Coffee Price Mismatch?! Häagen-Dazs Involved Store Responds

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Menu Pricing Discrepancy at Häagen-Dazs Store

Recently, multiple media outlets reported that a netizen from Suzhou, Jiangsu Province had posted about a pricing discrepancy at a Häagen-Dazs store. The menu showed "Espresso" priced at 20 yuan, but customers were actually charged 23 yuan at checkout.

On January 15th, media outlets contacted the relevant store online. The staff member explained that dine-in and takeout prices are different, with 23 yuan being the takeout price. However, from the video screenshot, the menu header clearly shows "Takeout Beverage Menu," and the beverage only displays one price, with no information about additional fees for takeout. The explanation from the store staff seems somewhat unconvincing.

Public information shows that Häagen-Dazs is an American ice cream brand successfully developed by Reuben Mattus in 1921; it was launched in New York, USA in 1962. In 1983, after Häagen-Dazs was sold to Pillsbury Company, Pillsbury was incorporated under General Mills.

It wasn't until 2002 that Nestlé acquired all registered trademark rights of Häagen-Dazs ice cream in the United States, with a total acquisition price exceeding 1 billion Swiss francs (approximately $600 million). After the acquisition, General Mills still retained all registered trademark rights of Häagen-Dazs outside the United States.

Häagen-Dazs Entry into Chinese Coffee Market

In 2014, it began strategic deployment in the Chinese coffee market. On May 8, 2014, Häagen-Dazs opened the world's first coffee store in Shanghai, China.

Narrow Door Catering Eye data shows that as of January 3rd this year, Häagen-Dazs has a total of 482 stores, covering 33 provinces and 86 cities, with a respectable reputation score of 85.4 points.

Public Reaction to Pricing Issues

Regarding this incident, some netizens commented: "It's understandable that dine-in and delivery prices are different, but self-pickup and takeout should basically be the same, right?" "The menu clearly says takeout is 20 yuan." "China has law enforcement agencies, you know~" "This is my first time hearing that takeout menu prices aren't the actual takeout prices."

Previous Food Safety Issues

Besides this pricing issue, multiple media outlets have previously reported that Häagen-Dazs had been notified by the EU's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) due to food safety issues. In July 2022, ethylene oxide was detected in Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream products from France.

It is understood that ethylene oxide is a Class 1 carcinogen that was previously used to produce fungicides and was widely applied in industries such as cleaning, pharmaceuticals, and dyeing. In chemical-related industries, it can be used as a starting agent for cleaning agents. At that time, the relevant products had been distributed to more than 80 countries and regions, including China. After the incident, the manufacturing company voluntarily recalled the products.

Consumer Rights Protection

According to Article 20 of the Consumer Rights Protection Law of the People's Republic of China, operators must provide consumers with information about the quality, performance, purpose, and validity period of goods or services, which should be true and comprehensive, without false or misleading propaganda. When consumers inquire about the quality and usage methods of goods or services provided by operators, truthful and clear responses must be given. Operators providing goods or services should clearly mark their prices.

Yes, if the marked price of goods does not match the actual price, consumers can file complaints and claim compensation from sellers. If negotiations between both parties fail, complaints can also be filed with consumer associations to request mediation and compensation.

Image source: Internet

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