Big C Vinh Supermarket: Steamed buns moldy even before their expiration date.

(Baonghean)Ms. Tran Thi Thu had only bought the steamed buns two days ago, and according to the packaging, they were still nearly a month away from expiring. However, for some reason, five packages of steamed buns belonging to her suddenly developed green mold. She reported the incident to Big C supermarket, but was met with an indifferent and dismissive attitude.

After submitting a complaint via the hotline to Nghe An Newspaper and then personally bringing the steamed buns to the newspaper's Public Reception office, Ms. Tran Thi Thu (Block 10, Ben Thuy Ward) expressed her disappointment with the behavior of Big C Vinh supermarket staff. She stated: On the morning of March 24th, between 8:30 and 9:00 AM, she and her daughter went to Big C supermarket and bought 5 packages of vegetarian steamed buns produced by Phu My Development Joint Stock Company, whose office is located at 124 Vinh Tuy, Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi.

Because it was a family product and she trusted the supermarket's reputation, she didn't check it carefully. At home, she gave two packages to her sister, and put the remaining three in the refrigerator. On the afternoon of March 25th, she took them out to steam for use. Upon opening them, she was surprised to find several cakes still inside the plastic bags covered in green mold. Checking the other two packages revealed the same condition. She called her sister to check and learned that the two unused packages in the refrigerator also showed signs of mold.

Noticing something unusual, especially since the packaging indicated an expiration date of April 17th, Ms. Thu called the Big C supermarket's customer service hotline to complain. However, according to Ms. Thu, the staff member who answered the phone was impolite and demanded a receipt before resolving the issue. Subsequently, on March 26th, Ms. Thu went directly to the supermarket to request a meeting with a manager and ask to see the product, but only met with a salesperson who insisted on presenting a receipt. “I think, even if I don't have the receipt, to verify whether I purchased the product or not, they could simply check the security camera footage or the product's barcode and enter the information into the sales computer system, as this product is only available at Big C supermarkets. This seems like they are deliberately trying to shirk responsibility…” – Ms. Thu expressed her frustration.





Ms. Tran Thi Thu informed reporters that the steamed buns she bought at Big C supermarket were moldy.

Ms. Thu also said that she had called the manufacturer but to no avail. According to her, "Each packet of steamed buns isn't worth much (priced at only 8,500 VND/packet). What I hope is that this incident will serve as a warning to the supermarket, so they can review their inventory and, if necessary, confiscate the defective or low-quality goods to prevent other customers from buying faulty products."

Upon checking the five packages of cookies that Ms. Thu had kept since the 24th, we found that every single one was covered in green and red mold. When asked about storage, Ms. Thu insisted that she had immediately put them in the refrigerator's cooling compartment after purchasing them from the supermarket, and that she had done so before without any problems. Ms. Thu, and we, are both puzzled by this: Why did the cookies get moldy when the packaging was still intact, sealed, within their expiration date, and properly refrigerated?

Upon receiving the information we presented, Mr. Tran An Khang – Director of Big C Supermarket – expressed surprise and stated that he had not received the information. After checking with relevant departments, he affirmed that this was a shortcoming in communication and conduct by his subordinates. He stated that if he had known, he would have invited the customer in for a meeting to discuss and find a solution. Regarding product quality, Mr. Khang asserted that the product has a clear origin and that the supermarket's food safety and hygiene inspection department had thoroughly checked it before it reached consumers. He also stated that the moldy product could be due to transportation and storage issues, as steamed buns are very susceptible to fermentation at room temperature, even for just a few hours. Regarding customer rights, Mr. Khang committed to working directly with Ms. Thu, and if she requests compensation or an exchange, the supermarket will comply.

The incident of moldy steamed buns at Big C supermarket has once again raised concerns about food safety and hygiene in supermarkets, as consumer inspections are currently mostly based on visual inspection and trust in the supplier. Regarding state management, Mr. Nguyen Tai Dung – Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade – also acknowledged: While the industry and trade sector manages supermarkets, in reality, food safety inspections cannot be carried out regularly. Consumers mostly have to protect themselves through practical checks such as the expiration date printed on the packaging and the freshness of the product.

To ensure food safety and hygiene, many customers have made it a habit to shop at supermarkets instead of markets or small retailers, hoping to buy quality products. But given the incidents mentioned above, can customers truly feel secure about their choices?

Ha - Ly