Asda has been penalized with a £500,000 fine for selling expired food at one of its UK supermarket outlets. The Barnsley branch in 2024 was found selling items, such as hummus, 16 days past their sell-by date. Additionally, pizzas and curries were also discovered to be past their expiration dates after an investigation by the Barnsley Council Trading Standards team.
Asda admitted to five violations under the Food Safety Act and was directed to pay £507,767 in fines and costs on January 29. The supermarket has since implemented new procedures for checking product dates across all its stores.
A spokesperson from Barnsley Trading Standards mentioned that despite improvements made post these incidents, including the introduction of a new checking system and enhanced training and auditing, the hefty fine of £100,000 per offense serves as a clear warning against non-compliance.
Cllr Wendy Cain, the public health spokesperson for Barnsley Council, emphasized the commitment to ensuring community safety and the expectation that businesses, regardless of size, sell only safe food. The outcome of this case sends a strong message that prioritizes people’s health and safety over anything else.
An Asda representative expressed disappointment over the discovery of expired products at the Barnsley store in 2024, acknowledging that it did not meet the expected standards. Following the incident, Asda has introduced a new process for checking date codes in all its stores to guarantee the availability of fresh products for customers.
Following a decline in grocery price inflation to 4% in January, the lowest since April, data from market research firm Worldpanel by Numerator revealed a decrease from the 4.3% reported in December. Asda’s sales were down by 3.7% compared to the previous year.
Consumer trends indicated a growing demand for high-protein and high-fiber products, with a significant increase in cottage cheese sales. Sales of fresh fruit, dried pulses, fresh fish, poultry, and chilled yogurt also showed positive year-on-year growth.
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