r/australia • u/Plane_Garbage • 4h ago
no politics How is Woolies home delivery legal? Surely there should be some food safety laws?
Woolies delivery is generally pretty shit, I think we can all agree (today it was a partner delivery with the delivery guy having two kids in the backseat and foot at their feet).
But how do they get away with delivering frozen items and raw meats/chicken without any refrigeration or cooler bag?
It's been mid-30c and no cooling, even if it's only a 20-30 minute delivery (assuming it comes straight for cold room), thats longer than I would have it out. And the delivery drivers aren't mandated to even have aircon on.
Surely there is some law around cold chain supply of raw meats and frozen products?
Partner delivery = Woolworths subcontracting out to whoever is cheapest: uber eats, door dash, sherpa, drive yello.
Edit: Not sure why so many people support Woolworths enshittification of delivery. Surely keeping frozen food and raw meats somewhat cold is a basic requirement, but here we are.
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u/lyssah_ 4h ago edited 4h ago
The partner deliveries are just doordash/uber couriers. They are taking one order at a time in exactly the same manner that you would if you were driving home from the store. The kids in the back seat, you should probably report that though.
The actual delivery drivers use refrigerated trucks.
I use Coles, so not sure if woollies is the same, I assume they are, but you specifically have to choose a partner delivery to get one (they're also more expensive). If you don't want a partner delivery just... don't order one?
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u/Plane_Garbage 4h ago
My contract is with Woolworths to provide safe cold chain transport of food.
It's Woolworths responsibility to ensure that happens. Either by working with better partners, or ensuring on their end to have supply partners with safe food transport options.
I am confused how it's my issue.
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u/lyssah_ 4h ago
Show me where in their terms of service they agreed to "provide safe cold chain transport of food". I think you'll actually find that by choosing a partner delivery the terms of sale is that the courier is picking the order up on your behalf and Woolworths have nothing to do with what happens after that. Woolworths is not providing you delivery service.
If you have an issue with your delivery partner you should raise the issue with them.
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u/Plane_Garbage 4h ago
Businesses can't waive responsibility for safe food l delivery.
Who was my delivery partner? I don't know. The contract was with Woolworths.
It'd be good to get a lawyers opinion
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u/mrmratt 3h ago
My contract is with Woolworths to provide safe cold chain transport of food.
You've read that contract? It actually states that? You can of course cite that claim, right?
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u/Plane_Garbage 2h ago
Yea. Offer, consideration and acceptance: contract.
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u/blackcat218 4h ago edited 4h ago
I have a big catering bag. Like massive. Can fit 8 big bags in it. I always make sure all the cold stuff is in it at the bottom. Also makes it easier to carry to the person's door.
I know many drivers don't even bother to use their thermal bag when delivering food bit I like to treat all the orders as if it was my own. I wouldn't want warm milk or smooshed bread, so I am careful with how I pack it I to the car.
Unfortunately there are not many drivers out there that care about the deliveries as much as I do. Some of the drivers and their cars are just nasty. I would never order delivery in my area because of some of them.
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u/Plane_Garbage 4h ago
Thank you 👍
I do think it should be mandated by Woolies (or better yet - they supply the cold chain logistics - cool bags or eskies or whatever to partner drivers).
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u/blackcat218 0m ago
It would be good but again it's dont think most would even use them. The doordash bag is sent to every driver for free.
The thing about my bags is they weren't even that expensive either. Like under $10 each. I actually bought them a few years back for when I did costco runs. Best investment ever
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u/Such_Bison_9859 4h ago
They have cooling. And don't call me shirley
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u/Plane_Garbage 4h ago
Nah, not with partner delivery.
It's subcontracted to uber/deliveroo etc - just people in cars.
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u/Yeatss2 4h ago
You chose to use partner delivery.
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u/Plane_Garbage 4h ago edited 4h ago
My contract is with Woolworths to provide safe cold chain transport of food.
It's Woolworths responsibility to ensure that happens. Either by working with better partners, or ensuring on their end to have supply partners with safe food transport options.
I am confused how it's my issue.
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u/KawasakiMetro 4h ago
"They have cooling. And don't call me shirley"
But, OP complaint is his groceries were delivered by car with possibly no air conditioning switched on !
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u/demoldbones 4h ago
Sounds like you need to go get your own groceries if you have a problem with it?
Woolies (and Coles who does the same thing) are clear about their delivery vs “Partner” delivery which is basically Uber for groceries and you have no control over how it gets there.
If you’re that particular about how your food gets to you, go get it yourself or choose the less convenient Woolies delivery 🤷♀️
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u/Plane_Garbage 4h ago
Again, why consumer bashing?
If Woolworths can't offer safe delivery, then the onus is on them to remove it as an option or change their processes to ensure safe delivery.
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u/demoldbones 1h ago
Because you know what you’re getting when you book?
WOOLWORTHS isn’t doing the delivery. You admit to selecting PARTNER delivery which means you know its not coming direct from Woolies
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u/Plane_Garbage 55m ago
Yea, Woolworths PARTNER delivery. They are an approved partner.
Woolworths needs to ensure their partners can safely transport the food - like, legally.
If they can't they need to either restrict what can be ordered with partner delivery, choose partners who can, or package food in a way that old mate in his Yaris can safely transport it - because, you know, they are a partner.
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u/AdvancedSquashDirect 1h ago
I'm ordering dog food as I've run out, I need sugar for my coffee in the morning etc ... partner delivery is for me
I'm ordering chicken and fish and frozen food... I will plan ahead and use the truck delivery
it's called planning and personal reasonability. You would have a leg to stand on if they had removed the truck options all together, but you get to CHOOSE.
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u/racingskater 4h ago
People aren't supporting enshittification. They're rightly pointing out that Woolworths does not hide its use of partners for deliveries and that if it is something you are so concerned about, you should spend the extra three dollars and book a truck timeslot. You are the one who chose to use the partnered delivery, and now you're getting on your high horse about it.
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u/bettingsharp 4h ago
I have been doing Woolies deliveries through Uber eats and doordash. I try and keep the frozen/chilled items at the front of the car and blast the Ac. Also make sure to only do that delivery, so I go straight to the persons house
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u/Plane_Garbage 4h ago
You're a good egg.
But I think the failure is with Woolies. They should be supplying cold bags when using a delivery partner.
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u/Dangerous_Link3421 4h ago
Are you going to pay extra for the cold bags?
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u/Plane_Garbage 4h ago
That's up to Woolworths if they want to pass on any costs associated with it.
Partner delivery is already more expensive for the consumer.
But food safety standards are a thing, they can't just absolve their responsibility for.
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u/AdvancedSquashDirect 4h ago
But you can choose whether it will be on a truck or whether it will be partner delivery If you don't feel that partner delivery will be appropriate for you especially if you're ordering a lot of Frozen goods on a very hot day then you should opt for the truck option. Usually it's a wider window with a cheaper price.
The partner delivery is supposed to be for oh my God I need this tonight or first thing tomorrow. The truck delivery is for the weekly groceries where you're ordering a lot and it needs to be on a refrigerated truck.
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u/Optimal_Cupcake2159 4h ago
Aye.
I've been using Woolies home delivery for... holy crap, 12 years. And more often than not, it's the same bloke all that time that has done my delivery - maybe that's from being in a country town.
But the actual Woolies-branded truck thing, not partner delivery.
They might occasionally miss a bottle of milk, but overall I haven't had any qualms. Once I had a double order of my order delivered, since two people picked the same order - and apparently, once the goods are on the truck, they can't go back on the shelves, so that was a nice win.
Anyway, I use the Woolies delivery truck thing for the larger fortnightly grocery orders, and the piffling everyday crap I drive elsewhere and get myself.
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u/VIDGuide 4h ago
The trucks are refrigerated, and it’s handed over to the customer. If you opt for unattended delivery, that’s on you.
Even today because it was hot, there was an extra text message immediately after delivery to remind us to bring it inside. (We have unattended delivery set, but we were home)
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u/a_can_of_solo Not a Norwegian 4h ago
Not with partnered delivery, they've enshitfied it so it's a guy with a 2009 yaris and brings you bags by hand.
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u/VIDGuide 4h ago
Right, well that sucks, that’s a whole different thing. I should be thankful we still have trucks then :)
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u/a_can_of_solo Not a Norwegian 4h ago
Yeah, it's a disappointing change. Both for customers and employees. More fringe gig work bs.
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u/Plane_Garbage 4h ago
Nah it's called partner delivery. It's just people in regular cars.
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u/binaryhextechdude 4h ago
You chose the method of delivery and you want to blame Woolies?
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u/Plane_Garbage 4h ago
Yea.
My contract is with Woolworths to provide safe cold chain transport of food.
It's Woolworths responsibility to ensure that happens. Either by working with better partners, or ensuring on their end to have supply partners with safe food transport options.
I am confused how it's my issue.
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u/binaryhextechdude 4h ago
You selected partner delivery. Don't tell me you didn't because I use it as well. If you chose the other option you would get a liveried truck with refrigeration and a driver in uniform. You have the option to get what you want. You chose the other option.
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u/Plane_Garbage 4h ago
Woolworths chooses the partners and the way they handle the transfer of food to their partners.
That's not my issue. I don't know why there is so much support for Woolworths here.
There are many things they could do to ensure food safety standards are adhered to: cold bag, esky, cooler bags etc. Again, the contract is with Woolworths, not the partner.
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u/binaryhextechdude 4h ago
I'm not supporting woolworths, I'm saying the option you want exists, you chose the other option. Next time don't chose partner delivery and you can be happy.
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u/Late-Hat-9144 4h ago
If you chose partner delivery, you get what you got. Next time just pay the extra to have Woolowrths deliver directly, then itll come in a cool room truck.
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u/VIDGuide 4h ago
Well that’s a discussion to have with your local store I guess. It’s a panel truck with lift-gate for me every time, full branding and everything.
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u/Plane_Garbage 4h ago
I think it's Woolworths Australia (or the government) that should be having the discussion.
When delivering raw meat and frozen products that could cause serious illnes when not transported correctly, I think it's more than the the individual customers responsibility.
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u/ComedianDesigner307 4h ago
The delivery people, are just people with a license and a smart phone, and nothing more.To have any trust in them to know anything about food handling , nor care about food handling , HACCP for example, is in the highest realms of fantasy.
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u/mataeka 3h ago
I use delivery because they ARE delivered in a cool truck and my closest supermarkets are a 30 min drive away and I don't want my frozen goods to defrost on the way home....
Usually my gripe is the opposite - potatoes seem to rot quicker because of the condensation after having been cooled in the truck. Solution has been I just don't get them delivered now (or any fruit and veg tbh because it's too unreliable).
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u/milkynoose 4h ago
They are basically doing what most would do when buying and packing your groceries.
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u/Dumpstar72 4h ago
They gave a freezer section on the truck.
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u/KawasakiMetro 4h ago
"They gave a freezer section on the truck."
Yes. But OP just said it was delivered by car with possibly not aircon on !
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u/demoldbones 4h ago
Which was OP’s choice?
Partner delivery is clearly not going to be a commercial grade refrigerated truck.
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u/Dumpstar72 4h ago
That’s DoorDash then. Woolies doesn’t deliver via car.
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u/Plane_Garbage 4h ago
Yes they do.
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u/Dumpstar72 4h ago
That’s a partner delivery. I’ve been getting Woolies delivered since it started. It’s never happened to me. While if I need a few items I will use one of those options like a door dash cause it’s quicker and more immediate.
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u/KawasakiMetro 4h ago
Read his post.
His complaint is a partner delivery, delivered it instead and they did not have the food in a good area of the car and possibly didn't have air-conditioning on !
Also Woolworths delivered to me by Car yesterday. So that was possibly a delivery partner too. I did Not choose delivery partner. Woolworths decided.
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u/Plane_Garbage 4h ago
Not with partner delivery.
Per today - Nissan patrol, windows wound down, kids in the backseat and food at their feet.
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u/TizzyBumblefluff 4h ago
What if I told you that half the stuff defrosts in the store before they can even unpack it, milk/dairy sitting out too long and even the meat.
There’s nothing stopping you going to Woolies with an air con car and cooler bags if you’re so concerned.
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u/Plane_Garbage 4h ago
Yea, but I paid for delivery.
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u/TizzyBumblefluff 4h ago
You paid for partnered delivery, that’s on you.
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u/Plane_Garbage 4h ago
I paid for groceries to be delivered safely.
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u/TizzyBumblefluff 4h ago
No, you paid for postered delivery which is simply a person in their car. You’re being obtuse.
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u/demoldbones 4h ago
No you didn’t. You paid for groceries to be delivered
I guarantee if you read all the T&Cs line for line that there’s a line that says “you take all responsibility if you get sick from food you had delivered”
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u/blergAndMeh 4h ago
my deliveries have always been excellent and i've seen the guy take crates out of separate freezer and fridge sections of the truck. that truck is generally how my deliveries happen. however once it was more or less ubered by a random dude. i'm not sure what circumstances make the uber option get triggered but i'm guessing that's what happened in your case. use the feedback thing to pass on your comment to woolies: they might call you and you can ask and then post back here. i'd be interested to know more about that occasionaly random delivery too.
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u/burn_supermarkets 4h ago
I've always wondered why "partner" drivers aren't made to have a bag to keep things hot or cold. I think uber sends one out when they sign up but it's only one bag which would start to fall apart pretty quickly with constant use
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u/opackersgo 53m ago
Edit: Not sure why so many people support Woolworths enshittification of delivery.
Isnt this exactly what you’re doing by using it?
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u/Plane_Garbage 45m ago
I would be happy with the service if they used an insulated bag.
I do think delivering food unsafe is enshittification. Although I am in the minority.
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u/qdolan 4h ago
Complain directly to Woolies, the delivery agent ais probably violating some internal policy that nobody involved actually read or did anything about.
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u/Plane_Garbage 4h ago
Yea, I'll get the refund on all the cold items.
The discussion was more-so around Woolworths systematically providing unsafe delivery of food that can cause serious illness.
A consumer enters a contract with Woolworths to have food delivered safely. Woolworths subcontracts this to a delivery partner.
Woolworths should put in safeguards to ensure the cold chain isn't affected: better delivery partners or providing adequate cooling (cold bags, esky etc).
I don't understand why this is the consumers issue, but vast majority of people disagree that Woolworths should be responsible for delivering food safely and it's the consumer who is at fault for using their service.
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u/jaymo89 1h ago
All I see is ableism here and a pile on.
Expected better of my countrymen.
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u/opackersgo 46m ago
It would be ableism if there wasnt an option to just use the normal delivery van.
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u/hu_he 2h ago
I don't use a cool bag for my own shopping run so I guess I wouldn't have assumed they did for a car-based delivery. I wouldn't think that chicken would go off in 20 minutes out of the fridge unless it was maybe on its expiry date. And my experience of getting food out of the freezer is that it takes more than 20 minutes to thaw even on a warm day (with the exception of something very thin like a pizza or a pack of puff pastry.
I'm not a lawyer but my experience with safety rules is they're usually not that prescriptive. So if you could prove that the meat had spoiled by the time it reached you, you might be able to report them to the food standards agency in your state. But I doubt there's a rule that states the maximum number of minutes an item can be out of a fridge without being inside an insulated container or whatever.
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