Berry Frustrating

This takes place during certain health crisis restrictions. Everyone has to wear a mask, there are designated lines and distancing rules, etc.

My husband and I stop at a fresh product market to buy some strawberries. There is a sign that says, “No picking through strawberries,” which I assume means that you can’t pick through the baskets.

My husband picks a basket, careful not to touch any others, and while I collect a few other things, he looks more closely at his selection.

Several of them are moldy.

Husband: *To an employee* “I’m sorry to do this, but is it possible to give you this one back and pick a different basket? A bunch of these are moldy and you can’t tell from the top.”

Employee: “No, we have a sort of ‘you touch it you buy it’ policy.”

Husband: “But these are rotten and there’s no way to tell without picking it up.”

The employee just shrugged while putting out new baskets of berries. 

I get trying to reduce cross-contamination, but it’s not an excuse to bury old produce and trick people into buying it.