Selling out of date items

kez1234

hi all gotta say i don't always check sell by dates...i expect them to be checked by the shop not by myself????

sorry had to have a say:)

DCFC79

kez1234 wrote: »

hi all gotta say i don't always check sell by dates...i expect them to be checked by the shop not by myself????

sorry had to have a say:)

Mistakes are made and items do get missed by people who check the dates on foodstuffs,

markelock

10past6 wrote: »

You’ve created YOUR own problem, i.e. purchasing out of date products 3 times :eek:

What advice are you actually looking for?

Oh, and look at the number of thanks I’ve received from members on this board who I've assisted

this of courses leads me to think I can open a shop, sell goods without checking the dates, because it's for the customer to check?

don't agree. what if the user shops somewhere every week for a year, and buys 25 things a week. and over that period of a year 3 things are out of date? fair enough they should probably check.

my co-op is the same. notwithstanding the service is so dire I would rather travel an extra 1/2 mile to go elsewhere, why should I now be able to assume the things being sold are safe for me to consume?

OP, complain to the Co-op. They may wish to confirm that the store is running at an acceptable level of conformance.

qazitory

Miss~fit wrote: »

Hi
Does anyone know what to do when you've bought (and not for the first time:mad: ) items that are out of date, yet still charged at full price?
For the third time, i've bought items at the local Co-op that are a few days past the sell by date and taste horrid.
i haven't got the reciept as they never gave me one....again:mad:
i could kick myself and won't be shopping there again..but who do i complain to?
Thanks

Take it back to the shop, as if the packaging says Co-Op that might help your case. Also did you pay on a card? Could you show your bank statement?

I suppose you could inform Trading Standards, but without evidence I think you might struggle?

Or you could take it up as a bad case and learn by it?

tinynik

pinkshoes wrote: »

Once is unfortunate.

Twice is unlucky,

Third time is careless.

You should ALWAYS check the date on anything you buy, and if it's a "sell by" date, then you've often got quite a long time period after this date that you can eat it - the date is just a guideline.

It's been proved that sell by dates have a psychosomatic effect i.e. some people THINK they taste funny when they actually taste fine, just because it's past its sell by date.

Actually, "sell by" dates means that after that date, the product should not be consumed, or consumed with caution at least.
"Best before" dates mean that the product can still be consumed but will not be up to the standard it would if it was within the date.
Most chilled items in supermarkets have a "use by" or "sell by" date on the product. So always check the dates on items in the chilled section, and if you are not going to use it on or before that date, then dont purchase it!

looby75

contrary to what seems to be popular belief on this thread it is actually the Stores legal requirement to ensure that they aren't selling food past its use by date, and not the customers.

I know this because one of my friends works for the co-op and stock control is her job, she's the one who does the price reductions and makes sure everything in the shop is within it's used by date. The position was set up when the branch was fined by H&S for having an unacceptable level of out of date good on it's shelves.

OP email the co-op with your complaint. I did once when they changed to those stupidly thin carrier bags and the bottom fell out of it when I was walking home. All my items, including a large jar of mayo which smashed, were ruined. I didn't ask for any compensation or anything I simply emailed them to give feedback about the new carriers, but they sent me a £10 voucher to replace my shopping. Didn't change the stupid carriers though lol

bmth123

It really depends on whether it was just a sell by date or whether there was a use by or best before date on it. Almost all products on sale must have a minimum durabilty date on them ie a use by or best before date and this will depend on whether they will become unsafe to eat or just lose their quality at some stage after that date.
However, not all products have to have a minimum durability for example fruit and veg (unless processed like bags of salad etc) but the store may choose to put a sell by date on the product to assist with stock rotation.

It is unclear from OP whether there was any other date on the product.
If it is purely a sell by date on the product you may choose to complain to the Head Office as presumably you have less time to use the product before it 'goes past its best'
If it is a use by or best before date it is on sale after and you want the matter dealing with by a third party (rather than the company) then consider informing Consumer Direct either on the web or by telephone who will pass on the info to trading standards. They can then consider whether monitoring of the store is appropriate.

Meadows

Miss~fit wrote: »

Hi
Does anyone know what to do when you've bought (and not for the first time:mad: ) items that are out of date, yet still charged at full price?
For the third time, i've bought items at the local Co-op that are a few days past the sell by date and taste horrid.
i haven't got the reciept as they never gave me one....again:mad:
i could kick myself and won't be shopping there again..but who do i complain to?
Thanks

Really depends how far you want to take it, you can take it back to the shop and either get your money back or what ever they offer.
or
You could contact Trading Standards, the store can be fined!

trader_girl

it is not Illegal to sell goods past thier best before date as long as the customer is made aware of the fact either at point of sale or at the till.
IT IS illegal to sell goods after their sell by and use by date.
I suggest the OP has a talk to trading standards, and some of you learn the law before yuo start quoting myths,

looby75

trader_girl wrote: »

it is not Illegal to sell goods past thier best before date as long as the customer is made aware of the fact either at point of sale or at the till.
IT IS illegal to sell goods after their sell by and use by date.
I suggest the OP has a talk to trading standards, and some of you learn the law before yuo start quoting myths,

who's quoted myths......everyone so far as agreed that there is a difference between use by and best before