**Asda Fined Over £430,000 for Selling Food Nearly a Month Past Use-By Date**
Supermarket giant Asda has been hit with a £432,000 financial penalty after dozens of perishable food items, some aimed specifically at children, were discovered for sale nearly four weeks beyond their use-by date at a Cornish store. Cornwall Council’s Trading Standards team uncovered these breaches following a series of consumer complaints that triggered a wide-ranging investigation into out-of-date food sales across multiple supermarkets in the county.
The investigation culminated with visits to several Asda outlets. At the chain’s Penryn branch on 30 October 2023, officers discovered a shocking 58 items of food displayed on shelves well beyond their legal use-by dates – the critical threshold beyond which food is officially considered unsafe for consumption. Amongst these were ready-to-eat products and children’s yoghurts that were nearly a month overdue.
A follow-up inspection at another Asda location in Hayle, just two days later, uncovered a further four expired items. The cumulative total across both stores rose to a concerning 62 products contravening food safety regulations. Food past its use-by date is strictly prohibited for sale as it presents a potential health risk, particularly since these dates are reserved for highly perishable goods.
The legal action culminated at Plymouth Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 23 April 2025. Asda Stores Ltd admitted to two breaches of regulation 19 under the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013, acknowledging that unsafe food was indeed put on sale. The retailer accepted responsibility for the 62 items highlighted by Trading Standards.
District Judge Jo Matson presided over the case, noting that, while Asda did have systems in place intended to prevent such incidents, the company had failed to ensure these processes were properly followed. She added that both customer and regulatory concerns were not sufficiently addressed by the supermarket following the complaints, thereby exacerbating the gravity of the breaches.
As a consequence, the court imposed a fine of £410,000 on Asda Stores Ltd, in addition to prosecution costs totalling £20,582.70 and a victim surcharge of £2,000. This substantial financial penalty serves as a significant warning to retailers to prioritise customer safety and regulatory compliance.
The Food Standards Agency stipulates that use-by dates are not simply advisory, but essential legal markers on foods liable to spoil quickly, such as fresh dairy and meat. Consuming products after this date can pose a serious risk to public health. This guidance remains clear: such foods must not be consumed or offered for sale past their labelled use-by date.
Reacting to the findings, Jane Tomlinson, Trading Standards Group Leader at Cornwall Council, commented, “We are committed to ensuring that the food sold to consumers is safe and it is disappointing that on these occasions, we found items for sale which could have presented a danger to the public. Consumers should be confident that the food they buy is safe to eat. We hope that the steps Asda Stores Ltd have now put in place will prevent the sale of out-of-date food in future.”
The episode underscores the importance of rigorous food safety checks within supermarkets, particularly large national chains servicing thousands of customers daily. It also sends a message to the wider retail sector about the serious consequences of failing to adhere to food safety laws.
While Asda has not issued a public statement at the time of writing, the chain will be under close scrutiny to ensure such lapses do not occur again. The case is a clear reminder that consumer safety must always remain the top priority for food retailers, who need to show diligence not just in policy creation, but crucially, in everyday practice.