Returns & Refunds
Written for fresh, perishable food specifically — not copied off a template that assumes we sell T-shirts.
Last updated 28 July 2026. Howzit Healthy (Pty) Ltd, Boksburg, South Africa.
1. Why perishable goods are different
Under section 20 of the Consumer Protection Act, a supplier may refuse a return of goods that are perishable and have been unsealed or removed from a temperature-controlled environment, because we cannot verify how they were handled after delivery and cannot resell them under any circumstances. Our meals are cooked fresh, chilled, and carry a shelf life of 5 days. That is the reason this policy exists in a specific form rather than a general one.
None of what follows limits your rights under the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 in respect of goods that are defective, unsafe, or not of the quality you were entitled to expect.
2. When we refund or replace, no argument
The meal arrived damaged, leaking or with a broken seal.
Full refund or replacement on that meal, your choice.
The meal arrived warm.
If the tray is above 8 °C on arrival, do not eat it. Photograph it, tell us, and we refund the affected meals in full.
You received the wrong meal, or a meal is missing.
We refund the difference or send the correct meal on the next delivery run, whichever you prefer.
The meal is off, spoiled, or tastes wrong within its use-by date.
Full refund on that meal. We would also genuinely like to know, because it means something went wrong in our kitchen.
The allergen or nutrition information on the site was wrong.
Full refund on the entire order, and we correct the page the same day. If you have had a reaction, contact a medical professional first and us second.
We missed the delivery date entirely.
Full refund, or the order moves free of charge to the next cycle. Your call.
3. When we cannot refund
You changed your mind after the cutoff.
Once Wednesday 23:59 passes we have already bought the ingredients for your specific order. Before the cutoff, cancel for a full refund, no questions.
The meal was left out of the fridge.
Storage instructions are on the tray, the meal page, the FAQ and the order confirmation. Once a chilled meal has been out at room temperature, it is not safe and it is not something we can stand behind.
The use-by date has passed.
5 days, printed on every tray. After that we cannot help.
You did not like the taste.
Taste is subjective and a meal you simply did not enjoy is not a defective one. Tell us anyway — feedback shapes the next batch, and if a flavour draws repeated complaints we pull it.
Nobody was there for a delivery.
The driver calls on arrival and waits ten minutes. If we cannot deliver and cannot safely leave the order, it returns to the kitchen and cannot be re-delivered, because the cold chain is broken. We will always try to reach you first.
4. How to claim
Within 24 hours
WhatsApp 27812345678 or email howzit@howzithealthy.co.za with your order number.
Send a photo
Of the tray, the seal and the printed use-by date. It takes ten seconds and settles almost every claim on the spot.
Refund in 3–5 working days
Back to the original payment method. EFT refunds go to the account the payment came from.
Do not post the food back. Do not eat something you suspect is off in order to prove a point. A photo is enough.
5. Cancelling an order
Before the Wednesday 23:59 cutoff for your cycle, cancel for a full refund with no fee — nothing has been bought or cooked yet. After the cutoff, cancellation is not possible, because your specific meals are already in the production plan.
6. Contact for returns
WhatsApp is the fastest route: wa.me/27812345678. Email howzit@howzithealthy.co.za. If you are unhappy with how we handled a claim, you may refer the matter to the National Consumer Commission.