Tesco's selling food that is about to run out

Hi all,

This sounds petty but it's getting very frustrating as of recent.
I only realized this after i bought some wraps and then noticed they were moldy 2 days later, then saw the use by date was well gone, basically the day i bought them.

Now i have started looking more at the dates before buying food, my local Tesco's is selling most of their food which is around 2 days until past Use by date (not best before).


This very frustrating as its basically impossible to shop for a week as your food gone off within 3-4 days easily. Is this some kind of ploy by Tesco's to ditch old stock or is this even Legal too? 

Secondly the food waste is insane, as you have moldy food sometimes 4 days after buying it so have to ditch.

be interested to hear thoughts and what to do if anything. 
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  • MSE_JamesMSE_James Community Admin
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    It can also be worthwhile to reach further back on the shelf to find the products at the back with the later dates on the packet. 
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  • RobM99RobM99 Forumite
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  • RobM99RobM99 Forumite
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    MSE_James said:
    It can also be worthwhile to reach further back on the shelf to find the products at the back with the later dates on the packet. 
    Yes. I worked at a supermarket and we were always told to put fresher stuff at the back.
    Now a gainfully employed bassist.
  • edited 15 November 2022 at 7:37PM
    KatiehoundKatiehound Forumite
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    edited 15 November 2022 at 7:37PM
    it's called rotation of stock so nothing new there

    OP said:
    "my local Tesco's is selling most of their food which is around 2 days until past Use by date" (I'm struggling to quote)

    So it's not actually out of date when purchased, so of course it is legal.

    Always look at the date on the packaging. I chose items from the back of the shelf if possible. 

    Cheapie shops which sell OOD products clearly mark the shelf so that you know the item is OOD, and probably greatly reduced in price. And I am talking about tinned/ packet/ jars of food or sauces not perishable items.
    Being polite and pleasant doesn't cost anything!
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  • maisie_catmaisie_cat Forumite
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    RobM99 said:
    Out of date food is not the same as near dated or today's dated food
  • prowlaprowla Forumite
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    I don't buy short-dated food for my weekly shop, as it's typically gone off by the end of the week; I will check the backs of the shelves for the longer dates.
    The other trick they've brought in is to not date items; I think they dressed it up as reducing waste, but it's really just an excuse to leave out some sorry-looking veg for longer.
  • pjcox2005pjcox2005 Forumite
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    The_blur said:
    Hi all,

    This sounds petty but it's getting very frustrating as of recent.
    I only realized this after i bought some wraps and then noticed they were moldy 2 days later, then saw the use by date was well gone, basically the day i bought them.

    Now i have started looking more at the dates before buying food, my local Tesco's is selling most of their food which is around 2 days until past Use by date (not best before).


    This very frustrating as its basically impossible to shop for a week as your food gone off within 3-4 days easily. Is this some kind of ploy by Tesco's to ditch old stock or is this even Legal too? 

    Secondly the food waste is insane, as you have moldy food sometimes 4 days after buying it so have to ditch.

    be interested to hear thoughts and what to do if anything. 

    I don't get the point of "secondly the food waste is insane"; it's not going to get better if Tesco pull the food from being sold whilst it is still in date.

    I fail regularly at this but i actually think people could do better, I automatically go to the back to get long lasting/fresher food but if you know you're eating something that or the next day then you really should pick from the front to use it up.
  • MnoeeMnoee Forumite
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    I've noticed they've got worse with this on home deliveries - in particular not marking the items as short dated on the receipt. Today I got some burger baps, usually 3+ days with todays date, last week it was a pack of sausages, again dated that day... Not a massive deal for me as they're both freezable but it makes my life so much easier if they actually write it on the receipt as they should. One day I'll not spot an unmarked short date, hopefully just on bread and nothing dangerous. 
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