Asda has been levied a fine of £500,000 for selling expired food at one of its British retail outlets. The Barnsley store was found to have items, such as hummus containers, that were over two weeks past their sell-by date, with some being 16 days overdue. Additionally, pizzas and curries were also discovered to be expired during an investigation conducted by the Barnsley Council Trading Standards team.
Facing charges under the Food Safety Act, Asda admitted guilt to five offenses and was directed to pay £507,767 in penalties and expenses on January 29. The supermarket has since implemented new protocols for checking product dates across all its stores.
A spokesperson from Barnsley Trading Standards noted that despite enhancements in procedures post the violations, including the adoption of a new checking system, staff retraining, and increased audits at the store, the substantial £100,000 fine per offense sends a clear message against non-compliance. Councillor Wendy Cain from Barnsley Council emphasized the commitment to ensuring community safety and the importance of businesses selling only safe food, reinforcing the message that health and safety take precedence over profit.
Responding to the incident, an Asda representative expressed disappointment over the presence of expired products at the Barnsley branch in 2024, acknowledging the failure to meet customer expectations and the company’s own standards. As a corrective measure, Asda has introduced a revised date code checking process across all its stores to ensure the availability of fresh products for customers.
The incident occurred as grocery price inflation eased to 4% in January, a decline from December’s 4.3%. Asda’s sales showed a 3.7% decrease compared to the previous year. Notably, a significant percentage of shoppers sought high-protein and high-fiber foods. Sales data indicated a notable increase in the purchase of cottage cheese, with rises in sales of fresh fruit, dried pulses, fresh fish, poultry, and chilled yogurt compared to the previous year.
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