Asda has been penalized with a £500,000 fine for selling expired food at one of its UK supermarket outlets. The Barnsley branch was found to have items, such as hummus, pizzas, and curries, that were over two weeks past their sell-by dates. The investigation conducted by the Barnsley Council Trading Standards team revealed these violations.
Asda admitted guilt to five breaches under the Food Safety Act and was instructed to pay fines and costs totaling £507,767 on January 29. The supermarket has since implemented new protocols for checking product dates in all its stores.
A spokesperson from Barnsley Trading Standards stated that despite improvements made by Asda, including enhanced checking systems and staff training, the hefty £100,000 fine per violation sends a clear message against non-compliance. Cllr Wendy Cain of Barnsley Council emphasized the commitment to community safety and the expectation for businesses to prioritize selling only safe food.
In response, an Asda representative expressed disappointment over the discovery of expired products at the Barnsley store in 2024, underscoring the company’s dedication to meeting customer expectations. Asda has introduced a comprehensive date code checking process across all its stores to ensure the availability of fresh products for customers.
Recent data from market research firm Worldpanel by Numerator revealed a decrease in grocery price inflation to 4% in January, the lowest level since April. Asda sales also experienced a 3.7% decline compared to the previous year. Consumer trends indicated a demand for high-protein and high-fibre foods, with significant increases in sales of cottage cheese, fresh fruit, dried pulses, fresh fish, poultry, and chilled yoghurt.
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