Serious breach of the Consumer Protection Act – sale of unsafe food and refusal to honour consumer rights

On 7 January 2026, I purchased two 16-piece chicken packs from Checkers N1, priced at R101 and R108. Upon preparing the chicken, one pack was clearly spoiled, emitting a strong rotten smell, and was unsafe for consumption. The second pack was prepared separately and nothing wrong with it.

In terms of Section 55 of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), consumers are entitled to goods that are safe, of good quality, and fit for purpose. Selling spoiled chicken constitutes a clear breach of this section, particularly where the product poses a health risk.

Despite this, I had to go out of my way to visit Checkers Willowbridge to report the matter. The store manager, John, outright refused to exchange or refund the defective product. This response shows a complete lack of understanding or disregard for consumer law.

I then escalated the matter to Checkers Customer Care, where I was assisted by Sizanda. I was informed that when purchasing fresh chicken, the expectation is that it must be prepared immediately, effectively suggesting that consumers may not store groceries and must shop daily. This assertion is factually incorrect, unreasonable, and legally indefensible.

The CPA does not require immediate consumption of fresh goods. It requires that goods be safe and usable within their stated shelf life when stored under normal conditions. Furthermore, Section 56 of the CPA provides an imp**** six-month warranty of quality, entitling consumers to a refund or replacement when goods fail to meet legal standards — a right that was ********ly denied in this instance.

The conduct of both store management and customer care reflects systemic non-compliance with the Consumer Protection Act, poor training, and a troubling lack of accountability from a national retailer trusted to sell food products.

This experience is unacceptable. I expect formal acknowledgement of this breach, corrective action, and compliance with consumer law. Until then, I will seriously reconsider supporting Checkers as a retailer.