A shopper in Northern Virginia used TikTok to call out a Giant Food store after she said an employee dismissed her concerns about spoiled meat and questioned why she cared. The customer, who visited the Giant location on South Jefferson Street in Falls Church, explained that she noticed puffed-up packaging in the ground meat section, something she believes could signal dangerous bacteria.
Before she began filming, she said she politely alerted an employee and expected the issue to be handled quickly. Instead, she claims the worker argued with her and asked if she “had nothing better to do,” prompting her to start recording. In the video she shared, she can be heard pointing out the swollen packages and telling the staffer that such meat “will kill somebody,” urging that a manager be called immediately.
Two other employees eventually joined the conversation, and one began removing the questionable packages from the shelf. Still, the customer said she was frustrated by the first employee’s dismissive approach, noting that a simple thank-you and quick action would have avoided conflict. She also said she plans to report the incident to the health department.
Online Reactions to the Grocery Store Incident in Northern Virginia
Many viewers sided with the concerned shopper. “Why the attitude though?? This could have been a completely different interaction if he could have just taken some accountability,” one person wrote. Another added, “Thanks for speaking up. There are people that not just would get sick but have permanent damage and die. He had no reason to talk to you about that.” Someone who claims to be familiar with the location commented, “Thank you for calling them out! I have been to that Giant before smh. Who knows what other foods they are selling that has gone bad.”
Others pointed out that the issue should have been obvious. “Good eye, a lot of people don’t know this. They should have never been put on the shelf, pretty sure that happened during transport. As soon as you brought it to his attention he should have thanked you,” one viewer wrote. Another noted, “I thought we all knew this 😅 I don’t even work in the food safety industry, but honestly, I was taught this at a young age.”
Not everyone agreed that the situation required confrontation. One commenter joked, “You know you’re not supposed to eat it raw, right?!🤣,” while another suggested, “Glad you’re concerned but this had no need to be escalated 😂.” A few also said that some packaging can have an intentional bubble of air and might still be safe, though the shopper maintained that the meat looked unsafe and that her concern was justified.
