short changed by supermarket meat department

[frugalnacho]

I bought some chicken breast from Kroger planning on splitting the package into 2 meals. When I started cutting it up and weighing it seemed like there was less than there should be, so I weighed it.

Price paid for: 4.93 lbs
Total package weight: 3.98 lbs
Actual chicken weight: 3.14 lbs

Should I take these pics to the customer service desk? Or straight to corporate?  I have a couple more packages in my freezer that I haven't weighed yet.  I don't usually verify the weights of stuff I buy.

[Sibley]

I would start with the store. If you get a poor response, then escalate. My thinking: if there's a bad employee or just an error, then mgmt has the obligation to address it and it's good policy to give them the opportunity to do so. If mgmt chooses not to, that's when you start kicking it higher.

[Daley]

First, make sure your own scale is as well calibrated and accurate as possible with known weights, and check with a second scale if possible.

Second, check the other packages. Make sure you know the tare weight of the packaging as well. The weight stamped on the package should be the weight minus the tare.

Third, take the issue to the store, not corporate, and inform them of your intent and right to take step four if you've had multiple packs underweight. Depending on the response, also consider step five.

Fourth, contact MDARD's Weights & Measures. Understand the gravity of what you're reporting, and make sure you're absolutely in the right.

Fifth, take it to Kroger Michigan Corporate and division head President Scott Hays. Be sure to mention step four in the communication.

[MM_MG]

Interesting.

Was it previously frozen? Did you keep all the water/juice after defrosting and include it in the weight?  Have you weighed the frozen packages while still frozen?   

[frugalnacho]

It was not frozen.  One of the pictures is the package in its entirety, package and all.  They package is light, but there are some absorbent pads under the chicken that are saturated with chicken liquid and puffy like a fully soaked diaper that are apparently very heavy.  Still leaves an unexplained discrepancy in the total weight.

I will weigh the frozen packages I have later.

[Prairie Stash]

for the level of accuracy you need, measure out known quantities of water (1/2 gallon) and weigh it. Those water bottles I see behind would work.

You're either going to get a confirmation the scale is correct or wildly off.

I hope you can prove your case; if it was my grocery store I'd be getting free chicken! You're a lucky man, its not often you get free groceries.

[inline five]

Weigh the other packages before opening them.

[frugalnacho]

We use the scale all the time.  I am certain it's reasonably accurate.  I weigh my cat's food on it daily.  I split packages of ground beef up and the sum of my packages always adds up to the total weight.  I also weigh things like spaghetti noodles, and it matches up with the packaging almost exactly to the gram.  I've never calibrated the scale or verified it with an NIST traceable weight set, but with hundreds of data points all agreeing with each other I'm pretty sure it's bang on. 

[penguintroopers]

We use the scale all the time.  I am certain it's reasonably accurate.  I weigh my cat's food on it daily.  I split packages of ground beef up and the sum of my packages always adds up to the total weight.  I also weigh things like spaghetti noodles, and it matches up with the packaging almost exactly to the gram.  I've never calibrated the scale or verified it with an NIST traceable weight set, but with hundreds of data points all agreeing with each other I'm pretty sure it's bang on.

I'm no mass professional, but I'd find it really hard to believe that your scale is so far off that an entire POUND of weight is going unaccounted for.

In my world, that's 464 grams of error. I can't believe a scale (even a kitchen one) would be ever so abused to be so wildly inaccurate.

I think I'd put my money on employee mistake, but now I'm paranoid and want to start weighing my own meats. I hope my husband doesn't think I'm crazy.

[LeRainDrop]

I'd go to the customer service desk at the store and kindly ask to speak with the manager.  If this were the Kroger I shop at, they would give you a FULL credit and promise to check on the scale calibrations and talk with the meat department, at a minimum.  I'd bring the photos with you, though the manager probably wouldn't even require them to believe you.

[redbird]

Worked at a grocery store once upon a time. Have you seen weight errors before? It could be a mistake by an employee and they accidentally put the wrong label on that particular package of chicken. Mistakes happen sometimes when people get busy.

[Prairie Stash]

We use the scale all the time.  I am certain it's reasonably accurate.  I weigh my cat's food on it daily.  I split packages of ground beef up and the sum of my packages always adds up to the total weight.  I also weigh things like spaghetti noodles, and it matches up with the packaging almost exactly to the gram.  I've never calibrated the scale or verified it with an NIST traceable weight set, but with hundreds of data points all agreeing with each other I'm pretty sure it's bang on.

I'm no mass professional, but I'd find it really hard to believe that your scale is so far off that an entire POUND of weight is going unaccounted for.

In my world, that's 464 grams of error. I can't believe a scale (even a kitchen one) would be ever so abused to be so wildly inaccurate.

I think I'd put my money on employee mistake, but now I'm paranoid and want to start weighing my own meats. I hope my husband doesn't think I'm crazy.

I have to agree on the mass professional ;)

[katstache92]

Definitely take at least the picture in and talk to someone at customer service.  Scales being correct is something that grocery stores take very seriously.  If customer service is not being helpful, ask to speak to the store manager.

I would also recommend weighing your other packages to see if it was a one time event or a pattern.