Retail Watchers

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/apple ... r-AA1lvFS1

Following an investigation into contaminated cinnamon applesauce pouches produced at a factory in Ecuador by WanaBana and sold under the WanaBana, Schnuck's and Weis brands that have been linked to 125 confirmed and suspected illnesses, the FDA now believes that the product was been deliberately contaminated, as some of the patients were reported to have lead levels over 500 times the acceptable level in blood tests. It has been speculated that the cinnamon may have been adulterated with lead compounds used as a colorant to mask inferior product.

Brian Lutz wrote: ↑December 15th, 2023, 5:14 pm https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/apple ... r-AA1lvFS1

Following an investigation into contaminated cinnamon applesauce pouches produced at a factory in Ecuador by WanaBana and sold under the WanaBana, Schnuck's and Weis brands that have been linked to 125 confirmed and suspected illnesses, the FDA now believes that the product was been deliberately contaminated, as some of the patients were reported to have lead levels over 500 times the acceptable level in blood tests. It has been speculated that the cinnamon may have been adulterated with lead compounds used as a colorant to mask inferior product.

Watch country of origin labels on Applesauce.

I have put products back before. If it doesn't say product of USA or product of Canada, proceed with caution.

Even more disgusting this occurred on a branded product that is geared as a kid food in those juice box like pouches.

I've got to think that the bigger supermarkets are breathing a sigh of relief---this would be an easy product to incorporate into an organic offering---I've got to feel a bit sorry for Weis/Schnucks--trying to diversify their supply chain. The high-tech nature of aseptic packaging is pretty flexible to be put near production areas, but without rigorous supply testing...it's tough to ensure quality.

Schnucks especially has had some rough external shocks in the last decade or so---they had a severe ID theft episode 6-7 years ago.

Romr123 wrote: ↑December 16th, 2023, 9:52 am I've got to think that the bigger supermarkets are breathing a sigh of relief---this would be an easy product to incorporate into an organic offering---I've got to feel a bit sorry for Weis/Schnucks--trying to diversify their supply chain. The high-tech nature of aseptic packaging is pretty flexible to be put near production areas, but without rigorous supply testing...it's tough to ensure quality.

Schnucks especially has had some rough external shocks in the last decade or so---they had a severe ID theft episode 6-7 years ago.

I've had identical looking applesauces in the Simple Truth Organic brand in those pouches... may have had a berry flavoring, and really good as I recall... were definitely USA or Canada source as I do check that.

I think Schnucks uses an in house POS system. I have not seen receipts that look like one of their receipts anywhere else.
HEB seems to do that too.

It very well could be that Schnucks' does their own IT development---St. Louis has some significant domain knowledge around high-end IT system development--MasterCard was started there; you've got May Department Stores historical HQ, AMDOCS (telecom/usage billing) and Express Scripts/Centene

Romr123 wrote: ↑December 17th, 2023, 7:30 am It very well could be that Schnucks' does their own IT development---St. Louis has some significant domain knowledge around high-end IT system development--MasterCard was started there; you've got May Department Stores historical HQ, AMDOCS (telecom/usage billing) and Express Scripts/Centene

I think the Schnucks self checkout is a third party system and a very old interface (I feel like I used it 15 years ago at some other stores; possibly Haggen, and also very similar to the initial touch screen Kroger self checkout interface) but their POS itself is an odd one I've never seen at any other chain that I think may well be in house. It also took them a while to get EMV Chip Card acceptance as I recall for a while they accepted EMV Chip Cards at the cashier checkstands but not at self checkout which was strange.

I don't recall dealing with a loyalty card there and seem to recall buying some sale items without issue.