Asda Convicted of Offering 6-Month Out of Date Food for Sale

Retail giant Asda has been convicted of offering out of date food for sale at its Sinfin store in Derby.

Derby City Council trading standards officers inspected the premises on 15th July 2021. They found 18 different items of food for sale beyond its use-by date. Asda had been warned about the issue on two previous occasions.

Officers found two Nesquik Milk Slices that were 192 days beyond their use-by date. A third Nesquik Milk Slice was found 208 days beyond its use-by date. Other nasties on the shelves included sandwich filler, bacon, sausages and chicken.

Asda Stores Limited was convicted of 11 offences under section 19 of the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013 following a trial at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, 16th October 2024.

In relation to a body corporate, the maximum sentence for each of these offences is an unlimited fine.

The basis of Asda's defence is not entirely clear, but it was rejected by District Judge Jonathan Taaffe.

Asda Stores Limited was fined £250,000 and ordered to pay £74,117.69 in prosecution costs and £190 surcharge.

Speaking of the conviction Victoria Rose, senior trading standards officer, said: "Customers should be able to rely on stores such as Asda to supply food that is safe to eat.

"It's my role to help protect the public when this is not the case, especially when some of these foods were aimed at children and found to be on the shelves six months past their use-by date."