Returns Policy

Fairfield Meat Centre | January 2023 | Online | WhatsApp | In-store

Fairfield Meat Centre strives to provide the best possible service. It ensures all its staff and suppliers know and comply with the Consumer Protection Act public food safety regulations. Goods would be refunded or exchanged per the Consumer Protection Act if the goods were defective. 

Perishable Goods

The below provisions only apply to perishable goods where the customer is unsatisfied with the quality thereof, within the product's expiration date and if it is in its original package. If the product is defective, it should be returned to the store in its original packaging.

All perishables shall be stored per the guidance note's storage guideline. The cold chain must always be maintained to ensure product safety and meet the expected shelf life. 

Chilled products must be stored at 1˚C and frozen products at -18˚C. Fairfield Meat Centre shall not be liable for any damage caused if the storage guideline has not been adhered to.

The client's responsible for returning the product or contacting Fairfield Meat Centre to arrange for collection if the product was bought online within the specified time frame. 

All perishable products, including meat and meat-related products, including lamb, beef, poultry, mince, and processed meats, must be returned within 24 hours of purchase.

Perishable items cannot be returned because a customer had a change of mind regarding the particular purchased item. This is due to public food safety regulations.

No returns will be accepted if the goods have been altered in any way, if the above timeframes have not been adhered to, if there is a health risk attached or due to public and food safety regulations.

The proof of purchase (receipt/invoice) shall accompany all claims and serve as a customer's "guarantee".

After receiving the goods, they shall be assessed by the Manager on duty, and the outcome shall be communicated to the customer. The assessment result will determine whether the claim is valid or invalid.

If the claim is valid, the refund shall be done per the original payment, i.e. if the product was purchased in cash, the refund should be in cash.

Management's sole discretion is to replace, refund, partially refund or reject any claim per the provisions of this Policy and the Consumer Protection Act and any food safety regulations. 

The customer is responsible for returning the product to Fairfield Meat Centre at their own expense.

Return Policy – Human Error Reporting

We strive for accuracy and quality in every transaction. If you believe there was a human error with your purchase (e.g., incorrect item, pricing mistake, or packaging error), please report it within **48 hours of purchase**.

Reports made after this timeframe may not be eligible for correction or compensation. To report an issue, please contact our customer service team with your receipt and a description of the error.

After receiving the goods, they shall be assessed by the Manager on duty, and the outcome shall be communicated to the customer. The assessment result will determine whether the claim is valid or invalid.

If the claim is valid, the refund shall be done per the original payment, i.e. if the product was purchased in cash, the refund should be in cash.

Management's sole discretion is to replace, refund, partially refund or reject any claim per the provisions of this Policy and the Consumer Protection Act and any food safety regulations. 

The customer is responsible for returning the product to Fairfield Meat Centre at their own expense.

We encourage customers to raise any concerns directly with us first so we can resolve the matter promptly and fairly.

Public comments, reviews, or posts that are false, misleading, or defamatory may result in legal action, as South African law protects businesses against reputational harm caused by unverified claims.

We respect freedom of expression, but kindly request that customers allow us the opportunity to address complaints directly before publishing content on social media.

Where complaints are found to be untrue, misleading, or made without following the correct return process, we reserve the right to seek removal of such content and pursue legal remedies if necessary.

We may occasionally amend this Policy, so we encourage you to review the Policy periodically. The most recent version of the Policy will be available on the Fairfield Meat Centre’s Website (https://fairfieldmeats.co.za/). 

If the customer wants to lodge a complaint or compliment Fairfield Meat Centre, the customer may send an email to orders@fairfieldmeatcentre.co.za. 

Thank you for your loyal support.