MSE News: Sainsbury's food label switch could save shoppers money

JimmyTheWig

esuhl wrote: »

I've always ignored the "freeze on day of purchase" advice. It's daft to think that keeping something refrigerated in a shop is any different to being refrigerated at home.

Wee_Pilsbury wrote: »

Let's face it, if a shop puts out 100 packs of bacon on a Monday (all with the same use by date for argument's sake) and I buy a pack on Monday with you buying a pack on the Friday, we are both being told to freeze on the day of purchase! What's the urgency for me to freeze the bacon when it doesn't become urgent for you until the Friday?

I guess the only difference I see is that my packet of bacon has been in the supermarket fridge all that time, constantly at the correct temperature.

Yours may have been left in the car for a couple of hours as you had stuff to do on your way home, left on the side for a while before you got around to putting it away, been out for a while on Wednesday morning when you planned to use it but then ran out of time. And for the rest of the time it has been in your fridge which may not be totally efficient, potentially has "warm" and "cold" spots and will have been opened and closed various times.

But all that logic could be applied to the "use by" date, too. Why not "use on day of purchase" for fear of the above. Which is why I wonder what the logic behind the freezing instruction was.

[In terms of what I would do, if I had "mistreated" my packet of bacon in the way described in my example I wouldn't be happy freezing it on its use-by date. But then I wouldn't be too happy using it that late on after all that variation in temperature.]

gazza975526570

We have always froze stuff on (or god forbid a day or so later!!) including reduced fresh produce.

Cant believe people would throw them away - with most foods you can smell if they are still ok.

WishI'dReadSooner

Those of us who live on whoopsies have done this for years - frozen whoopsies when we got them home. It was frozen on day of purchase for us!

I do agree on the waste that happens on BOGOF's or even worse the buy 1 get 2 free deals. It would be FAR better especially for people on their own or couples if this were banned (by supermarkets being MADE to sell 1 item at 1/2 price or 1/3 of price of offer) and everyone could buy just 1 item at a time at a low price.

I was seething the time Tescos had an offer on yogurt packs of 12 of buy 1 get 2 free. The price for one pack increased (as they always do) BUT apart from that how many people have room in their fridge for 3 packs of 12 yogurt?? ONLY larger families could eat them before the sell by date - a single person wouldn't stand a chance. Crazyness!

JimmyTheWig

gazza975526570 wrote: »

Cant believe people would throw them away - with most foods you can smell if they are still ok.

But you can't do that if you freeze them. Unless you open them first?

pollyskettle

BlondeHeadOn wrote: »

I always used to ignore this instruction anyway, as I thought it was daft - I put things in the fridge, and if we haven't already eaten them by their 'use by' date I will then stick them in freezer on that date.

Can't believe anyone ever followed this 'freeze on day of purchase' instuction, to be honest....

This ^^^^ It surely can't be news to anyone that you don't HAVE to freeze it on the day you bought it, you can actually do it later than that!

scottishminnie

BlondeHeadOn wrote: »

Can't believe anyone ever followed this 'freeze on day of purchase' instuction, to be honest....

Couldn't agree more - I don't think for one moment that people are as stupid as Sainsbury's would like to hope they are. Do the supermarkets think we hang on their every word?

As for anyone who threw perfectly good food out because they forgot to put in in the freezer on the day of purchase - they obviously have money to waste and deserve no sympathy.

This is a non news story if ever there was one but the newspapers and tv had soaked it up like big sponges yet again.

Errata

I've always done this, and if food out of the fridge or the freezer isn't chasing me round the kitchen - it's fit to eat.

callum9999

I think the logic behind "freeze on day of purchase" is to try and get you to freeze it as soon as possible. Everyone knows it shouldn't be taken literally, but the sooner you freeze it the better it will keep. It doesn't specifically say you can't freeze it afterwards, but it is time for it to be retired I agree.

Dina_Lady

Lynsey wrote: »

Why do you not take the "free" one and donate it??
Someone else could maybe do the same in return??

If something is BOGOF, BOG2F etc, I take the lot. They are generally over-priced anyway if buying a single pack when this offer is on, that in itself is a waste - a waste of money.

Lynsey

How can spending £2 on 1 thing I will use rather than £5 on 3 things where 1 goes to waste, be wasting money??
Take out the rude way you said to 'donate' the free pack of whatever on BOGOF, I am spending money just on what I need and will not waste.

You are lucky to have enough money to get the inflated special offers, don't preach when you know nothing about what others do.

x_Bunny_x

arent they changing the packaging because asda and morrions have done it too . all home brand stuff is the same thing just sold to different shops and put in a different packet!.