Watch for Expired Items at Grocery Stores

When you go shopping for groceries, you expect to find fresh and safe food. Many grocery stores keep expired items on their shelves, and this can be dangerous for our health. 

I originally wrote this article in 2009. Sadly, it hasn’t gotten better. It seems the only explanation is greed and a complete lack of concern for your safety.

How Often Do Stores Keep Expired Items on Shelves?

I see them all the time, but don’t go by my experience. Research indicates that expired products can frequently be found in grocery stores.

A survey by Consumer Reports showed that nearly two-thirds of the 24 stores they examined had expired items on their shelves, with some products being as much as seven months past their sell-by dates.

Seven months.We’re not talking about something a couple of days out of date that might be fine to eat. Many items would be toxic 7 months past their expiration.

Do They Intentionally Leave Expired Items on the Shelves?

They might as well be doing it deliberately. I’ve pointed expired items out to many grocery workers and even managers over the years.

They act horrified and make a show of removing those items. But next week, those items are back on the shelf.

Now, maybe the person who removed it set it aside and someone assumed it was supposed to be put back on the shelves. But that means there’s no established procedure for getting rid of these items, which means they don’t really care and may intend to keep them there until someone buys them.

Surely It’s Not Legal?

In the US, there’s no federal law against it, except with baby food. Some states, like Georgia, have their own laws against it, at least with some products.

I’m not sure about any other countries or regions.

Examples of Expired Items on Shelves

Just some of the ones I’ve seen over the years.

• Ice cream that’s months past its expiration, several times
• Microwave popcorn weeks past its expiration  (arguably, this might be safe to eat)
• Bread a week or more past its expiration
• Crackers months past expiration
• Pumpkin seeds weeks past expiration
• Chicken with visible green slime inside
• Salad packages days or weeks past expiration (quite a few times)

Why Do Stores Sell Expired Foods?

You might wonder why grocery stores would sell expired items. It boils down to money. Surprise, right? But let’s break it down a little more than that.

Inefficient Removal Processes

Removing expired stock doesn’t seem to be anybody’s job. Suppliers are often the ones to stock shelves.

They assume the grocery store staff will remove expired items, so they don’t bother. But the retailers may assume the suppliers are doing it.

Either way, it doesn’t seem to be anybody’s top priority, so it just doesn’t get done.

How Expiration Dates Work

Expiration dates are not always strict indicators of food safety. Many products, especially shelf-stable items like canned goods, can remain safe to consume well beyond their printed dates if stored correctly.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that these dates are often more about quality than safety. As a result, some grocery stores may choose to keep these items on shelves, believing they are still safe for consumption.

This is never true with meat and dairy, however, and I have definitely seen both with months’ old dates on the shelves.

Money

It’s simple more profitable to sell expired items rather than discard them. Most consumers don’t even check the dates until they get sick from eating a product.

Staffing Challenges

Staffing shortages in grocery stores can exacerbate the issue of expired items remaining on shelves. Many employees report that they are unable to perform regular checks for expired products due to being overworked or understaffed.

But again, this is because of money. The stores won’t pay the employees to work enough hours to do this task, simply because they expect to get away with expired dates. And they do.

How You Can Avoid Expired Items in Stores

If you want to help protect yourself from expired items at grocery stores and/or stop this from happening, here are my suggestions. I ranked them from what I think is most effective to least effective.

1. Check expiration dates. Don’t buy anything that’s past its date or so close you can’t consume it before the date passes.
2. Post about it on social media, since calling and complaining doesn’t seem to be helping any.
3. When you see expired items at grocery stores, complain to someone at the store.
4. Call the store’s home office and complain. The number may be on your receipt, or the store employees should give it to you. You can also probably find it online.
5. Call the manufacturer of the food that’s expired. They may not realize grocery stores are doing this, and potentially ruining their reputation by selling food with their name on it that’s bound to taste less good than it should. They may have more power over the grocery stores than we have.
6. Keep your receipts so you can return expired items you accidentally buy.
7. Tell your friends and fellow shoppers. Talk loudly about this stuff.
8. People with poor eyesight can have a lot of trouble reading expiration dates. If you have trouble reading, get an employee to help you. If they refuse, complain to a manager. If you see someone struggling to read an expiration date, volunteer to help them if your eyesight is better.
9. If you can find a market that doesn’t do this, shop there.

Why Eating Expired Foods Can Be Dangerous

Eating expired food is risky. As food gets older, it can become a breeding ground for harmful bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli.

These bacteria can cause serious illnesses with symptoms that range from an upset stomach to severe health issues, especially for vulnerable people like young children, the elderly, and anyone with a weakened immune system.

Certain expired foods, such as dairy products or meat, can also grow mold or produce toxins that are harmful when eaten. Consuming these contaminated items can lead to various health problems, including allergic reactions and even more severe conditions.