“Japanese Store Apologizes Profusely for Complaints About Collapsed Christmas Cakes”

Tokyo:

“In Japan, a high-end department store chain issued a formal and public apology following complaints about $40 Christmas cakes being delivered in a crumbled state. Social media was flooded with images of the collapsed cakes, prompting the public outcry.”

“The upscale department store chain Takashimaya faced backlash as customers who purchased strawberry-topped Christmas cakes online posted images on social media, revealing the cakes arrived in a flattened and fragmented state, prompting widespread complaints and a public apology.”

“Over 800 out of nearly 3,000 frozen Christmas cakes sold by Takashimaya were confirmed to be deformed, prompting a public apology from the upscale department store chain. Customers may be reimbursed for the 5,400 yen cakes based on delivery conditions, and Takashimaya is conducting a thorough investigation into its production and delivery partners.”

“Takashimaya, unable to identify a cause for the cake collapse, stated that temperature management was not the issue. Despite this, the company emphasized its responsibility as the seller to deliver products to customers’ satisfaction and is conducting a thorough investigation into its production and delivery partners.”

“Takashimaya accepts full responsibility for the cake collapse, acknowledging that the entire responsibility rests on them. While some customers expressed disappointment, others shared creative ways of salvaging the situation, such as allowing a three-year-old to decorate the cake ‘as he likes’ to cover up the mess.”