Asda has received a fine of £500,000 for selling expired food products at one of its UK supermarket outlets. The Barnsley branch was found to have items, such as hummus, pizzas, and curries, that were past their sell-by dates by more than two weeks. Following an investigation by the Barnsley Council Trading Standards team, Asda admitted to five offenses under the Food Safety Act and was required to pay fines and costs totaling £507,767 on January 29. The supermarket has since implemented new procedures for checking product dates in all its stores.
A spokesperson from Barnsley Trading Standards stated that despite improvements made by Asda, including the introduction of a new checking system, retraining, and increased auditing, the substantial 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 for businesses to only sell safe food. The outcome of the case sends a strong message that public health and safety are top priorities, and enforcement actions will be taken when businesses fail to comply with regulations or heed warnings.
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. As a response, a new date code checking process has been implemented in all Asda stores to ensure the availability of fresh products for customers.
Additionally, data from market research firm Worldpanel by Numerator indicated that grocery price inflation decreased to 4% in January, marking the lowest level since April. Asda sales were down by 3.7% compared to the previous year. Consumer trends showed a rise in demand for high-protein and high-fiber foods, with sales of cottage cheese increasing by 50% year-on-year. Sales of various food categories, including fresh fruit, dried pulses, fresh fish, poultry, and chilled yogurt, also saw year-on-year growth.
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