We have been customers of riverford for nearly 2 years now. Initially this was brilliant, until lockdown started. To start off with, I never dared complain, after all it was a very extraordinary set of circumstances. However, we started receiving notifications with the boxes advising there was a surge of new customers and that existing customers were the priority. Very quickly after this we saw a sharp decline in the quality of the food. The potatoes were tiny and bad quality, most of them throw away. We then had a problem with 2 kale batches. Could be the kale, or more likely a bad reaction to that kale. I was sick as a dog for 3 days. I called riverford when I saw the following box would again contain kale and they very nicely changed it for me and advised me I could manage the products I didn’t want in my box in the alerts. I did this and for some time we did not receive any of the items in my alert items. So far so good and a great customer service I thought. Fast forward a few months and we have recently got 1. Corn in the web that was only half matured. 2. Potatoes with obvious signs of frost (brown large spots inside), and 3. The dreaded kale. I sent an email asking why kale was included in my box when I advised them already of my not wanted items, as told by their customer service, and why it was in my house. I also asked them about the potatoes and general quality of produce lately, and sent pictures. I have now received a couple of emails advising that the alerts are for them to do nothing and for me to be checking my emails for said alert, where I have got a window of hours to change my items. And without apology for the decline in quality, that they would send it to their team for them to check. When I insisted upon the need for said alert which means I have to check my very busy inbox within the window given to change items, I was only reiterated that’s how it worked. When I asked them why I’d been told to use that functionality and ‘never worry again’, I was told that’s how it worked. When I asked them what I do if I cannot eat their kale due to intolerance and not the fact I ‘don’t want it’ (as they seem to imply, alerts are for unwanted items, not allergies or food intolerances), I received a big fat no response. So now not only the quality of produce had taken a nose dive, but also the quality of their customer service, who were amazing to start off with, and now it feels like you talk to a robot. Impenetrable, yet I’m a paying and loyal customer, and have recommended them to so many of my friends. I would not recommend them again now.