Sold expired baby formula

Butterfly2024

My baby has anti reflux formula I went to a chemist and bought a tub and then went back to the same chemist to buy some more when I went to buy it the second time we realised that it had expired 3 months before I said to the lady would the one I got a few days before be f on the same batch and expired I got someone to check while I was in the chemist and it had been I had given my baby more than half and he had been bringing his bottles up and having issues with moving his bowels the lady gave me a refund. I emailed head office as I weren’t happy with this as I had to go the doctors with him and they said him having issues is more than likely to be the expired milk they said sorry offered me free baby milk which I denied as my baby has it prescribed now with having these issues. Is there anything else I can do as am not happy with the outcome? 

oldernonethewiser

I would want an apology from the company, an explanation of how they came to stock and sell out of date milk and what processes they were putting in place to ensure the chance of this happening again was minimised.

Obviously keep an eye on the baby's health.

What outcome would you like?

Butterfly2024

Thank you for you’re advice 
I would like to be reassured there not going to be selling anymore baby formula what expired 3 months ago as the shelf was full when I went and near empty when I went back so my baby must not of been the only one having it. 

oldernonethewiser

Butterfly2024 said:

Thank you for you’re advice 
I would like to be reassured there not going to be selling anymore baby formula what expired 3 months ago as the shelf was full when I went and near empty when I went back so my baby must not of been the only one having it. 

That is worth chasing them for a full explanation and assurances. 

Silver_Shark

Butterfly2024 said:

Thank you for you’re advice 
I would like to be reassured there not going to be selling anymore baby formula what expired 3 months ago as the shelf was full when I went and near empty when I went back so my baby must not of been the only one having it. 

They would have taken the out of date stock off the shelf.

Voyager2002

I think you should contact your local council's Environmental Health department.

TELLIT01

Certainly poor stock control on the part of the chemist, and I would certainly be complaining to their head office.  If they aren't keeping proper check, it's unlikely only to affect one item.  Although I accept that it shouldn't be necessary, check the expiry dates before paying for the item in future, for you own peace of mind.

lincroft1710

Butterfly2024 said:

Thank you for you’re advice 
I would like to be reassured there not going to be selling anymore baby formula what expired 3 months ago as the shelf was full when I went and near empty when I went back so my baby must not of been the only one having it. 

No doubt following your complaint, they will have checked their current shelf and store room stock and obviously removed out of date stock, but there is absolutely no way anyone can be certain this won't happen in the future. Equally obviously one would expect their stock control will nave improved, but a year or two down the line?


I had some infrequent use prescription medicine from my local pharmacy. Although in date, its expiry date was earlier than the previous issue of this medication several months before. 

pinkshoes

Butterfly2024 said:

My baby has anti reflux formula I went to a chemist and bought a tub and then went back to the same chemist to buy some more when I went to buy it the second time we realised that it had expired 3 months before I said to the lady would the one I got a few days before be f on the same batch and expired I got someone to check while I was in the chemist and it had been I had given my baby more than half and he had been bringing his bottles up and having issues with moving his bowels the lady gave me a refund. I emailed head office as I weren’t happy with this as I had to go the doctors with him and they said him having issues is more than likely to be the expired milk they said sorry offered me free baby milk which I denied as my baby has it prescribed now with having these issues. Is there anything else I can do as am not happy with the outcome? 

To be fair, it's highly unlikely that 3 month expired formula will have make your baby poorly.

I worked in the food industry for years (including working in the baby food industry), and the expiry date is the GUARANTEED date that on midnight of that date, the product will be absolutely fine. 

Given the long typical shelf lives of these products, they'd likely be fine for a few more months after this date, but the expiry date is based on statistics where it is 100% guaranteed to be fine. With baby formula, it still then wouldn't make your baby sick - it just means that some of the vitamins in the powder would have expired and be less effective.

I would want a full refund as well as the shop looking into their restocking problem. 

eschaton

It has been an error by the store.  

These things happen as humans can always make mistakes. 

Baby formula comes into stock with a decent shelf life. That fact that it went out of date by 3 months suggests that you’ll be lucky if another baby had same as it is clearly something that doesn’t sell very well. 

Ergates

pinkshoes said:

Butterfly2024 said:

My baby has anti reflux formula I went to a chemist and bought a tub and then went back to the same chemist to buy some more when I went to buy it the second time we realised that it had expired 3 months before I said to the lady would the one I got a few days before be f on the same batch and expired I got someone to check while I was in the chemist and it had been I had given my baby more than half and he had been bringing his bottles up and having issues with moving his bowels the lady gave me a refund. I emailed head office as I weren’t happy with this as I had to go the doctors with him and they said him having issues is more than likely to be the expired milk they said sorry offered me free baby milk which I denied as my baby has it prescribed now with having these issues. Is there anything else I can do as am not happy with the outcome? 

To be fair, it's highly unlikely that 3 month expired formula will have make your baby poorly.

Agree.  Baby formula has a shelf span of 1-2 years.  It is *very* unlikely that an unopened package would go from totally-fine to causing-illness in 3 months.  Especially given the regulations around food safety for baby food (i.e. expiration dates will have a very wide margin of error).

I really don't know why the OP's doctor would suggest it as the reason.  Maybe they just couldn't find anything else so were guessing, but a GP should know better than to do that!!