On May 20, the J.M. Smucker Co. announced a voluntary recall of dozens of Jif peanut butter products for potential salmonella contamination. The first seven digits of the product code range for the recalled products are 1274425 through 2140425.
Stores are also removing others foods made with the recalled Jif peanut butter from their shelves. Fudgeamentals of New York is recalling fudge made with Jif peanut butter, the company said in a recall announcement shared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The recalled products were sold at retailers nationwide.
Other grocery stores chains, including Giant Eagle, WaWa, and Country Fresh in Texas have also removed products that contained the recalled peanut butter.
Since the recall announcement, some Twitter users have asked whether Jif will provide refunds to people who purchased the affected products, while others have said Costco promised to refund customers. Google Trends data also show people are searching for information about how to get a refund for recalled products.
THE QUESTION
Can you get a refund if you purchased recalled Jif peanut butter products?
THE SOURCES
THE ANSWER
Yes, you can get a refund if you purchased recalled Jif peanut butter products.
WHAT WE FOUND
A spokesperson for J.M. Smucker Co., which manufactures Jif, told VERIFY in an email that “consumers with impacted product will be reimbursed.”
Jif has since launched a recall claim form on its website where customers can input the product they purchased, quantity and product code. The company will then review the claim and send one or more coupons for replacement products if they are impacted by the recall.
Customers with more than one product to claim should fill out the form again, Jif says. Those who have completed the form are being told that they will get their coupons in approximately six weeks.
Major grocery store chains are also refunding customers who purchased recalled products.
In a recall notice posted online, Costco says customers should throw away unused products and go to their nearest store for a full refund.
Meijer, a grocery store chain with locations throughout the Midwest, says customers who bought the recalled products should “discontinue use immediately and return the products to the nearest Meijer store for a full refund.”
Customers of Publix grocery stores, located throughout the southern United States, can also return recalled products to their local store for a full refund, communications director Maria Brous told VERIFY in an email.
Giant and Food Lion customers can also get a full refund if they purchased products impacted by the recall.
Albertsons, which owns grocery store chains like Safeway and Vons, is also recalling 11 store-prepared items that contain Jif peanut butter. Anyone who purchased these items can also get a refund, the company said in a press release.
VERIFY contacted Kroger, which owns Fred Meyer, Ralphs, QFC, Food 4 Less, Smith’s and other grocery stores, and Walmart for information about their refund policies, but has not yet received a response at the time of publishing.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says people who purchased recalled peanut butter should wash and sanitize surfaces or utensils that it may have touched. Anyone with symptoms of salmonella should also contact their healthcare provider.
Most people infected with salmonella will begin to experience symptoms 12 to 72 hours after infection, and the illness usually lasts four to seven days, according to the FDA.
Common symptoms of salmonella include diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps. In some cases, salmonella may become fatal but most people recover without treatment. Symptoms in more severe cases may include a high fever, aches, headaches, lethargy, a rash, and blood in urine or stool.
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