SHOCKKING OHS NON-COMPLIANCE = VALID MARKED DOWN PnP PRODUCTS

Good gracious; SHOCKKING & DISTURBING explanation by Pick 'n Pay Seafood Deli Manager! Getting a few groceries for the week that included an excellent seem to be promotion on packs of 800g each of "Large" & "Medium" Frozen Prawns for a nice dinner braai with the family. We took the last 3 x "Large" packs in the freezer of which 2 x packs was clearly marked down from R299.99 to R210.00 each. (An excellent saving of R89.99 per pack of 13 x large prawns per serving). One pack did not have the red marked down sticker and we immediately checked the brand, packing quality, contents, Batch No, Best Before & Sell by Date, etc and compared it with the other packs that were marked down. There was no dispute or differences to be found. We concluded that the pack were overseen when Pick 'n Pay staff marked it down. We also took another 3 x "Medium" 800g red label marked down to R196.00 packs from a few that was left. At the till, we informed cashier C. Machaba about the 1 x "Large" 800g prawn pack without the red marked down label, who inspected it and agreed that she came to the very same conclusion and will call the Manager on Duty. The Manager lady arrived and also inspected the packages and confirm our conclusion, but she says only the Seafood Department Manager can override the price tendered to be the same than the marked down price. So, she called this section's manager, and a lady arrived. After we all explained the situation, she agreed that it might have been overlooked as it is from the same batch and there are no visible differences that will cause a dispute that it cannot be sold at the same red marked down price of R210.00 BUT THEN as we want to proceed for payment, she says to us she cannot allow the red marked down price on the item and that we will have to pay the full price of R299.99 for it. Now totally surprised with her action after agreeing that we all might have been correct in conclusion as previously said, I asked her "What is your valid reasoning?" The following shocking Pick 'n Pay Manager's explanation changed my good intentions for a nice family seafood dinner (braai) and simultaneously I left all seafood items just there on the cashier's table feeling nauseous and disgruntled...The lady said, and I quote: "Sir, sometimes customers leave frozen items anywhere in the store and then it defrosts/melt down and the colour change. It also happens sometimes in the stores. It is due to that that we marked it far down for the consumers to quickly buy it and get it out of our stock. If it seems a few of the packs changed colour inside; only those are marked down. I think this is what happened and therefor I cannot override the normal costing price on this one pack to be the same as for the others, sorry." I was so shocked and alarmed of this high Occupational Health & Safety risk explanation without any Consequence Management by the Ackerman Pick 'n Pay Business family that I told her I am disgusted as a loyal Pick 'n Pay customer that they have no OHS measures by selling food that went off due to some reasons of sort OR have double standards. They can keep their substandard seafood for themselves, and it seems better to buy in future 'confirmed quality & fresh' food from Woolworths and stay healthy and satisfied. At least the manager staff is well trained in customer care. So, next time you see a red marked down product from Pick 'n Pay; first consider the history of the item and reason why it is marked down BEFORE you risk getting sick....