Returns

Prices have increased, but not the quality of products. What's more, I risk saying that in a half-mad race to fatten their pockets at the expense of high prices, more than one is selling merchandise that do not even meet the minimum quality standards and, what’s worse, that are not what they say they are.

It’s so that in these days I decided to return everything that I bought and then I verified that it was not useful.

As a result I returned:

-A pound of shredded white cheese that was more salt than cheese (and spoiled some spaghetti I made)

-Three pounds of cassava that did not soften after two rounds in my steam pot and they had cost me 120 pesos

-A bottle of vinegar that was water tinged with something resembling caramel

-A bag of breads that smelled of petroleum (it seems that they were transported in the trunk of a car without much care)

In no case did I see the need to argue, demand or call the administrator or the owner. They simply returned my money, as if they were convinced that what they were selling was really useless.

I only had to travel a few blocks for those returns, but I wonder what happened to those who lived far away and fell into the trap. What if it was an old man who could barely walk? What if someone ate the cheese like that, salty and all, and his blood pressure went through the roof?

There can be many "what ifs", but the most serious thing is that there are many returned products and just within a week. What is the true magnitude of this phenomenon? Where are the inspectors? Where is the respect for the client, the costumer, health care? Is it true that love is gone for good? I refuse to believe so.

Translated by Amilkal Labañino / CubaSí Translation Staff