Rotten beef from major supermarket

DCFC79

dnsg wrote: »

I've returned it once -- it's happened about four times, as I did quit buying it a long time ago (and then stopped shopping there when we moved towns). I complained only once because I was inevitably cooking it on a Sunday afternoon and had to cut out the 'good' sections to make my meals... I couldn't return the offcuts.

I have recently started shopping at a different branch of the same store and just plain forgot about my problems with their meat.

I just wondered if anyone else had the same problem because I can't believe I'm the only one who's noticed this.

It's true I don't know that's it's rotten for sure, but the smell is pretty strong... and, when I look at the meat that's in the 'clearance section', it looks like that -- brown and skanky, not something you'd want to feed to your children!

other people have had the problem(ive known customers get a refund because 1 worked for 1 of the big 4) of meat going off but maybe they dont ask about it on here and go to the store for a refund,

Snugglebunny8

No problems with beef or pork from there, but Ive had 3 incidents - including one last week - where chicken has been 'off' when Ive opened it, all within the use by date and stored correctly and immediately in fridge..

Bought a whole chicken on friday 31st, use by was 2nd Jan. One morning of saturday 1st I opened the plastic and the smell was awful, even though it looked fine on outside and was chilled, everything else in fridge is fine and ice cold and the other meat I bought (beef and pork) was all fine when I checked it.

Took it back, as have done twice before, and they apologised, agreed it was off and gave me another, which was fine.

The other twice were both the chicken breast steaks, this was a whole chicken.

Am concerned, I thought I had just been unlucky, will drop them an email and let them know whats happened to me so they maybe need to check out the freezer section for chicken, though Id have thought health and safety would dictate they had to check it regularly?

Good job I didnt have a heavy cold and could smell it was off!

DCFC79

Snugglebunny8 wrote: »

Am concerned, I thought I had just been unlucky, will drop them an email and let them know whats happened to me so they maybe need to check out the freezer section for chicken, though Id have thought health and safety would dictate they had to check it regularly?

Good job I didnt have a heavy cold and could smell it was off!

yes the store check the chiller compartments, the freezer compartments are checked by a computer and if theres a problem an outside contractor is alerted and an engineer is sent out, this is based on my experience of working for JS but might be different to the other s/markets

Snugglebunny8

thanks DCFC79, I assumed H&S would dictate they should, am also surprised that I would be the only person who has returned chicken gone off so would have thought they would have checked the freezer carefully, do you think it might be a supplier issue? or wonder if there has been an issue with transport temperature? am quite concerned as would hate anyone to get ill because of it, ive dropped their CS an email and asked if they could look into it, but same as you Id be suprised if they didnt check their freezers regularly, its a really good store other than those incidents, so am hoping they will get to bottom of it! x

carolannjo

I also have had problems with whole chicken being off before the sell by date. I did begin to suspect my fridge but everything else purchased fresh was fine. Despite this I had British Gas out to check it (I have appliance cover) and all was well. If I buy whole chicken now I cook it well before its sell by.
The supermarket I have had most problems with is Asda in my experience.

Sarahdol75

JulieGeorgiana wrote: »

Did you get a refund then?

I hope so!

What a load of rubbish the supermarkets can spout!! When I used to buy meat from them, I always froze it in it's packaging. Otherwise you are risking freezer burn if it accdently becomes exposed!

Yes, sorry I did get a refund, but I had to push for it, she was trying to get out it.

Raksha

Frozen beef does have a different smell when defrosted - it's hard to describe. but it can seem a bit 'sweet'

shellsuit

I wouldn't buy meat from one of the major supermarkets again.

The last time I bought meat, I'd bought 2 packs of mince from Asda. Not the basic stuff, but the 2 packs for £6 or whatever it was.

Both packs had a week on them according to the date. We had spag bol the night I bought them, then 2 days later I wanted to make a cottage pie.

The mince in the pack had turned brown and when I pierced it with a knife, omg the smell was rancid. It was like a sweet, vinegary smell which was awful. Didn't bother taking it back, just vowed not to shop there again for meat and haven't done.

I'll only buy mince now from the butchers where I used to work as I know it's minced fresh each morning. OK it might cost a bit more, but least I know what I'll be getting. Same goes for sausage, chicken and steak.

DCFC79

Snugglebunny8 wrote: »

thanks DCFC79, I assumed H&S would dictate they should, am also surprised that I would be the only person who has returned chicken gone off so would have thought they would have checked the freezer carefully, do you think it might be a supplier issue? or wonder if there has been an issue with transport temperature? am quite concerned as would hate anyone to get ill because of it, ive dropped their CS an email and asked if they could look into it, but same as you Id be suprised if they didnt check their freezers regularly, its a really good store other than those incidents, so am hoping they will get to bottom of it! x

ive no idea whether it would be a supplier issue but as ive said if enough people were to bring t to the stores attention/CS attention then if anyone had half a brain they would look at the chilled compartmnents in store and ask the supplier to check they're end

ye sthe best thing is to contact CS and i would have thought they would have a log of how many meat has been returned for whatever reason

alwaysonthego_2

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