# Dunnes - check your veg before you buy! (mouldy asparagus)



## muffin1973 (5 May 2009)

Hi all

Just a heads up - was in Dunnes on Friday evening (stephens green), bought some asparagus. It was packaged in an elastic band, then in a plastic bag. Anyway, got it home and took it out and the ends were all mouldy - didn't think to check in the supermarket. Obviously the plastic bag had caused condensation which probably sped up the mould. Wasn't back in town till today so threw it out and just put it down to experience.  Not very impressed that they were still trying to sell it in that condition...

Have never come across this before but will be checking in future!

M


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## Jack2008 (5 May 2009)

*Re: Dunnes - check your veg before you buy!*

Also in dunnes at the weekend and bought a tub of coleslaw to make sambos for after a football match!
Made the sambo's Sunday morning and ate one as I was wrapping them in clingfilm, the taste was awful, looked at the coleslaw date and it was dated the 30th April. I purchased it on the 2nd May. Now I know I should have checked the date but was in a hurry!!!
Lost the cost of a slice pan, ham, cheese, coleslaw and lettuce!!!!!!!


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## Mauri (5 May 2009)

*Re: Dunnes - check your veg before you buy!*



Jack2008 said:


> Also in dunnes at the weekend and bought a tub of coleslaw to make sambos for after a football match!
> Made the sambo's Sunday morning and ate one as I was wrapping them in clingfilm, the taste was awful, looked at the coleslaw date and it was dated the 30th April. I purchased it on the 2nd May. Now I know I should have checked the date but was in a hurry!!!
> Lost the cost of a slice pan, ham, cheese, coleslaw and lettuce!!!!!!!



I though it was an offence of some sort for shops to sell out of date produce. Anyone else have any info on this?


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## Bessa (5 May 2009)

*Re: Dunnes - check your veg before you buy!*

I have to check the date on bread in Dunnes all the time. Bread should have at least four days from the date you are buying it, which is certainly not always the case. Its all down to stock control, or from what i see the lack of it.


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## lou2 (5 May 2009)

*Re: Dunnes - check your veg before you buy!*

Ye can't beat M&S for fresh fruit and veg. I do my big shop in Dunnes and then go to M&S for fruit and veg as they are always so much fresher.


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## Gondola (5 May 2009)

*Re: Dunnes - check your veg before you buy!*

I find that it is much better to shop where veg and fruit are not kept in the fridge. It gives the real story. My local veggie shop is great for that and LIDL and ALDI also do not use refrigeration for fruit and vegetables. The shopping lasts longer, even longer than M&S.


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## SLS (5 May 2009)

*Re: Dunnes - check your veg before you buy!*

Its one of my pet hates since I have moved next to a big Dunnes

They package everything, even when it doesn't need it and all it seems to do is increase the time to when produce goes off.
Strawberries I have tried buying constantly last less than a day in my experience


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## steph1 (5 May 2009)

*Re: Dunnes - check your veg before you buy!*

I was in a convenience store in Mayo a couple of weeks ago just getting milk.  I decided then to get a small jar of coffee even though I know its madness to be buying this type of stuff here but again it was convenient at the time.  

I started looking at the coffee and not sure why I looked at the date or else it just caught my eye but the dates on all the small coffee jars were October 08.  I went through the whole shelf and put them to one side.  Don't normally bother doing this but called one of the staff and showed her the dates.  She got a box and whipped them off the shelf rapidly and thanked me for showing them to her.  Now imagine October 08 and this was April 09.  Somebody not doing their job properly in that shop and checking the stuff.  

How long does coffee last after its sell by date.  Suppose its different with perishables and vegetables.  Just thought it was bad form that these jars were left on the shelves that long.


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## chrisboy (5 May 2009)

*Re: Dunnes - check your veg before you buy!*



steph1 said:


> I was in a convenience store in Mayo a couple of weeks ago just getting milk.  I decided then to get a small jar of coffee even though I know its madness to be buying this type of stuff here but again it was convenient at the time.
> 
> I started looking at the coffee and not sure why I looked at the date or else it just caught my eye but the dates on all the small coffee jars were October 08.  I went through the whole shelf and put them to one side.  Don't normally bother doing this but called one of the staff and showed her the dates.  She got a box and whipped them off the shelf rapidly and thanked me for showing them to her.  Now imagine October 08 and this was April 09.  Somebody not doing their job properly in that shop and checking the stuff.
> 
> How long does coffee last after its sell by date.  Suppose its different with perishables and vegetables.  Just thought it was bad form that these jars were left on the shelves that long.




Coffee would be grand.. I bought 3 jars of coffee in Dunnes on saturday because it was half price. When i paid they didnt give me the full discount so i went to customer services and got all the coffee for free!!


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## dem_syhp (5 May 2009)

*Re: Dunnes - check your veg before you buy!*

I've had a number of problems with fruit + veg being off in Superquinn.  Almost opposite problem in Tesco's where berries were sitting in my fridge for weeks on end and not going off (no pleasing some people). I can't comment on Dunnes as I've never lived near one.  

But Aldi seems to be working out for me - they've a high turn over so the fruit/veg is fresh.  Even found the odd bug in a lettuce/celery - I'm delighted, while they're not organic, pesticides in this case weren't strong enough to kill absolutely everything.  If it doesn't kill everything, it probably won't kill me.  Sometimes use the farmers markets - which are optimal for local fresh produce.  

With respect to throwing out your coffee: see www.stilltasty.com - I don't necessarily agree with it and tend to use the smell test.


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## Murt10 (5 May 2009)

*Re: Dunnes - check your veg before you buy!*



Bessa said:


> I have to check the date on bread in Dunnes all the time. Bread should have at least four days from the date you are buying it, which is certainly not always the case. Its all down to stock control, or from what i see the lack of it.



Brennans - Yeaterdays bread tomorrow. Just back from the local Spar buying a Brennans pan. Bottom shelf dated best before 8 May, middle shelf best before 9 May and top shelf Best before 10 May.

I was charges E1.96 in Spar for the pan. I'm nearly sure that Tesco is farcheaper than this.


Murt

Edit E1.59 in Tesco


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## shesells (6 May 2009)

*Re: Dunnes - check your veg before you buy!*

We stopped shopping in Dunnes because of their fruit & veg being poor to say the least and also a continued difference between the advertised weight of meat products on their labels and the actual weight. Didn't bother to report it, just shop elsewhere these days.


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## BOXtheFOX (6 May 2009)

*Re: Dunnes - check your veg before you buy!*



Murt10 said:


> Brennans - Yeaterdays bread tomorrow. Just back from the local Spar buying a Brennans pan. Bottom shelf dated best before 8 May, middle shelf best before 9 May and top shelf Best before 10 May.
> 
> I was charges E1.96 in Spar for the pan. I'm nearly sure that Tesco is farcheaper than this.
> 
> ...


 
Tesco Stillorgan. Bottom shelf is the freshest but only on the left side. Does this mean that the person stocking the shelf is left handed?


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## Smashbox (6 May 2009)

*Re: Dunnes - check your veg before you buy!*

I usually get all my fruit and veg from a greengrocers, it lasts ages.

Got potatoes from Dunnes last week because I couldnt get to the veggie shop, bagged of course because there was no loose, and half of them were rotten. Mank. Served me right, I won't be getting them there again!


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## woodbine (6 May 2009)

*Re: Dunnes - check your veg before you buy!*

we do most of our shopping in Aldi once a week but if i need something during the week i go to the local Centra. The quality of the vegetables is awful and when you go back to complain, the owner just tells you to pick out another one free of charge.

i'm convinced he buys it cheaper because it's almost gone off when he buys it. the mushrooms are often brown! (and no, they're not one of those strange varieties like ****ake or whatever they're called ! ) 

The Aldi stuff is usually ok, but i should have a vegetable garden set up for next year so i'll be growing everything i can then.


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## Sue Ellen (6 May 2009)

*Re: Dunnes - check your veg before you buy!*

Have always found Dunnes fruit and veg to be sub-standard.  Have often seen the boxes of bananas being put out on display at night time with rotten stock.  This is the way they are arriving in to the shop.

I've complained many, many times down through the years but as far as I can see its company policy and won't change.  All branches seem to be the same.


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## GMD (7 May 2009)

*Re: Dunnes - check your veg before you buy!*

There some very sweeping statements here about particular stores which are not my experience, id say the issue is local management. Bear in mind that in particular for Irish vegetables, no matter what shop you buy in it has come from the same small number of growers, for example they may be only three broccoli growers in the country. 
It is strange though that suppliers to Tesco of fruit and veg in North Dublin now have to send their product to a packer in Northern Ireland for it to be packed and then sent back down


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## olddog (8 May 2009)

*Re: Dunnes - check your veg before you buy!*



GMD said:


> ..................It is strange though that suppliers to Tesco of fruit and veg in North Dublin now have to send their product to a packer in Northern Ireland for it to be packed and then sent back down.................



Perhaps this

http://www.fingal-independent.ie/ne...as-tesco-pull-contract-exclusive-1667251.html

is not unrelated


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## Deas (12 May 2009)

*Re: Dunnes - check your veg before you buy!*

I stopped buying vegetables in Tesco's when I picked up spring onions one day and they were frozen solid.  I checked some other produce that had gone soft having obviously thawed out previously - bananas in particular.  Lidl's vegetables seem to be the best of the supermarket stock in my opinion.


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## terrontress (13 May 2009)

*Re: Dunnes - check your veg before you buy!*

I wouldn't take my veg from Dunnes if they were giving it for free.

Not only is it questionable as to its freshness, it is also presented so poorly, rolls of bags strewn through the fruit and veg so people can't get a bag without pawing the stuff.

I have always found Lidl fruit and veg to be the best. They do not use radiation to preserve it so you get it underripe, it ripens and stays good for a short time. You have to plan better but it tastes so much better than Dunnes' offering and it is healthier as it doesn't have the preservatives of other retailers.

It is also a lot cheaper!


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## Rois (13 May 2009)

*Re: Dunnes - check your veg before you buy!*

It's amazing the packaging used by most stores for fruit and veg - plastic bags are not suitable for these products.
I always remove them from the packaging and store in a covered cardboard box in the coolest room in my house.  They keep much longer this way.

Similarly for meats (apart from the vacuum packed ones), I remove the plastic bag and keep on a plate in the fridge until I need to use them. 

I agree that Lidl appear to be the best choice for fresh fruit and veg in supermarkets.


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## bond-007 (24 May 2009)

*Re: Dunnes - check your veg before you buy!*

I have stopped shopping in Dunnes due to their sub standard produce, F&V and other perishables. I often saw sandwiches that are days out of date for sale at full price, furry tomatoes and milk with 1 day left on it. Woe betide you if you attempt to take milk from the back of the fridge. The staff don't care. Easier not to shop there.


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## cleverclogs7 (24 May 2009)

*Re: Dunnes - check your veg before you buy!*

i use to shop in lidl for my veg.you have to check for mould.the strawberrys last week had a beautiful green fur coat and the grapes looked very sad.broccoli,potatoes,perpes are very good but lidl carotts dont last more than 3 days .they go off very quickly.


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## LauraLu (2 Jun 2009)

Dunnes in Kilnamanagh have fabulous veg- id say the manager there came from Superquinn its always presented perfectly but very very fresh. I had given up buying in Dunnes due to the awful veg and ridiculous prices but they seem to have brought them down a little and i was delighted with this weeks veg i bought in the Kilnamanagh store. 

M&S are great for fresh veggies and aldi are good if you get in early on delivery day.


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