FYI Grocery stores are selling expired food!

[Anonymous]

In the last month I've noticed quit a bit of food we just bought being expired already! The prices are so high out there already too they are not pulling these off the shelf at either Giant and Harris Teeters. Just be aware to check the dates on the food you are buying no sense in overpaying for expired food.

[Anonymous]

It’s good to know but also realize a lot of food is good past the expiry date.

[Anonymous]

I always check packaging before food goes in my cart, not just for expiration dates, but to make sure nothing is torn/broken, all the berries and eggs look decent, etc.

[Anonymous]

It happened to me last week with a bottle of juice. Now I’ll make sure to check everything.

[Anonymous]

Yes I’ve definitely noticed this at Target and Giant. I think the stores get complacent about not removing the expired stuff from the shelves, someone complains or they get inspected by the corporate higher ups, they put more emphasis on it, and then get complacent again. I’ll go a few years without seeing expired foods and then it starts happening a lot again.

[Anonymous]

My DH and 2 of my DSs work and a local, large-chain grocery store that has a reputation for excellent customer service and products. Like anything that is manual, things get missed. It's highly unlike grocery stores are deliberately trying to pass off expired foods, especially fresh items. In addition to regular inspections by licensing officials, it's a ding on their reputation and consumers are more likely to shop elsewhere.

Whenever you buy something, you should check it for expiration, damage, problems, etc. Doesn't matter if it food, medicines or plants.

[Anonymous]

Experienced the same at Safeway recently.

[Anonymous]

It def happens at Walmart. So much so that I had to stop buying the Sun-Maid raisins because they had something white growing on them each time.

[Anonymous]

Even the higher end stores have this issue. I think it is the reduced staff. Someone has to pull the expired products off the shelf or rotate the back ones to the front. Always check the expiration dates. Amazon Fresh occasionally sends expired products.

[Anonymous]

Meh, in general I don't care if it's been recently expired if it looks/smells fine. Most of the dates are "best by" not "good until." Obviously I'm careful about dairy and meat but everything else is NBD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s good to know but also realize a lot of food is good past the expiry date.

True, but you at least should start with nonexpired food if you don't plan to use it right away because the food was sometimes packed years before.

[Anonymous]

Is this news? Stuff doesn't get pulled off the shelf until someone complains, or if they have staff to continuously check and rotate (not happening most places). I check dates before I purchase - I don't usually worry about it if I plan on using the item right away (most shelf items are good for long past the "expiration" date), but if I'm purchasing for a pantry stock item that I expect to store a while, I'll reach to the back of the shelf for a newer version.

[Anonymous]

Grab stuff from the back of the row

[Anonymous]

I think this is a sign of how ridiculously expensive food has gotten that it is just not moving off the shelf. Greedy food companies raised prices too high and people literally aren’t buying. And greedy grocery stores dont pay employees enough so they dont have enough staff to rotate stock.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Grab stuff from the back of the row

This depends on whether the item is stocked from the back of the shelf or the front. At some stores, the freshest milk is at the back because they stock from the back (the shelf is open on both sides) but at some it's at the front because they stock from the front.

Milk is the most likely to be stocked from the back but other perishables like yogurt etc are typically always stocked from the front.