Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  01/29/2025

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I will just cut and paste an email below:In addition on the date of purchase, I did call to complain. I provided the exact amount $25.33 and the last four digits on the receipt as requested by customer service. Plus pictures of the crab and the crab label.I purchased a bad crab on December 28 and I'm just now getting a follow-up response on January 1 of the New Year? The customer service is sorely lacking. Additionally, I also called the store directly same evening and spoke with **** who dared to tell me that I would have to bring the crab back in as they needed it for inventory as if I was scamming lol.What an insulting statement to make, as if I would drive all the way back to return bad crab. Our dinner was ruined!!! She missed the opportunity to refund me immediately. I spent almost 2 hours doing prep work in the kitchen for this ********* purchased ghee, bread and individual gourmet salads for us as well! Do you know how time consuming it is to cut up 3 tight bulbs of garlic?!?!After I took your requested pics (timestamped) I just threw it away as I will no longer store your bad crab in our refrigerator. its been a month later and I still have not received my refund. If I dont receive it in a few days, I will call my bank **************** and put in a claim they will refund me immediately and go after you because Im tired of the horrible customer service to resolve it. Youve had so much time to ameliorate the matter. Im also going to leave the worst ever because at this point you have taken up somuch of my time.

  Business response

  01/30/2025

  Hello,

  A refund in the amount of $25.33 for the crab was issued on 12/28/24 to your card ending in 1506. If you have not received the refund, you will need to partner with your bank as refunds should settle within 10 days. Your claim has been filed with our dedicated claims team who will initiate the claims process. A team member will be contacting you shortly. Thank you!

  Customer response

  01/31/2025

  Complaint: 22869332
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  I just checked my ***** Fargo statement online and there was absolutely nNO deposit made on any date following 12/28/25. it may have been issued, but it was never Follow through. Please check your records again and send me proof, That should be easy enough, As again, Im looking at every single deposit entry and there is nothing. I even put in search words for Whole Foods as well as the exact amount $25.33. A refund was never issued.

  Business response

  02/04/2025

  Hello Jade,

  I am truly sorry for the length of time this has taken to resolve. I did some digging and it appears the debit adjustment was not processed after all. If I process a debit adjustment, it could take up to 30 days for that to post (debit adjustments take a full billing cycle to close). I don't want you to have to wait that long so I would like to offer you a $50 gift card in place of the debit adjustment. If this is acceptable, please confirm your email address and I will send it which you will receive within 1 business day. 

  Again, I am truly sorry for this issue and the delay in providing a resolution.

  Thank you,

  *******

   

  Customer response

  02/04/2025

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  Thank you for your kind response. I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Regards,
  
  Jade And ******** **** - *****

• Initial Complaint

  01/14/2025

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My EBT card was used without them having physical possession of my card. The person who used the card hacked my account and used my card numbers to make a purchase of $270.70. The store keyed in my stolen card number without having my physical card present

  Customer response

  01/13/2025

  Good morning. This is the screenshot of the purchase made. My card numbers were entered without my physical card being present. I spoke with the manager of the store and was informed that this happens all the time and they are aware of it. I just need to contact my workers and the money will be reimbursed. This is completely unacceptable. Please help.

  Business response

  01/15/2025

  We are going to refer this back to the store because we cannot assist with EBT cases, only the store can. 

   

  Thank you,

  *******

• Initial Complaint

  01/13/2025

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I made a purchase that included flour and several glass items. I checked out through the cashier line and an employee bagged my groceries. She did not double bag it and over packed it. I was carrying the bags by the handles. As I was walking up the steps to my house, one of the bags ripped completely down the side and everything fell out all the glass items broke and got tomato, jelly, and essential oils all over everything in the bag. I was then at a loss for 50$ worth of groceries. I clean up the mess and then called the customer service and they informed me that someone would be contacting me back to issue a refund. They did not say to bring any of the product back to Whole Foods or that I needed to save the products. This wouldve been impossible and it was such a mess and safety hazard. A few days later, I received an email from Whole Foods saying that I needed to take all the items back to the store for a refund. At this point that is impossible Because I threw those items away the day I cleaned up the mess.

  Business response

  01/13/2025

  The customer had been informed that we are unable to process any *** refunds from our offices. Any *** refund requests must be handled at the store level. The customer must present the physical EBT card for any refunds. 

• Initial Complaint

  01/02/2025

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On December 29th 2024 my card was unauthorized and used and I was stolen from from by ********** and Whole foods to tip an awful and irresponsible driver! On December 28th I placed an order on my Amazon Prime account to buy some quick food items from wholefoods. I bought 4 food items plus an additional paper bag fee. Upon adding my debit card to pay for the food items during checkout I was not given an option to tip. The driver named *** ended up Miss delivering my food to a different house so I wasn't even able to eat the food that I ordered. I immediately contacted ****** customer service to which they apologized to me and offered me a full refund. On the 29th my card was done charged giving the driver a $5 tip without my permission, which is dishonesty and Theft. Not only did I not get my order but you are now rewarding a driver who didn't even deliver my food with my hard earned money. I contacted ****** for them to refund the tip and I was told that even though the tip was optional and unauthorized because the driver already has the tip amount in there account they are unable to refund me I asked them to send me a $5 check to make up for the fact that they stole from me without my permission but they refused. In other words they basically said we understand that we stole from you and rewarded the driver with your money and that you did not authorize or give a tip but it is out of our hands now because the driver already has the money. I called Whole Foods and was unable to speak to customer service either for some odd reason. I just want my $5 back I would like Whole Foods to give me a $5 refund back you cannot charge somebody's debit card and reward your drivers without letting the card owner know that is theft and that is illegal! The order was placed and I was charged on December 28th then randomly on December 29th you gave the driver a tip with my card!

  Business response

  01/02/2025

  Hello ******,

  We will go ahead and email the customer directly letting them know we can offer a $5 gift card for this. 

   

  Thank you for the information,

  Customer response

  01/02/2025

  Complaint: 22752837
  
  I am rejecting this response because I accepted the gift card but looks like my email isn't going through because the sender's message box is full I'm not sure I want this to be known that I am accepting the gift card so please follow through with your promise!
  

  Business response

  01/06/2025

  The gift card was requested today and will arrive within 2 business days.

• Initial Complaint

  12/30/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On 12/27/2024 at 8:31 pm CST, I bought what I thought were cranberry orange muffins from your **********, ** location. When I got home, I realized they were mislabeledthey had coconut and walnuts, which isnt normal for cranberry orange muffins from Whole Foods. The taste was way off toothey tasted more like bran muffins than cranberry orange. To make matters worse, the label said the product was bioengineered. It was my understanding that bakery items didnt contain GMOs or bioengineered ingredients.Also, your customer service line is terrible. Ive called your support line ***************) multiple times over the last 30 days about other purchases, and was lied to when a *** said theyd call me back, and the line was disconnected several times once a *** answered. I need a call from someone with authority to resolve my issues and provide a refund for the mislabeled bioengineered product I purchased.

  Business response

  01/02/2025

  Hello ******,

  We will email the customer and offer a refund for the muffins and apologize for the issues encountered when contacting our customer support line. We will also provide feedback to the store and share the information with ***************** team. 

   

  Thank you,

  *******

  Customer response

  01/04/2025

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. But if the refund is not provided in a timely manner and if I do not receive a call to discuss my concerns regarding the incorrectly labeled product, I will open a new complaint.
  
  Regards,
  
  ******* *******

• Initial Complaint

  12/17/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I am writing after purchasing a Christmas tree on 12/1/24. I called the store where the tree was purchased (upper east side ****************) on 12/7/24 as we were not happy with the quality of the tree. I explained that the tree trunk had split along the center and moved upwards along the trunk more than when we purchased the tree and that it was being held together with Zip ties. I also noted how the tree was shedding an extreme amount which is not typical for a Balsam Fir to do. After speaking with an apathetic supervisor, who suggested I can somehow return the 50lb tree back to the store with my receipt for a refund. I explained the situation again, and offered to bring pictures and the receipt, noting that I have an injury that would make returning the tree challenging with no net to tie it - along with an additional cost of returning the tree. Whole Foods at this location were also out of trees, so we would not have been able to bring a new tree home as an exchange either. I was eventually given email information to write to at NE Customer Experience Site. Unbeknownst to me, an automated email was in my spam stating that the address is no longer being actively monitored, and all emails to this site will now be forwarded to the ******************** team. I never heard back from anyone until I received another automated email on 12/12/24 from Whole Foods Market ************** with no support on my refund request. It is very disappointing to have experienced this, as my husband and I have purchased our Christmas trees from Whole Foods for several years now, and they have been lovely with no issues which is why we are returning customers for the Christmas trees every year. Please can a supervisor get in touch with me to help resolve this *********** wishes.

  Business response

  12/17/2024

  We apologize to the customer and will be reaching out to him. Thanks!

  Customer response

  12/22/2024

  Complaint: 22697309
  
  I am rejecting this response because: As of 12/17 I was told via email from Whole Foods that I would receive a full refund, and I provided the requested information for the refund to be put back onto my credit card. I have not received the offered refund or any correspondence from Whole ********************* who I replied to with requested information - acknowledging my reply to them. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ***** ********

  Business response

  12/27/2024

  Our sincere apologies for the delay. We will reach out to the customer directly as we will need the receipt information in order to process a refund.

  Customer response

  01/03/2025

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. Thank you for your support with my issue with Whole Foods. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ***** ********

• Initial Complaint

  12/16/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have been shopping at the Whole Foods in *************, **, for over five years, but since the ***** pandemic, Ive noticed a significant decline in the quality of the produce and other grocery items. While prices have increased, my primary concern is the consistently poor quality of the produce. Despite in-store signage and expiration dates indicating that items should remain fresh for days, I frequently end up with spoiled produce almost immediately after purchase.Ive repeatedly raised this issue, including filing complaints with Whole Foods customer service and leaving a review on ******. Although I received responses, the problem has persisted for years. Once, I even returned two bad avocados within three days of purchase and was given a $5 gift card. During another visit, a produce worker told me that their avocados are often delivered frozen, making it nearly impossible to judge ripeness. Even when he suggested I switch to buying the more expensive large avocados, the issue continuedI end up discarding one out of every four. Similarly, I throw away 23 mandarins from every bag I buy and at least a third of my 365 Baby Arugula within a day or two of opening, even when its within the expiration date, and half of the broccoli ******** an Amazon Prime member for at least 15 years, and someone who spends approximately $150 per week on groceries at Whole Foods, with a third of that on produce, Ive been wasting at least $7 a week on spoiled items. Over the past two years, when I noticed the problem getting worse, this amounts to more than $700. I believe Whole Foods owes me a $500 gift card, at a minimum, to compensate for these repeated losses. Until this issue is resolved, I will no longer purchase produce from Whole Foods.

  Business response

  12/16/2024

  We apologize that you are having issues with the quality of the produce from the ************* store. We will certainly share your feedback with the leadership team at the store.

  Whole Foods Market has a 100% satisfaction guarantee on our products. The customer needs only to return to the store with the receipt within 90 days and a refund will be issued. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer any other compensation or for purchases made in the past.

  Customer response

  12/20/2024

  Complaint: 22689650
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I have repeatedly contacted the store regarding the quality of the produce, as mentioned in my complaint. One time I was offered a $5 gift card, and other times they suggest I have to bring in the bad produce for any type of refund, rather than just my pictures of the expired avocados. They aren't as helpful as you suggest they will be. Additionally, I should have done this every week? Every week I should return to the store with bad produce saying "oh, here's more bad avocados, and slimy baby arugula 4 days within the expiration date." Please. Advise the store to get their act together and stop selling bad produce! It's a scam to increase your bottom line profit and I'm tire of losing my hard-earned money shopping in your store.
  
  Regards,
  
  ******** *****

  Business response

  12/27/2024

  Our apologies for the damaged produce. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer any compensation beyond a refund from our offices.

  Customer response

  01/02/2025

  Complaint: 22689650
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I still want a refund for all of that bad produce that the store is STILL selling.
  
  Regards,
  
  ******** *****

• Initial Complaint

  11/27/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I am writing to file a complaint regarding a disappointing experience at the Whole Foods store on **************. On the day I went to place an order for a pre-cooked Thanksgiving meal, I was told that I would receive an email with a payment link after the order was taken. I was advised to remain in the store until I received the email and could complete the payment, which I did.The order was to be picked up between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. However, after receiving the link and attempting to complete the payment, I encountered an error repeatedly. I tried multiple times to access the link, but I kept receiving an error message.When I sought help from the store associates, I was told they could not assist and that I would need to call the customer service number ***************). I called the number and waited on hold for about ************************* the store. When I finally spoke with a representative named Lan, I was told that Whole Foods was not accepting orders at that time, even though my order had been placed in the store and I was simply trying to pay for it.Lan then explained that the store was only adding items to my shopping cart, which was confusing because I had expected a confirmed order, not just a shopping cart. Had I known this, I could have placed the order at home without wasting time in the store. Lan suggested I purchase raw ingredients instead, despite my clear explanation that I had ordered the pre-cooked meal to avoid the need to cook the turkey myself. He even suggested I search for restaurants that could cook a turkey for me, which I found to be unhelpful and unprofessional.This experience was frustrating and unprofessional. I spent considerable time at the store, only to have my Thanksgiving meal plans disrupted. The lack of clarity about the order process and the inadequate customer service have significantly impacted my holiday plans.I hope that you can look into this matter and assist in addressing the issues I faced.

  Business response

  11/27/2024

  Hello - We will be reaching out to the customer to gather feedback to send to our store & appropriate leadership teams at corporate office.

  Customer response

  12/07/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Regards,
  
  **** El *******

• Initial Complaint

  11/20/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Whole Foods in ************, ******, ** (now Ideal Market) has a coffee bar that I would frequent regularly. I decided to purchase a Whole Foods card to use instead of piling up these small charges for a cup of coffee daily on my credit card. When I did this, their coffee bar was open normal business hours. However, recently they decided to shut the coffee bar down every day at 12:00 PM, which conflicts with my schedule so I can no longer get my coffee there. I called the store to see if they would issue a refund for what was left on the card since limiting their hours this way meant I could no longer go there. They refused. It was kind of like a "too bad for you" response, it's your loss. Customer comes last, we got your money, buy other stuff in our store, which benefits us. I don't want to buy anything else there; in fact, this experience makes me never want to shop there again. But if you're going to cut your hours so drastically to where a customer can no longer use the card she purchased to come in for your coffee, the least you can do is refund her money. It wouldn't break you.

  Business response

  11/21/2024

  Unfortunately, activated Whole Foods Market gift cards are nonrefundable. Due to our company policy we are unable to issue refunds.

  Customer response

  11/21/2024

  Complaint: 22580133
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  Their response is exactly what I am complaining about. They have employees in their Bakery directly adjacent to the coffee bar who are not that busy (as more tend to come in for coffee than to buy large cakes, right)?  These employees were the ones who put down their cell phones or their chats with each other and took the 5 steps to the coffee bar to serve incoming customers. If they happened to be busy in the ****** area then we would wait. But the powers that be somehow feel it is better to pay employees to sit while denying customers who can't come in until after 12:00 the ability to purchase coffee. Yes, it's my dilemma that I bought the card specifically to buy coffee there, as I was coming in daily and thought it would be easier than using my credit card. I never realized they would abruptly cut the hours so drastically that I couldn't use the card. So my mistake. But theirs is in following a policy that turns away customers and then not working with them, because customers tend to talk. Got some friends who are disgusted with you and will no longer shop there, and they were buying a lot more than coffee. I hope the extra $14.95 you made on me was worth the negative PR.               

  Regards,

  
  ***** *****

  Business response

  11/25/2024

  Whole Foods Market refund policy regarding gift cards not being refundable has already been explained to the customer in the previous email.

  Business response

  11/25/2024

  Whole Foods Market refund policy regarding gift cards not being refundable has already been explained to the customer in the previous email.

  Customer response

  11/26/2024

  Complaint: 22580133
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  Their second response is a repeat of the first and indicative of the horrible store they've become. Customers are irrelevant. They can talk about their bad experiences with us all they want; no one will force us to ever give a dam*n. So no worries, we win. Okay then.  Wins like this carry a short shelf life. The bad feelings towards your store, however, are indefinite.   

  ***** *****

  Business response

  11/27/2024

  We understand the customer's complaint and will provide feedback to specific store location in regards to customer service. In regards to our response to core complaint, Whole Foods Market refund policy regarding gift cards not being refundable has already been explained to the customer in previous emails.

  Customer response

  11/27/2024

  Complaint: 22580133
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  I've already talked with the store. They gave me the same dismissive response you have. I remember back when this store was Whole Foods, even when it was Alfalfa's and Wild Oats. I've lived in this neighborhood a long time, and have always shopped at this store during it's various incarnations.  **************** was different then; a store change driving regular customers away might have been revisited, especially after the customers let them know their dissatisfaction. Having Bakery personnel sitting around while customers are turned away for coffee at the adjacent bar is just ridiculous. I know what your gift card policy is; I've been reminded about it in your repeated one-line responses.  Store policy is not what I've been complaining about.  See if you can figure out what has caused a 20 year veteran shopper to suddenly decide to take her business elsewhere.  For those of us who remember, no matter how much paint you put on it, you'll never come close to how great this store once was because you don't value your customer.             
  Regards,
  
  ***** *****

  Business response

  12/27/2024

  We have already shared our gift card and refund policy with the customer. 

• Initial Complaint

  11/18/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  The Amazon kiosk for returns at the Whole Foods location in **************************************************** ... ******************) never worked. I have been shopping there for a few years now. This is upsetting because Aventura is a ritzy area so I'm not sure why this Whole Foods is so low class.

  Business response

  11/20/2024

  We will be happy to create a case for the customer and alert the store to the issue. However, ****** maintains the counter and kiosk and theor team members handle all of the returns,

  Customer response

  11/21/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Regards,
  
  Rivly *****

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩