Complaint about "Packaging and Different Contents" Answered with 'Envelope of Money'
Lotte Confectionery: "No Malice, Just a Mistake... Want to Apologize in Person"
A condolence envelope sent by Lotte Confectionery to a customer who expressed dissatisfaction with the product. Photo by Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Culture Young Intern Reporter] Lotte Confectionery is facing controversy for sending a condolence envelope to a consumer who complained about their product.
According to Yonhap News on the 22nd, Mr. A, who lives in Yangsan City, Gyeongsangnam-do, purchased Lotte Confectionery’s snack Pepero at a nearby convenience store on the 11th. Mr. A bought the entire box because he wanted the box featuring the cartoon character Jjangu and the stickers inside the product. However, the box contained a different Pepero product than the packaging indicated, and there were no stickers.
Afterwards, Mr. A contacted the Lotte Confectionery representative through the convenience store and was told that stickers would be sent. But on the 17th, when Mr. A opened the box sent by Lotte Confectionery, he was shocked and burst into tears because the character stickers were placed inside a condolence envelope.
Mr. A said, "I was scared as soon as I saw the envelope, and I got goosebumps and my hands trembled. Since I believe in folk superstitions, I even felt anger later." He added, "I recently had major surgery on my leg due to an accident and am undergoing hospital treatment, so the condolence envelope looked even more ominous."
Mr. A said that when he was first contacted by the Lotte Confectionery representative and told to go directly to the convenience store to exchange the product, he explained that he was too ill to move. His husband protested to Lotte Confectionery, saying, "Knowing that he injured his leg, sending a condolence envelope is like telling him to die. It’s absurd from a common-sense perspective."
In response, the Lotte Confectionery representative said, "There was absolutely no ill intent, and it was a mistake. We apologize to the customer. The incident occurred because we failed to properly confirm that we were using a condolence envelope. We had extra stickers and intended to fulfill the customer’s request," adding, "We want to apologize for hurting the customer’s feelings by meeting them directly."
They also explained that the difference between the Pepero packaging box and its contents was because the products containing stickers sold out early, so the convenience store independently put other Pepero products inside to sell.
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