Asda fined £410k for selling out-of-date food

An investigation by Cornwall Council's Trading Standard's Team found 58 out-of-date food items

Asda has been fined more than £400,000 after two of its Cornwall stores were found to be selling out-of-date food.

An investigation by Cornwall Council's Trading Standards Team found 58 out-of-date food items were on the shelves of Asda's Penryn store on 30 October 2023.

Cornwall Council said a further investigation at Asda in Hayle on 1 November 2023 found four items on sale past the use-by date.

Asda Stores Ltd pleaded guilty at Plymouth Magistrates Court on Wednesday to two charges of having unsafe food on offer for sale.

'Serious health risk'

The charges referred to 62 food items that were past their use-by date.

District Judge Jo Matson said although there were systems in place to prevent the sale of food after the use-by date, they were not adhered to.

She said the actions taken by Asda "were not sufficient" after concerns were raised by customers and Trading Standards.

Cornwall Council said many of the items were "ready to eat foods" including children's yoghurts which were nearly four weeks past the use-by date.

It said: "Use-by dates are applied to highly perishable foods that could pose a serious health risk if consumed after this date and Food Standards Agency guidance states they should not be eaten."

Cornwall Council said many of the items were "ready to eat foods"

Asda Stores Ltd was ordered to pay a fine of £410,000, prosecutions costs of £20,582.70 and a victim surcharge of £2,000.

Jane Tomlinson, Trading Standards group leader at Cornwall Council said: "Consumers should be confident that the food they buy is safe to eat.

"We hope that the steps Asda Stores Ltd have now put in place will prevent the sale of out-of-date food in future."