It's not exactly a cheap brand. Get your facts straight.

    With that being said, since hindi sya masyadong kilala dito, walang bumibili, naiiwan sa inventory. Kahit na ba hindi pa expired yan, possible ang contamination/infestation. Pagkain yan, at hindi lang tayo ang kumakain.

    Letter sender is not at fault here. Could be either the supermarket and their facilities or maybe the distributor/seller/whatever. Advice ko nalang kay sender, try another brand (Betty Crocker?) or try another supermarket that carries the same brand.

    And please stop criticizing the letter sender for her dirty nails or her counter's dirty grout lines. It's none of your business.

    BTW kakadiri yung parang tumatalon na insect! Eeeeeeewwwwww :-/

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  63. To wtfash..

    Your point number 1 is just STUPID! cheap products DOES NOT always equate to LOW QUALITY! gosh kaya nga may mga nagbabazaars or other avenues to buy cheap things is that everything kasi they sell are cheap or (cheaper than those sold in branded stores/markets) but still OF GOOD QUALITY!

    and to your blog, which i just visited and REGRETTED... taking pictures of others to make fun of because of their style?! yes it's true that there are a lot of fashion no-nos out there, but to publicize them and write nasty comments?! gosh that's just plain MEAN AND PATHETIC. seriously. shut down your blog.

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  64. and to your blog, which i just visited and REGRETTED... taking pictures of others to make fun of because of their style?! yes it's true that there are a lot of fashion no-nos out there, but to publicize them and write nasty comments?! gosh that's just plain MEAN AND PATHETIC. seriously. shut down your blog.
    November 21, 2011 3:47 PM

    - hmmm did he or she mean the fashion POLICE with joan rivers?
    - lost soul...

    hahahahah

    but I must agree with the others.. HOY STOP CALLING THE SENDER NAMES.. THE FACT THAT SHE MADE AN EFFORT TO COMPLAIN .. MAKES HER A GOOD CONSUMER/SHOPPER. DON'T CALL HER STUPID OR WHATEVER. SHAME ON YOU PEOPLE. THE PROBLEM HERE IS THE SUPERMARKET. STORAGE AND HANDLING OF THE GROCERY.

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    ReplyDelete
  66. kebs. wit naman ako bumabuyla ng cereal. eh.

    ReplyDelete