Asda says they have since introduced a new date code checking process throughout their stores
11:16, 16 Jul 2025Updated 11:17, 16 Jul 2025
Asda has been fined £640,000 after selling out-of-date food (Image: PA)
Asda has been hit with a £640,000 fine after selling out-of-date food in two of its stores.
Trading Standards officers found 115 items that were out-of-date in Asda’s Leckwith and Pentwyn stores in Cardiff, including some items that were more than two weeks out-of-date.
Following food safety officers visiting the stores on four occasions during 2024, Asda faced four charges relating to the sale of out-of-date items.
The first inspection of the Leckwith store took place on January 17 of that year and found 36 items on sale were out-of-date, including five tubs of spicy mayo dip, which were seven days out of date.
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The retailer’s Pentwyn store in the Cardiff Gate retail park was visited on March 25, with 25 items on sale being found to be out-of-date. The store was visited again a month later, again revealing 48 items to be on sale which were 12 days out-of-date.
Asda’s Leckwith store was visited again on May 8 and found a further six out of date items.
Following the inspections, Asda was handed a fine of £640,000 and ordered to pay £15,115 in costs and a £2,000 surcharge.
Asda said the prosecution related to food safety breaches that took place last year, when a different date code checking process was in use.
An Asda spokesman said: “We regret that out-of-date food was found on sale at two of our Cardiff stores last year and accept that our usual high standards were not upheld.
“Since then, we have introduced a new date code checking process across all our stores, whereby every short-life product is checked daily so that customers can always buy the freshest products.”
The news comes after Asda announced earlier in the month that they will be making changes to their colleague policies, which affect around 140,000 staff members.
The changes will be made to the stores family-friendly policies which were put in place by the supermarket in the aim of supporting its colleagues through key life moments and will include adjustments to maternity and adoption leave pay as well as paternity leave allowance.
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