[rowlandwells]

we went  shopping the other day as you do to a couple of well known supermarkets and there where many food items over there sell by date I pointed out to one of the staff that this item had its sell by date in December but he didn't seem interested  >:(in removing it and then we found some more out of date 

my wife always says to me check the sell by date before you buy because I have in the past bought out of date things has anyone found this to be the same  in your supermarkets where you live and what's your take on this topic

[8doubles]

Supermarkets around here are pretty good at stock control.

As for the attitude of the member of staff remember the low wages , zero hours contract and the fact that many people are pushed into jobs they do not enjoy through necessity and do just enough to get through the day .
It was not their job that day !
Find a manager who may get job satisfaction if only by reprimanding the stock controller !

[Goosegirl]

As far as I'm aware the sell by date is a guide to tell you it needs to be eaten, put in the fridge or frozen if appropriate on the package instructions. 

[WeavingGryphon]

it's not February, you need to report that to a manager. Did you take a photo to let you tell their head office? Sell by is when they have to be clear of it by so the manager needs to know.

We found milk on it's use by date a few days ago and showed it to the nearest pair of staff and they wouldn't stop apologising how bad it was it hadn't been spotted. They treated it like it was a bottle of Noro virus.

[mrs bouquet]

My supermarket always has an assistant, push a store table round marking down with a yellow sticker items where the date stamp is today.
Of course, what you chose to do with it when you get home is your choice.    But I always, smell, look, taste a dip of it if necessary.  If in doubt dispose of, otherwise enjoy.    My current yogurt is stamped 28th December, but it still is ok and I am eating it !     Mrs Bouquet

[Growster...]

Best not to go through our pantry then, the longest time after a sell-by date I think was eight years...

And don't get me on to 'freezer burn' please...

[rowlandwells]

i note your replies however I've found most supermarkets that like to keep to a standard for there customers always remove out of date stock or reduce the items prior to the end of date and then if not sold they are disposed of

I would never intentionally buy out of date items however cheep them mite be i would rather go without i could kick myself for buying eggs from caged chickens and i would never buy veal if it was the only meat available

as you mention the excuses from the attitude of the staff in some of these supermarkets well I'm afraid that doesn't hold water with me when i go to a shop or supermarket as a customer i expect to be treated as customer keeping them in a job  regardless if the staff want to be there or not and i would be very quick in pointing out to there customer services if this wasn't the case we all have our bad days but when i was working some days i didn't want to be there  but i never took it out on may fellow workers or our customer

 

[New shoot]

I go round twice a week scanning all the chilled produce and cakes for short dates at job no. 2.  This is then used each night to reduce stock going out of date the next day and to remove anything left that has gone out of date that day.  The grocery and frozen stuff is done on a rolling basis section by section.  Crisps and similar things with short dates are done every 3 months, other stuff every 6 months.  Bread is not scanned, but checked every night.

Shops can get fined a lot of money for having out of date stock on sale.  A manager would have some words to say if they knew a staff member was not reacting to a customer finding something.  Mistakes happen and when they do, you apologise and thank the customer for finding the offending item. 

I am only on a contract for 7 hours a week, although I always get the hours I want (and often more than I want, but that is another story).  I get paid and I get staff discount.  There are a few rude, horrible customers, but lots of nice ones.  It is a second job that suits my purposes, but they like me too, so it works both ways   

[8doubles]

i note your replies however I've found most supermarkets that like to keep to a standard for there customers always remove out of date stock or reduce the items prior to the end of date and then if not sold they are disposed of

I would never intentionally buy out of date items however cheep them mite be i would rather go without i could kick myself for buying eggs from caged chickens and i would never buy veal if it was the only meat available

as you mention the excuses from the attitude of the staff in some of these supermarkets well I'm afraid that doesn't hold water with me when i go to a shop or supermarket as a customer i expect to be treated as customer keeping them in a job  regardless if the staff want to be there or not and i would be very quick in pointing out to there customer services if this wasn't the case we all have our bad days but when i was working some days i didn't want to be there  but i never took it out on may fellow workers or our customer

There is a big difference between having an off day and being in a job you dislike everyday !
The plastic smile and  'Have a nice day' demanded by supermarkets does not enthuse me.
I wonder how often supermarket workers get commended by you for doing a good job ?
IMO a lot of supermarket workers should get a medal for carrying out the work they do if they can keep a genuine smile on their face !

[WeavingGryphon]

Best not to go through our pantry then, the longest time after a sell-by date I think was eight years...

And don't get me on to 'freezer burn' please...

Nothing wrong with yellow label. Best way to trim the budget and still eat nice things. If you keep them right.

But supermarkets can't act like it's okay to have old stuff hanging about. His behaviour is bad press and a possible court case if someone got sick off of old food. If something goes wrong, that's on them. Twice this week we found in date and furry items at our very fastidious supermarket where the packaging had got punctured. The items were given to staff.
 
Not everyone has the sense to know bin, eat asap, keep. Or, are too penny pinching to bin something clearly rotten. I was a carer and you wouldn't believe the amount of times we had to call family / office or smuggle food out of the house to the bin or neighbours bin because it was rotten. Then get a massive row and complaints the next day or accused of stealing it. I am serious when I say I took out furry, green, oozing, stinking, looked like a mouse in the packet multiple times. Or the milk was solid. If it was in their bin they'd sometimes fish it out.

[mumofstig]

In use the little local Co op supermarket most days, just to get milk and a paper, but while I'm in there I always look to see what's on offer or yellow stickered.
If anything is past the date on the packet, whether 'best before' or 'use by' then it is rejected when it is scanned at the till. I had picked up something reduced, but not actually dated, biscuits I think? and was told they couldn't sell them to me. They went and got me a fresh packet and sold it to me at the reduced price. Can't get fairer than that, can you?

[Growster...]

I bought a pork pie there in 1978, Mum! Nice easy place to stop for a quick bite!

Not a lot of people know that...;0)

[Yorkie]

My brother and I used to have piano lessons every Thursday evening from about 7-8 pm or thereabouts.

Dad would drop us off, go to the local Sainsburys, buy up the yellow stickered meat, and then collect us from our lessons.

When he got home, Mum would always have a look at what he'd bought and express a view as to whether he'd bought something useful or something she'd have to be creative with!! 

Ah happy days.  Would have been Dad's birthday today too 

[Growster...]

"something she'd have to be creative with!"

One of the best reasons we all get together here, Yorkie!

Marvellous!

[WeavingGryphon]

Mum would always have a look at what he'd bought and express a view as to whether he'd bought something useful or something she'd have to be creative with!! 

That's what I love about yellow label. I've managed to get things I wouldn't like to spend full price on or I've never spotted. Often there are things that enable me to try something new.