Expired Product Sold – Serious Health Risk

Following my initial complaint, I received a call back from a customer service agent who informed me that she had emailed the store, but they were not responding. She advised me to physically go to the store with proof of purchase for my original transaction, along with proof of the medication I bought for my daughter, and stated that the store must then handle the matter and process my refund.

When I explained that I had paid cash for the medication and did not keep the slip, because at the time I had no reason to believe I would need it, she bluntly told me that they would not refund my money for the medication under any circumstances.

I am deeply disturbed and disgusted by this response. The lack of accountability and compassion, especially considering this involved the health of my child, is unacceptable. If this matter is not considered as serious, and I am not compesated fairly, I will have no choice but to invlove consumer protection authorities to address this formally.

As I stated clearly in my previous message, I no longer have the proof of purchase for the medication, as I had no reason to believe I would ever need it until I discovered that the chips had caused my daughter’s food poisoning. I should not be penalized for this, particularly when the circumstances involve my child’s health and the clear fault lies with your product.

This continued back-and-forth, coupled with the lack of accountability, has caused unnecessary stress and wasted time. I expect my refund for the original purchase to be processed immediately, and I also request compensation for the inconvenience and distress this matter has caused.

Not your complaints team but the store manager and this is the email she sent to me:

"Good Morning Tosca

Thank you for the pictures.

Will send off to supplier and give feedback once I get a response."

And this was my response to the email above fro the storesmanager:

"Good morning

I appreciate your reply, but I’m struggling to understand why my concern requires a response from your supplier. I purchased the items directly from your store shelves, where they were displayed for sale, and discovered they were expired only after the purchase.

Since the transaction took place in your store and the products were available to customers there, I believe the matter should be addressed directly by your store, without waiting on a supplier’s input. I’d appreciate it if we could resolve this promptly.

Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I look forward to your response."

No accountability

It’s Thursday today, and I’m still waiting for the feedback that the manager at Game Stores promised to give me by Monday. That deadline has long passed, and to make matters worse, I even sent her a follow-up email which has been completely ignored.

This kind of treatment is unacceptable. Making promises to customers and then not following through with zero communication. This shows a complete lack of respect and accountability.

Extremely poor service from the Game store at Promenade Mitchells Plain. I emailed management multiple times in November 2025 and received no response. In December 2025, I went to the store and spoke to the manager personally, clearly explaining that my complaint with the ombudsman was unsuccessful and that the matter was back at store level. Despite this being stated clearly in my emails, the manager claimed he thought the matter was still with the ombudsman and I was met with hostility by another male employee speaking on the managers behalf.

Months later, there has been zero communication, no refund, and no accountability. This level of neglect and unprofessionalism is unacceptable. I would not recommend dealing with this store’s management at all.

This is a follow-up to my previous complaint regarding expired chips purchased from GAME Stores, after ending a call with them now.

What has been most frustrating is not only the initial incident, but the ongoing back-and-forth with GAME as a whole. Despite repeated communication, the matter has been handled poorly, with little accountability taken and no meaningful acknowledgment of the seriousness of selling expired food, particularly where a child’s health was affected.
I was further advised by a store manager that GAME’s lawyers are refusing to compensate me. Hearing this, rather than a genuine effort to resolve the matter, has been extremely disappointing and has reinforced the impression that the company is unwilling to take responsibility.

As a customer, I trusted GAME as a brand to uphold basic standards of safety and customer care. Instead, I have been left feeling dismissed. This issue is no longer about the product itself, but about integrity and doing what is right for a customer who was let down.

I expected far better from a brand of this size and reputation.

I am beyond exhausted dealing with GAME Mass Stores, and this will be my final attempt to be heard.

After everything I have already detailed in my previous reviews regarding the sale of expired food that resulted in my child becoming ill, GAME has refused to compensate me for the medication I had to purchase. After months of fighting, calls, emails, store visits, and escalations, I eventually let that go because I was simply tired of fighting a company that shows no compassion or accountability.

As a last attempt at resolution, I requested a voucher as a gesture of goodwill, not even cash, considering the prolonged distress, poor handling, and complete lack of customer care throughout this ordeal.

The response?
I was contacted by GAME’s customer service team and informed that after “back and forth” with store management, the Mitchells Plain Promenade GAME store has decided against giving me a voucher. Instead, I was told I must go into the store personally to get my refund — despite the fact that I paid by card, not cash.

To make matters worse, I have sent multiple emails to the store manager, Alicia, which have gone unanswered. There has been no accountability, no ownership, and no respect shown to me as a customer.

What makes this even more disturbing is that I truly believe that if I were a white person, the response and outcome would have been very different. The dismissive tone, resistance, and refusal to resolve this matter fairly speaks volumes.

I have just gotten off the phone with the customer service agent, who now says she needs to call the store to “find out” if they can refund my card, even though that is how I paid in the first place. This level of incompetence and runaround is unacceptable.

GAME MASS STORES THE PEOPLE YOU HAVE PUT IN POWER TO MAKE DECISIONS AT STORE LEVEL ARE FAILING YOU AND YOUR CUSTOMERS BY ABUSING THEIR POWER

This is not how any customer should be treated — especially one who has been loyal and patient for months.

DISGRACEFUL... YOU HAVE LOST A LOYAL CUSTOMER FOREVER.

Thank you for the response.

You have addressed the refund to my card, which I am still awaiting confirmation on, but you have not addressed the voucher at all.

As stated previously, I requested a voucher as a gesture of goodwill after months of poor handling, unanswered emails, store-level hostility, and a complete lack of accountability. I was then informed by your customer service team that store management at Mitchells Plain Promenade has refused to issue a voucher.

Please can you clarify:
- Why the request for a goodwill voucher was refused, and

- Whether head office supports this decision by store management, given the full history of this matter.

This issue has gone far beyond a simple refund. It is about customer care, accountability, and how this situation has been handled from start to finish. I would appreciate a clear response on the voucher request, not just selective engagement.

Based on how the situation was handled, it’s hard not to feel that where I live, and the colour of my skin, played a role in the outcome.

I genuinely believe that if I were from a so-called “high-class” area, this matter would have been handled very differently. Customers from areas like Mitchells Plain should not be treated with less respect or taken less seriously than those from more affluent suburbs.

What made this even more frustrating is that when I directly asked the customer service agent whether the company was taking accountability for what happened, they could not give me a clear answer.

This experience reflects poorly on your customer service and raises serious concerns about fairness and equality.

I can see the care being taken in how language is used and framed, and I understand why that approach might be chosen. That said, it’s also clear how wording can be used strategically to shape perception rather than address the substance directly. I hope that, over time, others will recognise this distinction as well.