Returning Goods & Claiming Credit on Essential Deliveries

How do I return goods from the order being delivered today?

Check your order together with the Essential driver. If there is a product incorrectly delivered or damaged please send it back with the driver. The driver will record the details on their device and the credit will be processed.

How do I return goods from a previous delivery?

Contact us by email within 5 working days of receipt of the goods you wish to return. You will be issued with a claim number; make a record of this number (you may find it useful to put a post-it note on the item to be returned, but please don’t write the number on the item itself). When you receive your next delivery, our driver will match your claim number to the agreed returns. Once the goods are collected by our driver, the credit will be issued, using the reference claim number. Our drivers will not take goods back without a claim number. Please note: we cannot collect goods unless we are delivering to you.

How do I make a claim?

To make a claim, email:

1. The invoice number on which the goods were bought.
2. The product code.
3. The reason for return/credit claim.

to claims@essential-trading.coop.

Valid claims

For your claim to be valid we ask that:

1. You notify us within 5 working days of receipt of the goods you wish to return.
2. You provide full invoice details and product codes.

Claims will be refused if:

1. You have had the goods in your possession for more than 5 working days.
2. The packaging or goods have been damaged, price-marked, written on or defaced in any way.
3. The goods are not in their original packaging, or unfit for resale.
4. The goods are special order items obtained solely on your behalf and are not part of our normal stockholding.

Returning chilled or frozen items

Due to the relatively short shelf life and conditions that chilled and frozen goods need to be kept under, we are unable to offer standard returns criteria for these products. Please check your fridge goods against the invoice with our drivers at the point of delivery.

We can only accept fridge returns under the following circumstances:

• We sent you the wrong item.
• The goods are delivered out of date.
• The goods were damaged at delivery through no fault of the customer.
• The goods spoil within the best before/use-by date through no fault of customer storage or handling. Please seal or otherwise enclose the goods and return them marked for the attention of Quality Assurance.

I have made a credit claim but have not been issued a credit or a claim number

It is the customer’s responsibility to ensure that essential receives all claims. If you have not had a response to your claim within 5 working days, please contact our claims team.

We will not issue claims outside of the terms described above unless goods were delivered using third-party transport. We do not offer a sale-or-return policy. Goods ordered in error may be returned provided they comply with the above criteria, however we reserve the right to make a charge on returns made on this basis, which will be 15% of the value of the returned Goods or £10, whichever is greater.

If you have any queries regarding the above then contact our claims team on 0117 9430 800 or email claims@essential-trading.coop.