This evening, in preparation for a Saturday jaunt to visit my Aunt for lunch in one of her local pubs followed by a traditional English tea with sandwiches and cakes Mr C went shopping for the ingredients for tea. When he got home he placed the some of these ingredients on the working top ready pack in the morning.
As I was cooking this evening’s dinner I noticed that one of the packs of cakes said ‘Best Before 21 Nov’. I did a double take!! It is the 25th today… After dinner we took them back to Tesco for a refund. Mr C sorted out the refund whilst I went on a cake hunt. I found the same cakes with a better expiry date a few days hence. I also picked up a box of French Fancies to add variety to the cake selection.
It was only after I left the shop that I thought to look at the expiry date on the French Fancies… I was less than impressed to see ‘Best Before 25 Nov’. Usually I religiously check the dates on food items to make sure they will last until I need them. On this occasion I didn’t, I did not expect long life cakes to be out of date before or the day after I have bought them. I don’t buy cakes often but next time I do I will be sure to check the date.
This is the latest in several shopping issues we have had in more than one branch of Tesco in the last few weeks.
Most of time around here when comes to older food. Some the stores will knock over 25% off or give it local food bank.
Coffee is on
They do here and there is no excuse for not getting the staff to check the stock. But I think the company have recently lost their way.
Tesco have been indulging in short expiry dates for some time, it is not unusual to find same day dates on fresh goods that would have been put in the clearance section previously
In more general terms Tesco seem to have lost the plot incertain areas (to long to relate to here) but the cluttering with end of aisle displays has now reached the stage it is difficult with the added food bank bins mountains of anti freeze and charity stalls to get into the place at all !
Both our local Tesco stores seem to have lost the plot. They have reduced their produce lines and several of the isles are cordoned off. Most weeks several of our standard weekly purchases are not in stock.
Mr C likes to shop in Tesco but when I do the shopping I go to Morrisons where they stock all our standard items and it is just a few of the more fancy items we have occasionally that I cannot get there. Due to its location it is also easier to get into and as it is a smaller store, much easier to get round which saves time.
We don’t usually buy meat in supermarkets we get it from a local butcher or one of the local farm shops. However the meat from Morrison’s is almost as good and their fish counter is excellent.
I have to say that apart from certain exception, I pay scant regard to “Best before” and “Sell by” dates – but only once I have them home; some things remain fine for days/weeeks/years later (I’ve had a Christmas pudding which has no made three annual trips to the Yorkshire Dales – this year it is going to Northumberland) and that is now several years outside its date. I do check before buying, though.
That Christmas pudding will be well and truly pickled by the time you get to eat it.