Asda has introduced a significant operational change across all its supermarkets following a £507,767 fine related to the sale of out-of-date food. The fine was imposed after an investigation found expired products being sold at Asda’s Barnsley store on Old Mill Lane.
During a local council probe in 2024, Trading Standards discovered pizzas, curries, and tubs of hummus on display at the Barnsley branch that were more than two weeks past their expiration dates. These breaches of the Food Safety Act not only violated regulations but posed potential health risks to customers. Asda pleaded guilty to five offences under the Act and was subsequently fined.
In response, Asda has taken robust action to regain customer trust by instituting a new, rigorous date code checking process in every store nationwide. This initiative aims to ensure that only the freshest products are available for purchase and to prevent any recurrence of the issue.
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An Asda spokesperson stated: “We are disappointed that some out-of-date products were found on sale at our Barnsley store in 2024. This fell short of the standards our customers rightly expect and that we hold ourselves to. Since the incident, we have implemented a new date code checking process across all our stores to guarantee freshness and safety for our customers.”
Barnsley Trading Standards acknowledged the improvements, noting, “While progress has been made, including retraining staff and increased audits, the substantial fine—£100,000 per offence—underscores the seriousness of food safety compliance.”
This shake-up signals Asda’s commitment to food safety and customer wellbeing, aiming to restore confidence across its supermarket network after the incident.