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NutriSystem Relents, Offers Refunds to Sickened Customers

Peanut butter granola bars among hundreds of food products recalled

By Lisa Wade McCormick
ConsumerAffairs.com

January 23, 2009

• Complete List of Recalled Products --- • Texas Fines Peanut Plant $14.6 Million For Violations • Lawmakers Chastise Food Executives Over Salmonella Outbreak • Source of Salmonella Contamination in Peanut Butter May Be Found • More Pet Foods Added to Salmonella Recall • Peanut Recall Expanded To "All Ingredients" • Peanut Corporation of America Files for Bankruptcy • PCA Shuts Second Peanut Plant In Salmonella Scare • Peanut Butter Recall Claims Still More Products • Ice Cream, Cookies, Donuts Join the Massive Peanut Butter Recall List • Peanut Recall Expands as Feds Release Findings • Congresswoman Demands Peanut Probe • Feds: Peanut Corporation Knew of Salmonella Problem • Dozens More Peanut Butter Products Recalled • NutriSystem Joins Peanut Butter Recall • Peanut Butter Dog Treats Recalled Due to Salmonella • Peanut Butter Health Bars Recalled • Peanut Butter Recall List Grows • Peanut Butter Recall Spreads To More Products • Kellogg Puts Peanut Butter Crackers "On Hold" Due to Salmonella Concerns • Peanut Butter Recalled Due to Possible Salmonella Contamination • King Nut Issues Peanut Butter Recall • Consumer Complaints about Peanut Butter --- Earlier stories • Judge Nixes Peanut Butter Class Action • FDA Failed to Follow Up on 2004 Peanut Butter Contamination • Peter Pan Returning To Store Shelves • Consumers Still Getting Sick From Tainted Peanut Butter • Fourth Peanut Butter Death Reported • Peanut Butter Recall Extended to Products Made as Early as 2004 • Peanut Butter Scare Stirs Congress • Consumers Left Holding the Peanut Butter Jar • Earlier Peanut Butter Contamination Kept Quiet • Peanut Butter Developed as a Health Food • Third Death Blamed on Peanut Butter • Peanut Butter Recalls Spread to Ice Cream & Desserts • FDA Says Peanut Butter Salmonella Outbreak Is "Ongoing" • Salmonella Confirmed in Peanut Butter • Second Death Linked To Tainted Peanut Butter • Death Linked To Tainted Peanut Butter • ConAgra Recalls Tainted Peanut Butter as Complaints Mount • FDA Widens Peanut Butter Warning • Reports of Peanut Butter-Borne Illness Increase • FDA Warns of Salmonella in Peanut Butter --- • Consumer Complaints about Peanut Butter --- • Salmonella: What It Is • More about Food Safety ...

A Virginia woman says she became "deathly ill" after eating some of NutriSystem's peanut butter granola bars.

Those granola bars are included in the massive recall of peanut butter products that contain ingredients made by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA). That company is the focus of an investigation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) into the nationwide salmonella outbreak, which has sickened more than 470 people in 43 states and may be linked the deaths of six others.

"I was so sick," Sandra M. of Salem, Virginia, told us. "I had probably eaten about 15 to 20 of those granola bars over a three-week period."

Sandra says she had cramping, abdominal pain, fever, diarrhea, and blood in her stools – symptoms that health officials say are consistent with salmonella poisoning.

When Sandra contacted NutriSystems about a refund, though, the company refused.

"They said we only give replacement bars – not refunds. I told them I don't want any replacements. Think about it. Why would I want replacement bars? Those products made me sick."

Sandra's husband confirmed his wife's illness -- and NutriSystem's refusal to refund the couple's money.

"She had a headache, diarrhea, blood in her stools and abdominal pains," Howard M. told us. "She really got sick. I didn't get sick, but I didn't eat as many of those granola bars."

NutriSystem, he says, didn't seem interested in listening to their concerns.

"They asked us why she kept eating them if they made her sick," he says, adding his wife's illness started before the company recalled the granola bars on January 19. "When she first got sick, we didn't know the granola bars were a problem. She finally got better when she stopped eating them."

How did the company respond when they asked for their money back?

"NutriSystem wouldn't give us a refund," Howard says, adding each bar cost $2.75. "They said they would only send up replacement bars. We don't want those. I wouldn't eat their food for nothing anymore.

"They were not very nice."

Company responds

Earlier today, ConsumerAffairs.com called NutriSystem's toll-free number and asked about refunds on the recalled granola bars. A representative told us the company would only issue replacement bars – not refunds.

When we sent an e-mail to NutriSytem's public relations office, however, we received a different response.

"It is absolutely our policy to grant a refund any time that a substitution is not acceptable to one of our clients," Sheri Keiles, NutriSytem's vice-president of public relations, told us. "Due to your e-mail, we will be issuing a reminder to all of our customer service representatives that our base policy certainly applies to the Peanut Butter Bar. Thank you so much for your feedback."

The company's director of customer service, John Calabrese, told us he would personally contact Howard and Sandra and process their refund.

"I sincerely apologize and will contact our clients today as well as address the service provided," he said.

Howard and Sandra are grateful someone finally listened to their concerns.

"We called the company and got no satisfaction," Sandra said. "I couldn't get my money back." Howard added: "I thank you very much."

NutriSystem customers who would like a refund on the recalled granola bars can contact the company at 1-866-491-6425.

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