Asda has been penalized with a £500,000 fine for selling expired food items at one of its UK supermarket outlets. The Barnsley branch was found to have products over two weeks past their expiry date, including hummus tubs that were 16 days old. Additionally, pizzas and curries were also identified as expired during an inspection conducted by the Barnsley Council Trading Standards team.
Asda admitted guilt to five violations under the Food Safety Act and was directed to pay £507,767 in fines and expenses on January 29. The supermarket has since implemented new procedures for checking dates across all its stores.
Following the incidents, a spokesperson from Barnsley Trading Standards emphasized the importance of compliance, highlighting the £100,000 fine per offense as a strong deterrent against non-compliance. Cllr Wendy Cain, the public health representative for Barnsley Council, reaffirmed the commitment to community safety and emphasized the priority placed on ensuring businesses sell only safe food.
In response, an Asda representative expressed disappointment over the discovery of expired products at the Barnsley store in 2024, acknowledging the failure to meet expected standards. The company has introduced enhanced date code checking processes in all Asda stores to guarantee the availability of fresh products for customers.
The incident coincided with a decrease in grocery price inflation to 4% in January, representing the lowest level since April, as reported by market research firm Worldpanel by Numerator. Asda’s sales were down by 3.7% compared to the previous year. Consumer trends showed a growing interest in high-protein and high-fibre foods, with sales of cottage cheese increasing by 50% year on year. Moreover, sales of fresh fruit, dried pulses, fresh fish, poultry, and chilled yogurt also experienced positive growth percentages.
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