Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/06/2023

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I received a letter in my mailbox with a discount code from hello fress. I placed an order with this promo code. I just want one order. Then I went on a trip. I didn't expect hello fress to keep debiting my credit card. I wasn't home, so my friend had to put the goods in the freezer. I don't need these things at all. * ***** **** ** * ********* *********. Because consumers are not told that the subscription is automatically renewed, they will continue to buy after buying it once. **** ** * ********** *****. I am asking this company to take their item and I want to return it. Give me all my money back.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/06/2023

  Hi ***. We’re sorry to hear you had unexpected charges to your account.
  
  HelloFresh is a weekly subscription service, which means that orders are automatically processed weekly once your account is activated. As outlined in our Terms, by registering for a HelloFresh plan, you acknowledge that your subscription has an initial and recurring payment feature and you accept responsibility for all charges prior to deactivation. 
  
  We do our best to make it clear throughout the ordering process that we are a flexible, self-managed subscription service. Our weekly deadline for changes and cancellations is 11:59 PM PST 4 days prior to your delivery.
  
  After taking a look into your second account under <**********@**.com> we can see that you did not cancel your subscription after your initial order, resulting in subsequent boxes being scheduled for delivery. Notification emails are sent when a subscription is canceled or when changes are made to your plan settings.
  
  It is never our intention to cause any inconvenience. I can confirm that we have already issued a refund of $82.99 for your May 30th deliveries. As a gesture of goodwill, we’ve processed an additional refund of $146.27 for your May 23rd and 16th deliveries back to your original method of payment. The refund will be visible there in 3 - 5 working days. We kindly thank you in advance for your patience and understanding.
  
  I can confirm that your subscription is canceled and you will not receive any further deliveries. If you have any questions please call us at 1-************.
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:17/04/2023

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I received a promo code for hello fresh discount so thought I would take a look at the website. It required me to sign in to see the meal options. I chose to login via ******** and gave my information as it looked like I had to choose my meals and get to a checkout screen where I could enter the promo code to see if it would be a good value or not. I did not see meals that were suitable for my way of eating that would be cost effective for my family so I closed the window and disallowed my account information to be shared through ********. When I logged into my bank today I see hellofresh has charged my account $54.99. Upon calling the gentleman said I signed up for the delivery service and food was coming Monday from 8am to 8pm and I could not be refunded the money they charged me. He cancelled any future orders and escalated to a supervisor who is supposed to get back to me in 48 hours (after this food I don’t want is set to be delivered). I have shopped online 1000s of times and never been charged until the transaction is completed. **** ** **** ********* ******** ******** *** I would like my money back and an apology for their ***** practices

  Business Response

  Date: 10/05/2023

  Hi ******. We’re sorry to hear you had unexpected charges to your account.
  
  HelloFresh is a weekly subscription service, which means that orders are automatically processed weekly once your account is activated. As outlined in our Terms, by registering for a HelloFresh plan, you acknowledge that your subscription has an initial and recurring payment feature and you accept responsibility for all charges prior to deactivation. 
  
  We do our best to make it clear throughout the ordering process that we are a flexible, self-managed subscription service. Our weekly deadline for changes and cancellations is 11:59 PM PST 4 days prior to your delivery.
  
  I hope you understand that we have a weekly deadline in order to let our suppliers know exactly how much products we will need.  This sets the entire motion of box preparation and delivery. We only order the exact quantities needed for our deliveries each week, so we’re not throwing away tons of extra food. We’re also helping all our customers to reduce the food waste in their homes, by only giving you the ingredients you need to make your meals in the exact quantities.
  
  If a meal swap is not made, you are sent our chefs' selection of meals; however you can update your menu preference so that your default meals align with your dietary needs. You can do this by accessing the Plan Settings of your account. 
  
  Please know you can check out all our upcoming recipes, without signing up or logging in, by visiting: ********************
  
  It is never our intention to cause any inconvenience, so as a gesture of goodwill, we’ve processed a refund of $54.99 back to your original method of payment. The refund will be visible there in 3 - 5 working days. We kindly thank you in advance for your patience and understanding.
  
  I can confirm that your subscription is canceled and you will not receive any further deliveries. If you have any questions please call us at 1-*************
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/05/2023

  
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ****** *********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:13/04/2023

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On April 7th I had made an account with HelloFresh just to see what they had to offer but you have to add a payment and delivery address just to see what food dishes they have available. April 11th I had a HelloFresh box arrive at my door but I didn’t add anything to my cart or intentionally buy anything. They had taken $32.99 out of my account. April 13th I contacted them to see if there was anyway I could get a refund and they told me they wouldn’t be able to process a refund since I didn’t cancel it 4 days before it had shipped but I had no idea about it. They also stated that once you add a payment method and an address that starts your subscription and delivery process. It would have been nice to know this beforehand as I wouldn’t have made an account in the first place. I would like to receive a refund.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/05/2023

  Hi *****. We’re sorry to hear you had unexpected charges to your account.
  
  HelloFresh  is a weekly subscription service, which means that orders are automatically processed weekly once your account is activated. As outlined in our Terms, by registering for a HelloFresh plan, you acknowledge that your subscription has an initial and recurring payment feature and you accept responsibility for all charges prior to deactivation. 
  
  We do our best to make it clear throughout the ordering process that we are a flexible, self-managed subscription service. Our weekly deadline for changes and cancellations is 11:59 PM PST 4 days prior to your delivery.
  
  I hope you understand that we have a weekly deadline in order to let our suppliers know exactly how much products we will need.  This sets the entire motion of box preparation and delivery. We only order the exact quantities needed for our deliveries each week, so we’re not throwing away tons of extra food. We’re also helping all our customers to reduce the food waste in their homes, by only giving you the ingredients you need to make your meals in the exact quantities.
  
  Please know you can check out all our upcoming recipes, without signing up or logging in, by visiting: ********************
  
  It is never our intention to cause any inconvenience, so as a gesture of goodwill, we’ve processed a refund of $32.99 back to your original method of payment. The refund will be visible there in 3 - 5 working days. 
  
  We kindly thank you in advance for your patience and understanding. If you have any questions please call us at 1-************.
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/05/2023

  
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ***** ******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/04/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Signed up for a box of hello fresh food and the total was $46 dollars for me box due to a promotion going on which they charged me card for. A little while after I canceled the subscription because it was no longer needed. I was then sent several messages that I had an outstanding balence of 21.96 that came out of no where. And ending a subscription is free so I’m not sure why they want to charge me again. If it was an error on there end that is their fault I only paid the price that we negotiated.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/05/2023

  Hi *****. We’re sorry to hear you had unexpected charges to your account.
  
  HelloFresh is a weekly subscription service, which means that orders are automatically processed weekly once your account is activated. As outlined in our Terms, by registering for a HelloFresh plan, you acknowledge that your subscription has an initial and recurring payment feature and you accept responsibility for all charges prior to deactivation. 
  
  After taking a look into your account, I can see that the additional charge was for Premium Meals that were chosen:
  - Pecan-Crusted Roasted Salmon
  - Maple-Bacon Bison Burgers 
  
  These special meals bring higher quality ingredients and restaurant-quality curated recipes - they are always labeled with a black tag “SPECIAL” and identify the extra charge per serving. You can see the surcharge right under the recipe photo (+$x.xx/serving).
  
  Please keep in mind that discount vouchers or credits do not apply to our surcharge meals.
  
  When a meal swap is made, our customers are able to see all charges on the account in the order summary. Surcharges are always shown separately from the base value of the box, as many customers prefer this to be able to track their expenses easier. I hope this helped clarify any confusion!
  
  We know how important dinner time is and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.
  
  I can confirm that your subscription is canceled and you will not receive any further deliveries. If you have any questions please call us at 1-************.
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/05/2023

  
  
  Complaint: ********
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I am not paying extra charges. We you billed my card the first time you should have taken everything not hitting me with unknown charges. Stop sending me outstanding balance messages.
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ***** ******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/04/2023

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I went onto Hello Fresh website and logged into my deactivated account to see what the up coming meal selections were available. I was just browsing their site, I never made any selcetions or did I confirm any orders.
  A box arrived at my door a few days later I had no idea that an order was placed. I checked my credit card online and I see I was charged without any confirmation.

  Business Response

  Date: 27/04/2023

  Hi ******. We’re sorry to hear you had unexpected charges to your account.
  
  HelloFresh is a weekly subscription service, which means that orders are automatically processed weekly once your account is activated. As outlined in our Terms, by registering for a HelloFresh plan, you acknowledge that your subscription has an initial and recurring payment feature and you accept responsibility for all charges prior to deactivation. 
  
  We do our best to make it clear throughout the ordering process that we are a flexible, self-managed subscription service. Our weekly deadline for changes and cancellations is 11:59 PM PST 4 days prior to your delivery.
  
  Please know you can check out all our upcoming recipes, without signing up or logging in, by visiting: ********************
  
  After taking a look into your account, we can see that you reactivated your subscription on February 20, 2023, resulting in a box being scheduled for delivery. Notification emails are sent when a subscription is reactivated and when changes are made to your plan settings. 
  
  It is never our intention to cause any inconvenience, so as a gesture of goodwill, we’ve processed a partial refund of $38.25 back to your original method of payment. The refund will be visible there in 3 - 5 working days. We kindly thank you in advance for your patience and understanding.
  
  I can confirm that your subscription is canceled and you will not receive any further deliveries. If you have any questions please call us at 1-*************
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:23/03/2023

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On Saturday March 18th 2023, I created an account because I was interested to see what they had to offer and was considering trying it out. I was automatically charged for a box I did not want. I called and emailed them and they refused to refund me because cancellations have to be done at a certain time and I was apparently too late. They told me they were sending the box no matter what. It doesn’t say anywhere clearly that creating an account means you’ll be automatically charged. **** ***** **** * ******* *** * *****

  Business Response

  Date: 28/03/2023

  Hi ***********. We’re sorry to hear that you did not have a good experience while signing up with our service.

  HelloFresh is a weekly subscription service, which means that orders are automatically processed weekly once your account is activated. As outlined in our Terms, by registering for a HelloFresh plan, you acknowledge that your subscription has an initial and recurring payment feature and you accept responsibility for all charges prior to deactivation. 
  

  We do our best to make it clear throughout the ordering process that we are a flexible, self-managed subscription service. Our weekly deadline for changes and cancellations is 11:59 PM PST 4 days prior to your delivery.
  I hope you understand that we have a weekly deadline in order to let our suppliers know exactly how much products we will need. This sets the entire motion of box preparation and delivery. We only order the exact quantities needed for our deliveries each week, so we’re not throwing away tons of extra food. We’re also helping all our customers to reduce the food waste in their homes, by only giving you the ingredients you need to make your meals in the exact quantities.
  

  Please know you can check out all our upcoming recipes, without signing up or logging in, by visiting: ********************

  It is never our intention to cause any inconvenience, so as a gesture of goodwill, we’ve processed a refund of $54.99 back to your original method of payment. The refund will be visible there in 3 - 5 working days. We kindly thank you in advance for your patience and understanding.
  

  I can confirm that your subscription is canceled and you will not receive any further deliveries. If you have any questions please call us at ***************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 28/03/2023

  
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  *********** ********