Tesco price markdown on perishable goods nearing expiry date

Up until very recently, Tesco used to mark down their perishable food, as it was approaching its sell by date, by 50%. This food had to be consumed either that day or the next. Acceptable enough, if you wanted to buy food and use it either that day or the day after.

They have now changed this policy. They are only giving a 25% reduction on this food with the very short shelf life. I have stopped buying it altogether. Paying 75% of the full price for food that has to be used immediately is very bad value in my opinion.

I would prefer to pay full price and get at least a week to consume the food. I have no doubt that the amount of food that they have to destroy, because it has passed its sell by date, is after rising significantly. Likewise, I seem to have recently come across more food than normal on the shelf that is past its sell by date.

When I'm shopping, I see nothing wrong with rooting around on the shelf to find the freshest food with the longest shelf life. This fresher food is invariably stored at the back of the shelf. Why should I pay full price for food that may have to be consumed within 2 days.

Strangely enough, this food which has the shortest shelf life, is at the front of the shelf. This is because someone who is in a hurry or has their mind on other things, will just throw the most accessable food into the trolly. Hidden at the back of the same shelf is the fresher food with a more acceptable shelf life. How often have people bought expensive food (meat etc) on a Saturday and found that when they went to cook it on a Tuseday that it was past its best before date.

As a matter on interest, has anyone tried to returned such food and what was the reaction of the store. Very sorry, take a replacement, or tough luck, it was in date when you bought it.

On the subject of best before dates in Supermarkets, another of my pet hates is the Brennans bread ad. "Todays Bread Today" says the ad. It should say "Yesterdays Bread Tomorrow". On any particular day I have often seen bread with best before dates of 3 different days. ie the bread that is handiest to buy and out at the front of the dissplay, may be best before 3 Dec, The bread on the other sshelves and further back on the front and top is best before 4 Dec, and the bread on the bottom shelf, and hardest to get at is hidden in at the back of the most inaccessable shelf, is best before 5 December.

It definitely pays to watch the best before dates on your food as you are buying it. Do not just assume that it is fresh and that all the food on the shelf has the same shelf life.


Murt

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Thought I was the only one tossing stock to get the better dates at the back of packed shelves!

Since the problem of the "Indate Milk going Sour" I always take my milk from the back for the chilled shelf after checking the dates.

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I always root around for the freshest as well, but have been caught a couple of times when I've been in a hurry.

The garage beside our work though, regularly keeps milk & other refrigerated products on the shelf until past their use by date. It infuriates me and even though I've pointed it out to them a few times, it's the same the next time I go in. I always check the dates in that place, no matter how much of a rush I'm in.

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I have bought chicken before and when I went to cook it it was bad and still before the best before date. I took it back to the store (had to eat something for dinner that night) and they replaced it was a fresh one.
I do make it a policy of rooting around for the furthest best before date on fresh produce, it's the best thing for me as I like my milk to still be in date when I got to drink it again days later.

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supermarket staff are supposed to put the freshest produce to the back. same in warehouses and distribution centres. not much point in taking say a delivery of jam and just sending it out straight away while the older stuff remains in storage. having said that, I too always take the freshest stuff, though sometimes this is silly as it's going to be used straight away ie milk and tea etc.

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supermarket staff are supposed to put the freshest produce to the back.

Is it called stock rotation?

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Supermarket marked down food whose sell by date is imminent is great for bargain hunters and people low in money!
In london , when i was there ,there was great value if one turned up before closing time_usually an hour before.
I have got good reductions on things like salads,sandwiches,bread,meat and other perishable items in tesco,but it seems the reductions are getting smaller ,and for food that is sometimes clearly not 100%.
Considering the huge profits these supermarkets make,i think they could be more generous.
If buying fresh,you should definitely get the milk carton etc with the longest sellby date,i.e.the freshest if the dates differ on a similiar item.
Root around the back of the shelf and get the freshest! there will then also be more near its sell by date items left that will have to be price reduced if they are to be sold
If a shop or supermarket is selling items that are past their sell by date even if reduced or even by one minute_then that is ILLEGAL AND SHOULD BE REPORTED TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OFFICER OR THE RELEVANT AUTHORITY
I often keep milk for example in the fridge for a week before consumption.
Chicken reduced and near its sell by date is a risk_it may well be off already!
Chicken /sausages just roasted on the supermarket grill are of course fine

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I have bought chicken in Lidl and found it goes bad before it's Best before date. I *always* take chicken from the back of the fridge now.

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theres a shop close to me and even the news papers are out of date!!!

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NHG said:

Thought I was the only one tossing stock to get the better dates at the back of packed shelves!

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No, I do it too!!

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Me too! We're obviously all at it!

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I do it too - no wonder there's so much old stock left on the shelves if we're all at it!

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I got organic baby potatoes yesterday marked down from €1.59 to 40c and they don't go off until Saturday. Usually I pick from the back unless it's something I'll be using that night.

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Tesco often mark down their products early in the morning. Some people are happy with 25% discount. Later on in the evening they are marked down a further 25%. I go with the flow. Whatever is available and I think is good value I go for it. I am happy to take my purchases from the back/bottom shelves as they are always fresher and to use any tokens that I might have to further reduce the price. It amazes me to see the number of people who have no awareness about shopping and who buy from the shelf at eye level.

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Cahir said:

I got organic baby potatoes yesterday marked down from €1.59 to 40c and they don't go off until Saturday. Usually I pick from the back unless it's something I'll be using that night.

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Potatoes go off??

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Glenbhoy said:

Potatoes go off??

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And on cue?!

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Glenbhoy - you beat me to it. Potatos don't go off in a matter of days - I think (no reflection on Cahir in particular) that many people are getting so removed from the concept and nature of food production that they take the best before dates as a hard guideline and disregard their own sensible observations.

Sure you probably don't want to take the risk with chicken, meat and some dairy stuff, but potatos, fruit, bread, etc . . . is pretty easy to judge by appearance and they would practically have to be rotting before you would run the risk of food poisioning.

z

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I find in Marks and Spencer that food often has quite a short shelf life and has to be used within a day or two.

I bought a hummus on Thursday night with three packs in it, and when I bought it home all three had to be used by the Friday. Hate when that happens.

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M&S is a right bugger for short shelf life dates, so I ALWAYS go to the back & get the newest produce... and I'm fiercely unapologetic about doing it - I'm paying for it so why shouldn't I expect food with a decent shelf life?

Tesco fruit & veg is superb value when reduced. Last week I got flat mushrooms & a huge bag of stir fry veg for 55 cent. Yes, fifty five cent!!!

Sunday morning in our local Tesco is heaven in the Reduced to Clear section - it's how I fill my freezer with cheap meat.

However, Tesco are absolutely appalling when it comes to checking for OOD goods - they blame the outside suppliers/merchandisers (Glanbia, Kerry Foods etc.) but as far as I'm concerned if I pay Tesco, then they are responsible & tough on them. I have reported our branch to Tesco Head Office and the Food Safety Authority before when I've found spices 9 months out of date, and cheese 6 weeks out of date

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Glenbhoy said:

Potatoes go off??

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I recently discovered the whiff of gone off potatoes for the first time in my life and it now tops the list as the worst stomach wrenching stench ever.