Expired cookies for sale at Loblaws

[BlackKitty]

Not sure if this is the right forum but here goes...

So my boyfriend and I regularly shop at Loblaws for groceries. About two weeks ago we found some boxes of expired Chips Ahoy (family pack). One box had an expiry date of August 2011. We found it pretty gross and I e-mailed Loblaws customer service about it. I think I was pretty polite and they were pretty prompt and professional in their response. They apologized, said they'll pass it on to the store manager, and sent me a $5 gift card. We thought this was all over and moved on.

On Friday we went to the same Loblaws and again, expired Chips Ahoy cookies. This time, all the boxes of expired cookies are lined up at the front. They were also opened. One box, which I suspect is the same box we saw two weeks ago, had an expiration date of August 2011. I was worried that maybe we're reading the dates wrong. Perhaps they're the date that the cookies were made? My boyfriend was able to dig out a box with the date May 2012 stamped on it. So unless Christies make cookies in the future and ship them to the past, I think those are expiration dates stamped on the bottom.

I took some pictures with my phone and e-mailed Loblaws again. However this is weirding me out. I found expired food in supermarkets before, but not at Loblaws. (One time at a No Frills I found expired cheese. Although don't they share the same parent company?) I really suspect that another customer may have intentionally opened those boxes to prevent people from buying them. Why else was the box of not-expired cookies spared?

Am I being naive here? Should I keep pursuing this? They have food for sale that don't even list the expiry dates. How do I know if they're not pushing expired goods onto customers? I just find this whole experience weird. You would think that not selling expired food wouldn't be such a difficult concept to grasp.

[ippon]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh2sWSVRrmo

[AudiDude]

I gotta say if you are eating Chips Ahoy cookies, the expiry date is the least of your issues. It's not like it's meat. PS don't eat junk food from any of the small corner stores in Markham...

[Piro21]

Food doesn't magically turn poisonous once it hits the 'best before' date. The cookies were most likely still fine if they were stored properly. If it was meat or something that expires quickly, I can understand the concern, but cookies contain preservatives and are generally dry goods in airtight containers (the plastic bags inside the box).

[Mulder and Scully]

- Food doesn't magically go bad at the stroke of midnight when it hits the expiry or best before date.

- Loblaws did exactly the right thing. They pulled the identified old items off the shelf.

- A grocery store has over a million items in stock. They can't check the dates of every single one and people like you help them out by reporting the old items. You can't expect the store to do it themselves with a million item inventory all the time.

[psyko514]

As a kid, my dad would always say "'Best Before' does not mean 'Expires On'".

[porphyra]

Haha. Those cookies have enough preservatives and other crap to last another year or two. They may not be as crispy or whatever (hence the Best before date), but surely you will sooner die from a heart attack from all the saturated fats and sugar in those cookies, than from them turning toxic because they have crossed the best before date.

Chill. It's not fresh produce, dairy or meat. It's a highly processed food (if you can call it that). Loblaws doesn't need you telling them that its past its date. There is a reason they were in front and on sale.

[dor79]

I usually take the product and give it to customer service desk and let them kn ow theirs more to be removed.

I am surprised that a clerk stocking the shelves didn't check the dates, but managed to rotate product and put newer ones in back.... I am surprised that in this season, a merchandiser from Christie hasn't stopped by for orders, checking on their displays.

[amz155]

Cookies don't have an expiry date. They have a best before date. There are very few foods/drinks that have an actual expiry date. I'm really suprised that people don't know any better and over-react about seeing food past its best before date on a store shelf. Big deal; point it out to the establishment and buy something else within its best before date if you are so concerned.

[BlackKitty]

I'm going to use this quotation to reply because well, I'll address everything with it anyway.


- Food doesn't magically go bad at the stroke of midnight when it hits the expiry or best before date.

- Loblaws did exactly the right thing. They pulled the identified old items off the shelf.

- A grocery store has over a million items in stock. They can't check the dates of every single one and people like you help them out by reporting the old items. You can't expect the store to do it themselves with a million item inventory all the time.


1. I would not have been as alarmed if the expiration date was say, December 1st or whatever. I know that food doesn't become instantly poisonous as soon as it passes its expiry date. However if we aren't going to go by the expiration date, what date should we go by? Is it still okay if the expiration date was August 2010 instead of August 2011? What if it was August 2009? Look, if cookies are suppose to last years, then perhaps people should stamp that on the box instead of some date that we're all not suppose to take seriously except the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (or whatever).

2. Actually they didn't. It was still there two weeks after I e-mailed them about it. Unless they're restocking the shelves with more cookies that expire on August 2011 they did not remove any of them.

3. I can fully understand a large store like Loblaws missing an item here and there. Things happen, so whatever. However does it take two weeks to remove expired products? If I told you where the products are, how long does it take to remove them?


I am surprised that a clerk stocking the shelves didn't check the dates, but managed to rotate product and put newer ones in back.... I am surprised that in this season, a merchandiser from Christie hasn't stopped by for orders, checking on their displays.

That is also the odd part about this. The first time we discovered the cookies, there were no other boxes that were not expired. We ended up buying their President's Choice cookies. The second time we were able to find a newer box at the back. That means somebody was stocking the shelves and consciously pushing the older products to the front. This particular Loblaws also underwent a reorganizing of their products in the last two months. So a good majority of the products were either moved to a different aisle or moved to a different shelf.

I realize Chips Ahoy cookies are not exactly the healthiest food product ever. However, the way I see it, the supermarket does not get to decide which product they should be careful about and which one is okay to eat if it's four months past the expiration date. If I bought food and I chose to eat it past the expiry date, that's my business. I do not, however, go to their supermarket to buy their expired food so that they don't have to go through the trouble of replacing them.

For me personally, I think the silliest part about this whole affair is the response. If I told you that I come to your store on a weekly basis, then why give me the impression that you'll actually do something about it? You don't think I wouldn't know if you didn't?


Cookies don't have an expiry date. They have a best before date. There are very few foods/drinks that have an actual expiry date. I'm really suprised that people don't know any better and over-react about seeing food past its best before date on a store shelf. Big deal; point it out to the establishment and buy something else within its best before date if you are so concerned.

Then instead of agreeing with me and telling me how sorry they are about it, I would have appreciated Loblaws saying so the first time I e-mailed them two weeks ago. If this is really the case, then I am more annoyed that Loblaws didn't have the guts to just tell me.

[Sibica]

Chips Ahoy hardly qualifies as food.

[6o4_dc]

Instead of taking picture, emailing loblaw and going through all that hassle, why don't you just go to Customer service or find an employee/manager and tell them that there is an expired product on the shelf? It's not like they're gonna ban you from the store. They would probably more than happy to take the product of the shelf. Unless you really wanted another $5 giftcard, I can see why you'd want to go over the hassle once again.

[BlackKitty]

Link to photo (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/Black_Kitty/2011aug30-1.jpg)

Not to be argumentative, but if I am wrong about something then I would like to know so that I don't go around with false information.

AMZ155 said that cookies do not have expiration dates, but rather best before dates. The above is a cell phone picture of the box in question. I Googled up the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/tipcon/date.shtml) to double check if best before dates have to follow a specific format in order to be considered a best before date. It doesn't seem to follow the best before format, but well... *shrugs*


Instead of taking picture, emailing loblaw and going through all that hassle, why don't you just go to Customer service or find an employee/manager and tell them that there is an expired product on the shelf? It's not like they're gonna ban you from the store. They would probably more than happy to take the product of the shelf. Unless you really wanted another $5 giftcard, I can see why you'd want to go over the hassle once again.

I know this sounds weird, but I actually find e-mailing less of a hassle than finding someone and pointing out the problem. I don't have to put my shopping on hold to find someone in the store or line up at customer service. Sometimes I just want to get in, do my shopping, and then get out.

I am not expecting another $5 gift card. The first time I e-mailed, I didn't even provide them with an address to mail me anything. I'm not so broke that I am willing to find things to squeeze $5 out of someone.

[6o4_dc]

Link to photo (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/Black_Kitty/2011aug30-1.jpg)

I know this sounds weird, but I actually find e-mailing less of a hassle than finding someone and pointing out the problem. I don't have to put my shopping on hold to find someone in the store or line up at customer service. Sometimes I just want to get in, do my shopping, and then get out.

I am not expecting another $5 gift card. The first time I e-mailed, I didn't even provide them with an address to mail me anything. I'm not so broke that I am willing to find things to squeeze $5 out of someone.

You can always mention it to one of the employees while you're grocery shopping and not going out of your way. If you don't want to do that, rip open all the packaging of the expired cookies. That way, the store can't sell them.

[1337rice]

Since I work at the grocery department at a supermarket, we "eventually" do check on the expiry dates...but like one user has said, it's very hard to keep up with them.

We're always busy restocking things, and by the time we're done restocking, it's already almost time to do closing procedures.
Usually during the weekends, those would be the ideal times to check for expiry dates...that is, of course, if you care so much about the company and your job.

Some customers do report it to us, which we appreciate...Then there are times when you know that s*** has expired if that, for example lets say, a bottle of salad dressing hasn't moved an inch for 4 months and its collecting dust.

Then there are some items that say they have an expiry date, but it's either blank or in some random jibberish numbers and letters that don't even look like the 12 months. Some people ask us "when does this expire?", we simply could not answer that question because there is no answer to it.

We could dig back to when the inventory arrived, but it's not gonna help either.
Lets say this item may be manufactured on August 2011 and carries an expiry date of August 2012. This depends on how well the product sells...we might not even get that item until the same year or maybe even until next year.

[tyrrell]

Move on with your life??

No offense, but is your life so unbelievably boring and pointless, that slightly expired cookies at a grocery is at the top of your list of concerns.

Some people :rolleyes:

[Syn3rgy]

seems like you're just making a big deal out of nothing...if it's expired, just don't buy it. it's not exactly contaminating the other boxes of cookies beside it is it?

[Siefer999]

if it bothers you so much, you shouldve just dropped it in your basket and handed it to the cashier when you check out. that wouldve got it off the shelves. that would be too easy right? it's better to pull out your phone, take a pic, find the loblaws email, write an email and provide your contact info.

[Bookpreviews]

Loblaws always has a lot of expired cheese and juices every time I go there.
You have to check all your items and if you buy stuff like rice milk, soy milk- check under the plastic cap to make sure it is sealed....same for pringles containers.

I know this because I used to buy a lot of rice milk and usually check the dates, but then thought if one container is bad...do not want to take the bus just for that.

That time 3 out of 6 containers were opened and left on the shelf (not refrigerated).

Also at foodbasics bought chips in a can and did not check....get home- someone opened them and put the foil back.

At foodbasics people also like the open the crackers and put them back on the shelf.

I actually do not shop at these stores much now for other reasons.

I really wish AP was still around, I loved the Fresh or free policy.
used to get most of my groceries for "free" and was allowed to buy store gc for the equivalent amount :)
Had so many Home depot gc and all out now :(

[Dormie]

galen weston has no clue on how his grocery stores are being run/managed or mismanaged,
although in his tv ads he says "worth switching supermarkets for",

three times this year i bought loblaws/superstore (located eglinton/don mills) large 1 kg apple pie when on sale for $4,
regular price $6.99,
those times the bottoms were not baked, so non edible,
they receive them frozen for baking in each store,
so un baked pie is a staff/training/quality control problem or deficiency at the store level,

on these occasions i phoned into customer service (which is only available mon-fri 8-5, in my opinion this is not good customer service when their stores are open 7 days per week), their response was polite suggesting i return the pie to exchange, in the call i suggested that they immediately call the store so they could inspect their current pies to see whether the whole batch or only mine was uncooked which they agreed to do,
so to my surprise the next day when i went to exchange all their pies were uncooked with the same date codes,
it even took an assistant manager andrew more than 10 minutes to respond,
this is a classic case where no one takes ownership nor initiative to correct a bad situation,
which is systemic in loblaws,

now when i buy these pies i always keep the receipt, just in case,
last week the pies were on sale again for $4 + were fully baked,

[jason9945]

Link to photo (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/Black_Kitty/2011aug30-1.jpg)
.

Are you even sure thats the best before date?

It could be the baked on date?

[redgrandam]

I used to work at a loblaws. The one I was at occasionally we were told by a customer that there was an item that was expired. Immediately they were pulled from the shelf. Not sure how it would work conning from head office. Just let them know in the store. They shouldn't be selling old stuff.

I try to check dates on stuff, but often forget. Once I bought mayonnaise and it's best before was 2 months prior. Something like mayo I didn't want to risk keeping it around, so I used it for a bit since I couldn't find the receipt.

[craftsman]

Then instead of agreeing with me and telling me how sorry they are about it, I would have appreciated Loblaws saying so the first time I e-mailed them two weeks ago. If this is really the case, then I am more annoyed that Loblaws didn't have the guts to just tell me.

Loblaws took the simple way out.

Too many "customers" would have went nuts over a reply which told them that the Best Before date was just that and it didn't necessarily mean the product was bad. Some of them would have reported them to the press and then they would have to contend with media...

[sandikosh]

Loblaw is not the only one. I onced shopped at Wal Mart and found stuff that was past its date. I told someone and that person immediately went, checked and removed all the stuff.

[stealth]

I agree with the OP, it sounds like this store is poorly stocked and poorly managed if this is happening so frequently.
Op, you've done your part to help them improve, they obviously haven't made much of an effort, might be time to take your shopping dollars elsewhere.
I'd recommend a Longos if there's one near you. Prices aren't any worse that loblaws, better selection of produce, and I find they do a better job at ensuring enough cash registers are open at peak times to prevent long waits. Also they don't charge for bags, they have a loyalty points system and a great ready prepared food section. Overall a better experience than Blahblahs.:)

[thestar99]

Instead of attacking the OP Why not provide different ways to approach the problem. If I see expiry foods I place it on my cart and tell the cashier that product has passed its expiry date and that usually takes care of the issue.

It is nothing compared to shopping at ethnic supermarkets. I have seen a product expired one year ago sitting at Fu Yao Supermarket when I inform the cashier she says they will take care of it next week its back on the shelves. People just have to be careful when shopping for foods always look for expiry dates and nutrition information prior to purchasing the product.

[Muncher]

As a consumer, I make sure that whatever I buy hasn't expired, just like I ensure I don't buy fruit that is rotten (and that is increasing every day at all the supermarkets). It is vendor fraud to sell expired products as far as I'm concerned, but every store is just as sneaky. I also found that Grocery Gateway when I ordered from them, delivered to me all the products that were like 1 or 2 days from expiry.

[Bookpreviews]

Instead of taking picture, emailing loblaw and going through all that hassle, why don't you just go to Customer service or find an employee/manager and tell them that there is an expired product on the shelf? It's not like they're gonna ban you from the store. They would probably more than happy to take the product of the shelf. Unless you really wanted another $5 giftcard, I can see why you'd want to go over the hassle once again.

I tried that twice at one store I go to- they always had expired veggie burgers and that was what I wanted to buy.
Expired by like 4 months at least.
-they never took them off the shelf.

I always check the dates if I go to that store.

Actually a lot of loblaws stores are bad- they just put a pink sticker on the expired good and try and trick people.
I always see tons of expired items at Loblaws, Shoppers, Foodbasics, loeb, metro...everywhere.

That just means I have to check the dates on everything I buy and if you buy juice or pringles make sure they are sealed underneath.

last year @ foodbasics- the one time I did not check my chips I got home and saw they were opened.
so much for eating them that day.

almost happened to me w some Rice milk, but since the store was so far away I thought to check the seals...and half the containers someone opened them and put them back on the shelf.
I no longer buy rice milk, but only because I can't find the kind I like nearby- I just make my own now.
much cheaper too and actually tastier!

[redgrandam]

I tried that twice at one store I go to- they always had expired veggie burgers and that was what I wanted to buy.
Expired by like 4 months at least.
-they never took them off the shelf.

I always check the dates if I go to that store.

Actually a lot of loblaws stores are bad- they just put a pink sticker on the expired good and try and trick people.
I always see tons of expired items at Loblaws, Shoppers, Foodbasics, loeb, metro...everywhere.

That just means I have to check the dates on everything I buy and if you buy juice or pringles make sure they are sealed underneath.

last year @ foodbasics- the one time I did not check my chips I got home and saw they were opened.
so much for eating them that day.

almost happened to me w some Rice milk, but since the store was so far away I thought to check the seals...and half the containers someone opened them and put them back on the shelf.
I no longer buy rice milk, but only because I can't find the kind I like nearby- I just make my own now.
much cheaper too and actually tastier!


The pink stickers are the reduced price ones? They should be over the barcode as they rePlace the barcode. The point of the pink stickers is for clearance of items at or beyond best before, which is different than expired, or discontinued items. My store did that right, not to cover up anything intentionally.

[Jimboski]

No pictures? I want to see how bad they look If they even changed colors at all..

[No Frills]

lol @ people think grocery stores are trying to scam them by intentionally selling products beyond the best before, silly. People are funny when it comes to these 'dates'. Most of the dry groceries dont even require best before dates unless they their shelf life is less than 3 months.

When I worked in retail it was funny when customers tried to decode the julian codes into a best before date and the last 2 digits was the year and the can of tuna expired 3 years ago....lol

Sometimes the warehouses where the stores get their stock are just as bad, if not worse than the grocery stores.

For expired cheese, most cheeses I would take a little passed the date at reduced cost...same as yogurt....maybe a week. Mayonnaise is good months passed the date if its in the fridge.

[stealth]

lol @ people think grocery stores are trying to scam them by intentionally selling products beyond the best before, silly. People are funny when it comes to these 'dates'. Most of the dry groceries dont even require best before dates unless they their shelf life is less than 3 months.

When I worked in retail it was funny when customers tried to decode the julian codes into a best before date and the last 2 digits was the year and the can of tuna expired 3 years ago....lol

Sometimes the warehouses where the stores get their stock are just as bad, if not worse than the grocery stores.

For expired cheese, most cheeses I would take a little passed the date at reduced cost...same as yogurt....maybe a week. Mayonnaise is good months passed the date if its in the fridge.

I can tell you for sure that a lot of variety stores do this though.they buy near end of code products that manufacturers ended up stuck with, from from brokers that they bought from heavily discounted.

[No Frills]

I can tell you for sure that a lot of variety stores do this though.they buy near end of code products that manufacturers ended up stuck with, from from brokers that they bought from heavily discounted.

Also, a lot of groceries at variety stores with the markups have very small movements compared to most grocery stores and may not sell through a case before its off code.

[Richard1986]

Don't think I would've went as far as you did (emailing the corporate office, etc), but all the same it was the right thing to do. Plus, this is indeed a Food & Drink forum.. although, one can argue that Cookie's are not exactly food, lol..


Anyways, you go girl! :lol: Nice little rant topic.



I probably would have just brought it to the attention of nearby stock-boy or employee. And that's if I was actually planning on buying said product.

[Bookpreviews]

if it bothers you so much, you shouldve just dropped it in your basket and handed it to the cashier when you check out. that wouldve got it off the shelves. that would be too easy right? it's better to pull out your phone, take a pic, find the loblaws email, write an email and provide your contact info.

Lol,
I tried that once at Shoppers.
they had some "expired" jelly beans- I asked if they would sell them at a discount and was refused.
the cashier told me they should not be on the shelf.

the next week I was at the same store and they were right back on the shelf...and were there a few more months.
I did not bother after that, but do not try to buy jelly beans at this one store.