Expiration Date Policies

[Nice Sass]

Are you aware of store expiration date policies?

At my local Valu-Mart (small town; only grocery store), I don't think I have ever managed to find a loaf of bread that wasn't expiring within the next two days; on three occasions in the past five months, I have found bread that expired more than one week prior. In each instance I told a staff member, who reacted with a *meh* response.

Recently, at a Zehr's store (Loblaws chain) I noticed that bread was expiring the next day; there was a stock person standing right there, so I pointed it out to him. His response was that they would do something about it the next day; in other words, ON ITS EXPIRATION DATE. All I could think is "I would be really p.o.'d to be the customer who buys the bread today without checking, brings it home, opens it up in the morning to make toast, and discovers that it is now expired." I said as much to him, and he replied that it was the store policy and buyer beware.

I've always checked dates on infant formula and milk, but now I find myself checking everything, and I am often shocked at just how close to the date (or beyond) products are.

I'm assuming that by adopting this ridiculous policy, Zehr's is expecting that few people will complain, so they are minimizing their losses. I think they risk losing customers doing this. Do you know of how other stores address expiration dates? Do they keep it on the shelves until the expiration date, or do they mark it down prior to that date?

[Junerose]

I know at my local Safeway, they mark down and put on clearance bread and meat that expire within a 1 to 2 days window. I am paranoid about checking exp dates when it comes to food. If I know I can't eat it within the next couple of days, I always pass on the clearance stuff, no matter how good a deal it is. Superstore is the worst when it comes to expired foods. My sis used to work in the deli department, and she told me horror stories of how they were told to rinse with bleach and water some of the smoked meats that were about to expire, shrink wrap them again, and then slap a new expiry date on. Needless to say, I never buy my Christmas ham from Superstore.

[Justine]

I always check the expiration dates on products that I buy, better safe than sorry. Generally I don't find expired products, unless they are in the clearance section, this has happened with cosmetics at Pharma Plus before.

[polina]

Last weekend at SDM most of the cheese was expired. I was told they check once a week for the expiration dates. Not often enough for me since some staff was expired like 6 days ago.

[NancyM]

i swear that one of the grocery stores i used to shop at would change the exp. tags on the bread i would always check it was fine bring it home and blah it was not fresh

[Bloodymary]

Our Loblaws is great, they are putting 50% off stickers at least the day before the expiry date on all bakery and meat products and 3-5 days before the expiry on Organic and goat milk.

[BuggaBugga]

Last weekend at SDM most of the cheese was expired. I was told they check once a week for the expiration dates. Not often enough for me since some staff was expired like 6 days ago.

I noticed when I got home this weekend that the cheese I bought at SDM was expired on Nov.7.

[Sally888]

I check expiry dates on EVERYTHING. Im the one staff hate because I reach to the back for hotdogs. Lmao.

[julie.leeds]

I agree stores should do more to ensure consumers don't get food that isn't fresh. I thought I would take a peek and see what the government had to say on the topic.

There is a difference between a best before date and an expiration date and they explain that very well here...

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/...con/date.shtml

Unfortunately they don't mention the obligation that retailers have to enforce these dates!

[Evil.Kitten]

Oh I'm now very anal about experation dates.. my parents are forever saying "it's jsut a guideline" whatever!.. My dad bought some deli meat from loblaws in the summer and I was first to open it.. the third slice [it was ham] was super slimey and GREEN in places.. I mean GREEN I was soooo grossed out I actually vomitted in the sink.. thankfully I never ate any and threw it out.

Another time we bought "fresh" ground beef and the middle was all grey [outside was all red] and there were hunks of green meat in the middle... ewwwwwww... I only trust a butcher store now.. I just can't trust grocery stores now.. ugh..

I always check the labels on bread... They usually put the ones expering at the from.. but I find food basics mixes them around.. either way..

I did buy some bread about 2 weeks ago that claimed it was to expire 11 days later.. 2 days in there was mold and green patches on the bread...