If you count yourself a Trader Joe’s regular, you know the food and drink lining this store’s aisles aren’t the same offerings or brands as you’d find in other supermarkets. Walk through those sliding doors, and simple sandwich cookies become Joe-Joe’s, while run-of-the-mill potato chips come dusted with blue cheese powder, if desired.

Experimenting with new snacks and flavors is one of the most exciting parts of the Trader Joe’s shopping experience, but it can sometimes leave you with an inventory of less practical groceries at home. Quality is usually consistent at this beloved chain, but what if you try a new item and simply… don’t like it?

Trader Joe’s official return policy is straightforward: “We tried it. We like it. If you don’t, bring it back for a refund or exchange.” While most retailers require returned items to be unopened and brought back within a specific time frame, Trader Joe’s takes a very liberal approach to accepting returns. Is there a catch?

I called my local TJs, and a crew member reiterated the store’s policy when I asked about returning an item. Per the employee, receipts aren’t required, but they are appreciated if you still have them on hand. They also confirmed there’s no set time limit for returns, but noted they’d appreciate it if shoppers could exchange products on their next grocery trip.

So that forgotten bag of spinach rotting in the back of your fridge? While technically it is possible to receive a full refund at Trader Joe’s, we’re not endorsing anyone abusing an already generous policy. If you happen to get a brand-new bag of spinach and open it to find a funky smell, TJ’s will than gladly take it back, but please be reasonable and don’t ruin this budget-friendly system for everyone else.

Team members online affirm this sentiment and the store’s policy. Scroll through r/traderjoes and r/tjcrewtwo Reddit communities dedicated to the grocery chain, and you’ll find numerous anecdotes confirming the generous return policy alongside recounts of some not-so-gracious return requests. (Among them is an alleged attempt to return a box of oatmeal that expired in 2018 to a store in 2023, along with returns of other bizarre, discontinued, and spoiled items.)

One Redditor details how they easily returned three bottles of wine they didn’t enjoy, noting that “management credited my purchase for the three bottles… no questions asked.” Other Trader Joe’s fans say the store reportedly tracks which items are returned to help improve future products or to learn what customers aren’t loving.

If you try an item and don’t like it, you shouldn’t be shy about returning it — that’s what the store policy is for, and other food professionals have shared their experiences with it online. Recipe developer and former Rachael Ray producer Jeanette Donnarumma recently shared on TikTok that during her 20 years of shopping at Trader Joe’s, she’s only returned three things.

This was an easy process thanks to what she describes as a “great return policy,” and the recipe developer emphasizes that “you can return anything, no questions asked. You don’t even need a receipt.”

Grocery costs can add up quickly these days, and we only want to spend our food budget on things we’ll actually eat — and enjoy. With food getting even expensive, we’re extra grateful for Trader Joe’s relaxed approach to returns. So if you decide to finally try the Cashel Blue Cheese Irish Potato Chips and find they aren’t for you, perhaps it’s time to chat with a Trader Joe’s crew member.