Geelong Fresh Foods — Local services in Geelong West

Be prepared for the possibility that you may not feel welcome in this store based on your appearance.

The difference between the experience my non-white partner had shopping at Geelong Fresh Foods and my own experience as a white person is stark — and troubling. He visited the store on two separate occasions, and both times was subjected to treatment from staff that was completely unwarranted and, when compared to how I was treated, strongly suggests racial profiling.

On both visits, staff followed him around the store, watched him closely as he shopped, and treated him rudely — right up until he paid, as if they had assumed he wouldn’t (I can't imagine what made them think that). On one occasion, a staff member physically cut him off as he tried to enter the store, as if he were invisible. And when he asked for help locating a product (one purchased there before) a staff member who had been following him around bluntly refused to assist him.

After his last visit, my partner came home in tears. It broke my heart to hear him say, “I didn’t ask to look like this.” No one should ever be made to feel that way.

I honestly don’t like leaving negative reviews, but given my partner’s experiences, and after seeing he same themes mentioned in two other Google reviews, it’s clear that Geelong Fresh Foods is failing in its positive duty under the Equal Opportunity Act to eliminate discrimination wherever possible. My partner and I will not be returning — but I hope this review encourages the business to reflect and commit to creating an environment where everyone feels safe, welcome,...

I had a really rude and disappointing experience with a manager and expired meat. Which sucks as this joint was my local for weekly shopping, but I won’t be returning - I refuse to spend an exorbitant amount of money on food that didn’t last 24 hours and to be treated as if I was asking for something unreasonable when under consumer law, they sold a product unfit for consumption.

I purchased 800g of bacon on Friday around 2:20pm, drove 15 minutes and placed it in the fridge. The next morning, I opened the fridge and the bacon was spoiled to the point it could be smelled through the deli paper - confirmed this with others who I live with because surely not?! So I returned less than 24 hours later (9/9/23) and was directed to a manager. I explained the situation, he smelled the bacon and told me that it was not off. I disagreed and he attempted to make excuses and landed on “it’s not off, I won’t replace it”. Ultimately, I’m not going to eat something that myself and others have declared as off (it stank), I left the product with him and walked out as the situation wasn’t going anywhere positive. I ultimately wanted a refund or a replacement of product and to be treated fairly during the situation which was clearly too...

Went there with my 2-year-old child for Almond Cake but ended up not buying anything. While walking out of the store, the lady at the checkout requested I return to the store and empty up my backpack before leaving the store. I told her that my bag was not a shopping bag to be checked, and she said that was their policy. I started emptying my bag, obviously full of child stuff. I wasn't happy with it and clearly said to her that it is disrespectful and humiliating to treat a customer as a thief. She didn't even bother to apologise or explain, immediately called her manager who said that it wasn't even necessary to check my bag after I even opened my child's lunch box for her to check. He didn't even bother to apologise and walked away but I made it clear to him that the experience was, disgusting, disrespectful and humiliating.

So apart from being a super expensive store, you treat customers as potential shoplifters. What an awful experience for a father and his kid, an utterly disrespectful and disgusting racism. Trust and respect work both ways and if you can't trust your customers, customers should not trust you and your products in return. Never going there again. Such a...