# Check Expiration Dates



## Chet (May 28, 2022)

I bought frozen pizza at a local grocery chain and later noticed that the expiration date was last February of this year. I bought potato salad at Aldi and the expiration date was only a few days away. There are supposed to be supply chain issues and maybe the product has been manufactured but is sitting in warehouses waiting to be shipped. Keep your eyes open.


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## JaniceM (May 28, 2022)

Plus some stores don't pay attention to such things.


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## Kaila (May 28, 2022)

Especially any foods that are not vacuum-packed or otherwise prepped for long-term storage, before ever getting to you.
And foods that you will have for a while before using up, after you've bought and then again, after you have opened them.


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## JonSR77 (May 28, 2022)

Chet said:


> I bought frozen pizza at a local grocery chain and later noticed that the expiration date was last February of this year. I bought potato salad at Aldi and the expiration date was only a few days away. There are supposed to be supply chain issues and maybe the product has been manufactured but is sitting in warehouses waiting to be shipped. Keep your eyes open.



Yes, absolutely have to check. Many stores leave rotten food on the shelves. Not just bad tasting, but unsafe.

And, for people with many medical conditions...quite dangerous.


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## JonSR77 (May 28, 2022)

JaniceM said:


> Plus some stores don't pay attention to such things.



Absolutely illegal to do that.


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## JaniceM (May 28, 2022)

JonSR77 said:


> Absolutely illegal to do that.


I figured they're incompetent or lazy, didn't know they were breaking any laws.


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## JonSR77 (May 28, 2022)

A lot of this goes to money.

Supermarkets hire kids. First of all, kids don't know what they are doing.

Second, they are paid so little and often work hard...and they resent the job. Resentment produces acts of revenge.

So, there is no doubt in my mind that these kids leave refrigerated food out on the loading dock, without putting it away...for hours.


I worked in endless restaurants. Tons of vindictive acts by the waiters toward customers.


Now, if you pay your workers a very good wage and treat them with respect...and, you know, hire someone older than 16...then you do get quality work and service and a staff that isn't motivated to let you get food poisoning because they hate their job.

I remember when supermarkets had staff who were part of unions and made good money...worked in the same place for 20 years.


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## JonSR77 (May 28, 2022)

JaniceM said:


> I figured they're incompetent or lazy, didn't know they were breaking any laws.



yes, endangering the health and lives of others is always a criminal act.

always.

Basically the intent to cause harm to any person, in any way, is a criminal act.


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## JaniceM (May 28, 2022)

JonSR77 said:


> A lot of this goes to money.
> 
> Supermarkets hire kids. First of all, kids don't know what they are doing.
> 
> ...


Around here it's the opposite.  Teenagers usually do a good job, it's the older people who have a 'don't care' attitude.


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## WheatenLover (Jun 10, 2022)

My daughter has been a member of the Expiration Date Police since she was 6 years old. She learned about it in school My life has been a fight to keep food ever since.


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## Blessed (Jun 10, 2022)

I am also an avid checker of dates.  I do keep a stock pile of product I buy during sales.  I am very good about rotating stock, new goes to the back, every thing else moves forward.  

I had to use grocery delivery for a while after surgery.  The "pickers" of the orders do not look at dates on dairy or meat.  If you order produce, they just grab it, don't even look to see if it is fresh. I had to call and complain but they were gracious and sent out better product.  I prefer to go myself as needed.


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## win231 (Jun 10, 2022)

I always check dates on any perishables.  I go further than that.  I never get things from the front of the aisle; I always  reach behind everything & get things from way back because I know they put the oldest things with the nearest expiration dates in front.  Sometimes, I can't believe how long my arms are.   What a pest!   
I get lots of envious looks from shorter women who can't do that.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who does that because I've seen employees rearrange things. 
Actually, if that causes anything to fall out of line, I always put everything back as it was before.


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## Lavinia (Jun 10, 2022)

In Britain a shop-keeper can be fined for selling food which is past it's sell-buy date.


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## Jeni (Jun 15, 2022)

In many retailers they hope for the best but some workers often measured by how fast they are do not pull all forward etc.  
when the crew faces items they are supposed to check dates but again faster if you skip that part. 
i remember working in store and often corporate visits they found date checks an issue even if store had everything else in place ....

I think most people should be taught to look for themselves not a false safe feeling because it is against the rules or bad business practice....
if you worked in these situations ........you will see.... both young and old workers can be lazy and not observant ....and they only time this was stressed is after corp caught them and the date check fever passes in about a day


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## JaniceM (Jul 2, 2022)

I've also found expiration dates aren't a guarantee of freshness.. no idea how far in advance the expiration date is.  

I've encountered this a few times with Amazon..  twice with large boxes of fruit & cream oatmeal, and yesterday a box of small cups of fruit cocktail.  None were fresh by any stretch of the imagination, but in all cases quite a few months before the expiration dates.


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## Serenity4321 (Jul 2, 2022)

JonSR77 said:


> A lot of this goes to money.
> 
> Supermarkets hire kids. First of all, kids don't know what they are doing.
> 
> ...


How sad..what does this say about our society. Working hard for little pay should still not be a reason for revenge...


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## Jules (Jul 2, 2022)

The BB location on the package should be consistent for all items.  It’s time consuming flipping everything over and over.


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## Blessed (Jul 2, 2022)

I would guess the products you receive were in date but had been kept in a warehouse that was not temperture controlled.  I would complain, most companies will send you a replacement.


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