Hi,

As you all know, I have recently acquired a little daughter.

Today, I bought some powdered milk from a well know supermarket that rhymes with a well know car company that makes the MX5.

When I got home, I checked the date and it was out of date on the 6th June 2005!

Lucky that I checked the date which could have had serious consequences!

What's the best way forward?

Just complian to that supermarket?

So far, I have emailed the company that make the milk to ask about the consequences of feeding a baby milk that was 5 months out of date.

Pat...

call the company as well as e-mail them....

It's the supermarket's responsibility - poor stock control. Worth a high-power complaint to the manager.

David

Personally I'd be inclinde to send a letter to the supermarkets head offices as well. The head office address should be displayed somewhere instore.

I have heard of people making professionally put but strong complaints into head offices of supermarkets and getting a reasonable compensation of product / vouchers etc as a result. 'F'ing and bliding at them may not get quite such a positive response but im sure that wont happen.

Defo contact head office. Id also contact trading standards of CAB for advice on the legal terminology to use. You can then tell Head office where you got the blurb from and that failure to agree reasonable settlement will result in official complaint being filed with regulatory bodies.

I hope you didnt use it. In fairness they have such a long date anyway id doubt there was a serious health risk. Id imagine such things err on the side of caution anyway, but that is completely irrelevant and needs to be pursued. they might have further stock that needs to withdrawn.

Id be pempted to reject first offer. Politely explain your disgust and ask them to take your complaint seriously.

Im off to check our tin now!!!! Thanks for the warning.

Have you still got the receipt? You have no legs to stand on if you can't proove you bought it for that store.

If you have take it back for an exchange and write to the manager.

I used to work in a supermarket and this sort of thing terrifid the managers.
Send a non abusive letter to both the manager at the store and the head office.
Say on each letter you have sent a copy to the other.
The store manager will try and have it resolved before they get pulled up by head office.
Adding hady phrases such as 'my brother is a reporter for a regional newspaper' can help.

I know the first thing i'll be doing when i get home tonight... checking the dates on our baby milk tins.

A babies health is worrying enough at that sort of age, without finding things like that

good that you checked the date, i wouldn't have normally done that, but will from now on. Thanks for the heads up.

Let the store know asap in case anyone else buys the stuff and use it without noticeing the date .might be ok might not !!
then think what to do.
Barrie

Breast milk ftw! And it's locost ^__^

quote:

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Originally posted by Benzine
Breast milk ftw! And it's locost ^__^

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might sound like a stupid question but your sure it's a sell by/use before date and not a date of manufacture???

Best Before Date 06/06/2005.

I'll drop a nice letter in at the store tonight and send a copy to the head office.

Watch this space.

Pat...

"Best before" is a lot less important than "Use by" or "Display until". Knowing Asda they will give you a refund/replacement plus a voucher (2 or 5 pounds I think).

id just take it in to customer services. I guarantee they will refund AND replace without a second thought. Even without a reciept, they value their image far too much to even doubt your word.

just take it back and im sure they will change it,no bother no fuss ,,but if you want to be a winjing git like half the old ladies out there then cool go ahead,,you'll be buying some blue rinse next

I work at a company that makes equipment to detect contamination in food, so we have dealings with food companies and supermarkets.

Dont expect anything dramatic.

No harm has been done, so you dont really have any damages to claim for. If you persued a claim, it would be at your cost. You could report it to trading standards, motions would be gone through, minor wrist slapped, and you would just get your money back.

Supermarkets dont pay over the odds with big money off vouchers as it just encourages false claims.

The responsible thing to do would be to go right back and complain, so that they take the product off the shelves. Other parents may not notice what you did.

atb

steve

Here's a copy of the letter I sent to the branch in question:

I write with reference to the above-mentioned product which my husband purchased 2 boxes of, from your branch at Dewsbury today, 22nd November 2005. Upon returning home, my husband started to open the packet and luckily checked the Best Before Date. We were extremely concerned that the best before date on one of the boxes is 06/06/2005. Our first concern is for the other parents who have purchased the milk, as our purchase left this particular shelf empty. How many other boxes have been purchased and the date has gone un-noticed?! My concern as a new mother, are for my 3 day old baby and also other babies and the risk we could so easily have taken in feeding her the out of date milk. This incident has us wondering which other products are not being stock rotated, as this is clearly evidence enough that stock and quality control must have repeatedly failed in this department. We have been left greatly concerned in purchasing any other baby products and also as regular customers for our grocery shopping, has us wondering if we are to trust the stock rotation in other grocery departments or to shop elsewhere. A copy of this letter has also been posted to your head office at XXXXXXXXX.

Not really after anything at the end of the day apart from an exchange, but just felt like complaining.

Pat...

[Edited on 23/11/05 by Avoneer]

Reads as an honest expression of your concern - couldn't ask for a better approach.

David

You have every right to complain and express your concern. You have done the right thing. Fair dos - you could go to the custoimer services and talk to young Mr. £4perhour but that wont change their policies and procedures. Your course of action will reach the relevant people and hopefully minute a review of their standard warehousing procedure at the next business review meeting. Hopefully they will also be able to instigate an immediate stock check and possible notify other parents with an instore notice.

Hopefully you will get a couple of extra packs for your trouble.

I don’t know anything about sell by dates, but I would imagine that there is a fair degree of redundancy built into them. I can understand your concern as new parents, but I’m sure your little one was not in any danger. I’d take the stuff back, get it replaced and move on.

talking to mr $4 an hr would have got the rest of the product off the shelves there and then.....

It could also have been caused by the injet printer having the wrong date set on it - that kinda thing happens. Supermarkets fine suppliers and send product back when its noticed.

Stock is rotated. One of the jobs my son does in his part time job is 'facing up'. Its moving the product to the front of the shelves to create a full look and allow space for new product behind.

atb

steve

[Edited on 23/11/05 by steve_gus]