Supermarket giant Asda has been slapped with a substantial £500,000 penalty after one of its stores was discovered selling food items that were well past their expiry dates. The significant fine highlights serious breaches of food safety regulations that could have posed risks to public health.
Barnsley Branch Found Selling Out-of-Date Products
During an investigation in 2024, authorities uncovered multiple expired products at Asda's Old Mill Lane store in Barnsley. Among the 41 items identified were pots of hummus that were a concerning 16 days past their use-by date. Other products included pizzas and curries that had also exceeded their safe consumption dates.
The Barnsley Chronicle reported that these discoveries led to Asda pleading guilty to five separate offences under the Food Safety Act. The supermarket chain was ultimately ordered to pay £507,767 in fines and associated costs on January 29, 2026.
Public Health Concerns Raised
Barnsley Council's Trading Standards department emphasised that selling goods past their use-by dates represents a serious offence that "could have put the public's health at risk." While best-before dates indicate quality rather than safety, use-by dates are critical food safety markers that retailers must strictly observe.
Cllr Wendy Cain, Barnsley Council's public health spokesperson, stated: "We're committed to keeping our communities safe, a responsibility we take very seriously. We expect businesses of all sizes to only sell safe food, and this significant result sends a clear message that we will always put people's health and safety first."
Supermarket Response and Improvements
Following the investigation, Asda has implemented several measures to prevent similar incidents occurring in the future. A company spokesperson acknowledged: "We are disappointed that some out-of-date products were found on sale at our Barnsley store in 2024. This fell short of the standards our customers rightly expect and that we hold ourselves to."
The supermarket has introduced a new date code checking process across all its stores and conducted retraining for staff alongside increased auditing procedures. These improvements aim to ensure that only fresh products reach supermarket shelves.
Clear Message About Compliance
A Barnsley Trading Standards spokesperson commented on the case's significance, noting: "While improvements have been made since these offences, including a new checking system, retraining and increased auditing in the store, the sizeable £100,000 fine per offence sends a clear message that non-compliance never pays."
The substantial penalty serves as a warning to all food retailers about the importance of rigorous date checking procedures and adherence to food safety legislation designed to protect consumers.
