Viral Complaint Accuses Pick n Pay of Shortchanging Shoppers

• A Pick'n Pay shopper sparked online debate after claiming she discovered major discrepancies between labelled and actual product quantities
• The viral Facebook post resonated with many South Africans struggling with rising grocery prices, with commenters calling for stricter retailer oversight
• Some warned that packaging or measurement variations could play a role in the discrepancies

A consumer complaint accusing Pick'n Pay of selling underweight and underfilled products has sparked widespread debate on social media, after a frustrated shopper claimed she discovered major discrepancies between advertised quantities and actual measurements.

In a Facebook post on 9 February 2026, that drew a flood of comments, the customer said her household uncovered the issue while preparing weekly meals. According to the post, a box of lean mince labelled 1.874kg weighed only 1.556kg when measured at home. She further alleged that a one-litre carton of Pick'n Pay-branded low-fat milk yielded “just over 800ml” when poured out and measured.

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“In a country where grocery prices are wildly out of control, and it’s tough to get by just as is, to be blatantly stolen from at the end is just crazy,” she wrote.

She added that she felt consumers were being exploited by “insatiably greedy corporations.”

The claims resonated with many South Africans grappling with rising food inflation, with several commenters sharing similar experiences or calling for stricter oversight of retailers. Others, however, cautioned that scale calibration, packaging variances, temperature-related volume changes and handling losses could potentially affect measurements.

Gordon Bauerle-Sims said:

"Sorry to say, but looking at the state of your scale, it may at fault. Retail scales, by law need to be calibrated regularly . Whe was the last time yours was calibrated, or for that matter, replaced the batteries?

Candice Maarman commented:

"The weight that is missing is maybe the weight of the cartons. Remember, those cartons are also purchased, so they must somehow get that money back."

June Linde wrote:

"Take it up with head office and bring it to their attention. The meat packers need to be jacked up."

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Julie-ann Benton said:

"I don't know so much about that scale and its accuracy. I'm not saying PnP is rite but I'm not saying they are wrong either."

Michelle van Wyk stated:

"It's not just PnP. I've been counting calories since August 2025. Everyone includes the packaging in the meat weight, it's terrible, I know, it ticked me off quite a bit when I realised, because that means we are paying meat prices for packaging."

What can consumers do about complaints?

Under South African law, product weights and measures are regulated by the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS), which enforces compliance with labelling and packaging standards.

Consumers who believe they have been prejudiced can escalate complaints to the National Consumer Commission, which oversees enforcement of the Consumer Protection Act. The Commission may investigate allegations of misleading representations, false labelling or unfair business practices.

Pick'n Pay store closed for non compliance

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Retail giant Pick n Pay launched an investigation into the Centurion franchise outlet that the City of Tshwane closed for noncompliance. The city's mayor, Dr Nasiphi Moya, was present when the municipality raided the store and found that it violated health and safety standards. Pick n Pay slammed the store and said its conduct was unacceptable, and said the branch will be investigated.

See video here:

Briefly News articles on Pick'n Pay

A Cape Town woman, Jade-Erin, went viral after showcasing a massive 4.5kg Toblerone bar priced at R3 999 at Pick n Pay. The chocolate, nearly 80 cm long and containing the same Swiss milk chocolate, honey, and almond nougat as the original, sparked debate over who would buy such an indulgent treat. Jade-Erin shared the clip on 24 December 2025, highlighting the bar as a quirky gift or party centrepiece.

Another South African woman sparked discussion online after pointing out a significant price gap for the same dress being sold at Pick'n Pay and Woolworths, highlighting how the same item can cost considerably more at one retailer than another. Her comparison clip quickly drew attention as shoppers weighed in on the broader issue of retail pricing and value for money in South Africa’s tight economy.

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Briefly News also reported that a woman’s R600 grocery haul from Pick n Pay sparked mixed reactions online when she shared a video showing what she bought for that amount, with many users debating whether she got good value for her money.

Source: Briefly News