Out of date produce in supermarket

meester

A couple of times I've noticed out-of-date food in the supermarket, pointed it out to the staff, and they've chucked it away.

However yesterday scouring the shelves for the ripest most pungent Camembert in Sainsburys I saw that one had a 3 September expiry date. I almost showed the shelf stacker before realising it was probably the only ripe cheese in the shop and bought it.

I couldn't ask for a discount because being out-of-date they couldn't sell it, but could they give it away?

Should I have asked for it for free?

HariboJunkie

meester wrote: »

A couple of times I've noticed out-of-date food in the supermarket, pointed it out to the staff, and they've chucked it away.

However yesterday scouring the shelves for the ripest most pungent Camembert in Sainsburys I saw that one had a 3 September expiry date. I almost showed the shelf stacker before realising it was probably the only ripe cheese in the shop and bought it.

I couldn't ask for a discount because being out-of-date they couldn't sell it, but could they give it away?

Should I have asked for it for free?

I doubt if they would have given it to you. In our litigious society they wouldn't want the risk. Stupid but probably true.

I picked up some reduced to clear crackers in the Co-op recently but when the girl scanned them at the checkout she said I couldn't have them as they'd passed their SBD. I said I didn't mind or would take then free but she wouldn't budge. :rolleyes:

competitionscafe

They would probably have said that they were not allowed to sell it and kept it! I sometimes visit the cheese counter at Waitrose near closing time as you can get some great bargains on cheese and there is nothing wrong with it - in fact with cheeses like Brie it is just getting towards the ripe and ready to eat stage rather than those rock hard, unripe tasteless ones at full price.

Have picked up a whole brie or camembert (the individual ones in boxes) for a quid and other cheeses at up to 75% off. Avocados are another good buy when reduced as they might actually be almost ripe rather than having to keep them in your kitchen for a week before you can eat them! Also got some organic cherry tomatoes last week reduced to 45p per pack but they were on a 3 for 2 offer so the till automatically reduced the amount by the full price of 1 pack leaving me 20p in credit (they paid me to buy them!).

Even my local deli /cheese shop sells off cheese at reduced prices when it is near the sell by date - he says in France they would think you were crazy to sell cheese for less just as it was reaching perfect condition! :rolleyes:

pink_princess

hi at mr s we give away out of code items to soup kitchens etc but if out of date it is illegal to sell .But at our durham store we throw away so much that isn t wanted that could be donated .I nearly cry at the hundreds of pounds worth daily, it should be outlawed.