Tesco selling food past its used by date by over 10 days

Silvertabby

Last time I was in Tesco I noticed that a jar of sauce had a 'blown' lid. Trying to be helpful, I showed it to a nearby shelf-stacker. She just looked at me as if I was stupid, and put it back on the shelf.

Money_maker

startingout2016 wrote: »

I had just walked a mile into town and was so thirsty I bought it and downed it immediatley.

Why did you not bring this up with the staff in the store at the time?

glentoran99

startingout2016 wrote: »

I had just walked a mile into town and was so thirsty I bought it and downed it immediatley.

It tasted foul, but by that time a small £1 bottle insnt many gulps at all.

Its not my responsibility to check the dates though it is the shops by law.

I explained to tesco in my contact with them that its not the first time, but with 10 days out of date thats rediculous and could be dangerous and I dont want to have to check the dates of everything I buy every time. It would take agest.

No. No it wouldn't and its should be normal practice

daytona0

The real victim here is that unborn child of yours....

Gotta take at least *some* responsibility for what happened here, as you have a duty of care to the child by ensuring that you aren't drinking anything which could potentially harm them.

As for Tesco's responsibility:

1. Report them to Consumer Advice as per previous post (or trading standards?). That way it will be on record and you'll be counted should it become a regular occurrence (people aren't perfect).

2. DIRECTLY ask them for an apology, if you are that bothered!

3. They only technically owe you a £1 refund. Anything above that is goodwill, unless of course you can prove that ill health began due to the drink in which case you *may* be entitled to compensation.

4. If you are seeking compensation, like a free £10 voucher (which I think you are trying to achieve in a very indirect/beating around the busy way), then BE DIRECT with them and state that clearly!

5. Even if you just want an apology, do you really think that a customer advisor, on rubbish wages and with their own life problems, is going to care as much as you'd like?!

6. If you are doing it to benefit future shoppers then just state that! And maybe do point 1 for good measure. It will then be up to Tesco as to whether they take up your helpful advice.

daytona0

startingout2016 wrote: »

I dont want to have to check the dates of everything I buy every time. It would take agest.

You don't have to check everything, only the foods which are perishable Most things like bread, pasta, sauces etc are all "best before" and can still be eaten safely beyond this time period! So even sealed bread 10 days past best before date is edible.

But I will just point something out....

If you are a responsible mother then you will be checking BOTH the expiry dates AND the ingredients list in a few months when your baby comes along and you start buying food for them!

So why does it "take agest" now but it won't in a few months?

Or is it just because you can't SEE your baby right now? Is that why you aren't overly bothered?

lincroft1710

I'm not pregnant (too old and more importantly I'm male) but still check dates on all food items I buy.

Found a 1 day outside use by date item on Tesco shelves last week and decided Tesco should not be allowed to get away with this! So I picked up item and approached nearest Tesco employee and showed them the product. The employee thanked me and took the product away.

OP if the juice tasted foul you should not have drunk it. You have no excuse for not checking dates, it is vital to do so in your condition. With so many items on shelves the odd out of date one will slip through.

David_Aston

Op, you will have gathered by the response, to this thread, that most people responding, do check use by dates on fresh produce. I know I do. It takes no time at all.

stephenliverpool1

startingout2016 wrote: »

I purchased produce at full price in my local Tesco on Saturday.
Consumed it immediately and after realising it tasted foul looked at the date.
It had a use by date of over 10 days prior and was not in the reduced section.
I was a bit concerned as I am 6 months pregnant. The item only cost £1 so wasn’t concerned about the money, but contacted Tesco to let them know.
They responded shorty after without even an apology and said they would send me a voucher card for £1 to replace the item.

I wrote back explaining that I wasn’t really interested in the money but expected an apology considering the seriousness of the matter and reiterated that it wasn’t a best before date but a used by date on fresh produce.

Should I bother taking this further?

I am assuming its my pregnancy hormones, but this has given me the rage.

Whenever I have had an issue with produce not being up to scratch in other supermarkets they have been most apologetic and always made the effort to ensure they keep a happy customer.

Simple answer...escalate to the CEO via www??ceomail??com where ?? equals .

I had this problem a few years ago. I just quoted the ref number on my receipt and after a few ems, they offered us a GOGW.

Funnily we still ate the food and had no probs. As I remember, the product was only 1 day after it's sell buy date.

You will find that due to limits of authority, you should get a much better offer. If not, I suggest that you escalate to the press.

Art_Deco

startingout2016 wrote: »

I purchased produce at full price in my local Tesco on Saturday.
Consumed it immediately and after realising it tasted foul looked at the date.
It had a use by date of over 10 days prior and was not in the reduced section.
I was a bit concerned as I am 6 months pregnant. The item only cost £1 so wasn’t concerned about the money, but contacted Tesco to let them know.
They responded shorty after without even an apology and said they would send me a voucher card for £1 to replace the item.

I wrote back explaining that I wasn’t really interested in the money but expected an apology considering the seriousness of the matter and reiterated that it wasn’t a best before date but a used by date on fresh produce.

Should I bother taking this further?

I am assuming its my pregnancy hormones, but this has given me the rage.

Whenever I have had an issue with produce not being up to scratch in other supermarkets they have been most apologetic and always made the effort to ensure they keep a happy customer.

Would it have made a difference if the product had have been in the reduced section? In Tescos defence anyone can say theyve got something out of date after theyve left the shop, , you need to check whilst still in the shop and show your receipt as proof .

robin58

startingout2016 wrote: »

No its not. its illegal for them to sell food past the used by date, so i would never expect to need to.
Thats rediculous

Lots of things in the eyes of the law are 'illegal'. That still does not stop them being done.

As for sell by dates, I always check them for myself. I never leave it in the trust of another.

As for the shop, it's usually the 'culture' in the management and staff that leads to things like items not being rotated correctly.

People say Tesco doesn't get nicked. I believe they have been nicked and fined in the past. And I think in was in the thousands of pounds.

I remember a tv programme that showed undercover filming what happened behind the scenes of a Tesco that I had been shopping at the time . I never trusted that store from then on.