ASDA use by date - best way to complain?

[gihe]

Hello everyone.

This is my first post, so apologies if it's in the wrong area.

 

24 June 2009

I just bought a multipack of Diet Coke cans from ASDA, which was reduced due to 3 cans missing. Got back home and myself and two family members cracked open a can. We all then remarked how odd it tasted.

Looking on the bottom of the can, we were horrified to discover that the Use By date on all the cans was January 2009!

 

So I was wondering what the best method of complaint is - do I go to ASDA Head Office first, or Coke, or Trading Standards?

Obviously I'm looking for a decent bit of compensation...

 

Thanks

Giles

[Big Boss Man]

Hello everyone.

This is my first post, so apologies if it's in the wrong area.

 

24 June 2009

I just bought a multipack of Diet Coke cans from ASDA, which was reduced due to 3 cans missing. Got back home and myself and two family members cracked open a can. We all then remarked how odd it tasted.

Looking on the bottom of the can, we were horrified to discover that the Use By date on all the cans was January 2009!

 

So I was wondering what the best method of complaint is - do I go to ASDA Head Office first, or Coke, or Trading Standards?

Obviously I'm looking for a decent bit of compensation...

 

Thanks

Giles

 

Sorry to hear about your problems, i had a similar experince recently, i suggest you contact Asda first, the contact form is listed below:

 

ASDA

 

I filled this out, got a reply the next day, the store will investigate and write to you, they will most probally also enclose some vouchers.

 

If your not happy with the response you get initially, escalate the matter with the Head Office, i am confident they will resolve this for you promptly.

 

Hope you get things sorted.

[gihe]

Thanks - I've written a letter rather than use the Comments page. At least that way, I know it will get read.

[Big Boss Man]

Thanks - I've written a letter rather than use the Comments page. At least that way, I know it will get read.

 

Sounds good, try and use recorded delivery if you can.

[gyzmo]

Are you sure it's a use by date? I thought Coke had bets before.

 

If it is a use by then also report it to environmental health or trading standards, as selling food (or to have in possession for sale) beyond the use by date is a criminal offence. Supermarkets claim these are "one offs", however there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest otherwise.

[Bookworm]

Just checked and it is a "best before", not "use by" (as you kind of would expect from tinned stuff really).

 

"fair bit of compensation"? For a couple of reduced cans which were a few mths beyond their shelf-life? I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you, or raise my hopes too much, it's not on the same level as finding a thumb floating in one of the cans. ;-)

[gyzmo]

Hmm, well there is selling food not of the nature substance or quality demanded. TS advise to notify them anyway if it was not drawn to the customers attention that the date has passed. And I'd still complain to Asda myself, but that's me and the desire to type a letter that does not start off "I am applying for...."

[Bookworm]

[watkinz]

the best way would be to do to contact Asda head office, however if your a regular shopper there, go to the actual store with one, chances are you'll get a load of vouchers and wont be getting a worker into a load of crap, yes its an error but why get a store fined?

sorry just dont see the need to kick off, it hasn't exactly made you ill.

Just my opinion.

[gyzmo]

No, but the store could have committed an offence, which is why I suggested it be reported to the appropriate authorities.

[watkinz]

No, but the store could have committed an offence, which is why I suggested it be reported to the appropriate authorities.

yes it has, but do you really feel the need to get the store a £5,000 fine?

and the possibilty of an investigation? if its your local supermarket i personally don't see the need for this.

[gyzmo]

I do. The law, and the sanctions available, are there for a reason. And prosecution is a last resort.

 

It could be a one-off. It could be a new or careless staff member. It could be systematic.

 

Sellers that do this are not only ripping off consumers, they are trading unfairly against competitors who spend time and money to put systems and procedures in place to prevent this happening.

 

In this case, little harm has been done compared to, say, if it was meat or highly perishable item that had been sole past it's use by date. But the item has still been sold. They did not remove it from the shelves. They did not put a notice up to say it had expired. And Asda knows better.

 

Asda is a huge corporation that spends millions on quality controls and loves to harp on about their product freshness and value - something obviously intended to draw customers.

 

Neither of those claims have been seen by the OP on this occasion.

[gihe]

UPDATE

 

After writing to ASDA and getting no reply after two weeks, I emailed them using their web form. A few days passed and I got a reply from "Customer Services" saying they couldn't find my original letter and could I give my address/postcode so they could locate the letter. I replied immediately with the information.

Another week passed without reply. I eventually sent a second email to the bloke who had contacted me - but, again, no reply after a week.

 

Finally (a month after the original letter), I sent a recorded delivery letter to ASDA's MD, Andy Bond, explaining what had happened and asking why the delay.

I came back from the Post Office to find my post had been delivered in the meantime - and there was a letter from ASDA! It was a standard apologies letter with a £10 voucher.

 

Given that the Coke cost £6 in the first place, this equates to an offering of £4. Needless to say, I think this is pretty shabby.

 

Should I accept this? What to do next?

[gihe]

Just checked and it is a "best before", not "use by" (as you kind of would expect from tinned stuff really).

 

"fair bit of compensation"? For a couple of reduced cans which were a few mths beyond their shelf-life? I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you, or raise my hopes too much, it's not on the same level as finding a thumb floating in one of the cans. ;-)

 

Yes, Bookworm - the cans were Best Before End January 2009. All 27 cans from the original 30 pack were six months out-of-date.

[ozzywizard]

it hasn't exactly made you ill

 

In my opinion it doesnt matter what the outcome is. Luckily you was able to discern the poor content by the taste but what if you had given it to children who just take what you give as being "good" in the same way you should trust asda to take what they supply in being "good" . .

 

4 pounds is not acceptable compensation.

[Goldbrain]

Hi

 

I book an online delivery slot on Saturday the 22nd May 2010.

 

Order No. 501245029

Customer ID 12177908

Delivery Driver name: Paul

 

I bought item worth £140.51 and accepting to be delivered on time between 4pm-6pm. I got the delivery at 6:05pm. In that delivery Meats, Vegetables, Fruits and partially chilled items were missing worth over £60. Top of that Asda sent me replacement of baby milk (SMA Extra Hungry) instead of (SMA First infant Milk birth onw 250ml) for a 4 months old baby, which I immediately returned with the driver. Driver also gave me a bread and black paper, which I returned because I did not ordered that.

 

We were waiting for the delivery to prepare our dinner but without any meat, vegetable and fruits could not cook anything at home instead we had buy dinner and spend an extra £25.

I rang on 0844873 3333 and asked for the reason but no reason given instead I been told store manager said they are very busy so they cannot do anything and I have to wait till next day. Next day no call from ASDA till 11am. I have to ring again on that number and paying 5ppm for the mistake ASDA made. One of your staff member (Carlynn Piers) on that number really helped me out and try to solve this problem. She rang me back and said store manager can deliver missing items on Monday between 3pm - 5pm and no compensation been offered apart from free delivery. I replied I cannot be at home at that time as I work till 5pm and reach back home at 6pm.

 

Few weeks earlier we booked a delivery from Sainsbury's and their driver were late only 15 minutes, we been informed by Sainsbury's on the phone and been given £10 voucher for our next shopping.

 

What ASDA did.

Sending wrong baby milk.

Missing half of the delivery

Offered another free delivery after 2 days

We have to spend £25 for the dinner outside just not to get anything from ASDA

Have to ring 3 times and been charged 5ppp

No Compensation

 

At the end I asked for refund and told I don't want the missing items. Also asked to cancle my account with ASDA.

 

At least ASDA can let me know the reason, why all the items not been delivered.:mad:

[loopinlouie]

They regularly fluff up my deliveries or when okay I find the use by dates on fresh product run out withing first two thre days. Last time my pizza offer of 3 for 5.00 was pointless because they sent one, I wouldnt have minded had they substituted for three pizzas not on offer, but that was one tea messed up. In the same shop I got a packet of Indian bread I never even ordered, suppose they must have got my pizza;)

 

To be fair even though I had a delivery covered in bleach as the bottle cracked and the man plopped it ontop of the fresh meat, to which he pointed it then out and I refused delivery. The store manager came right over with my replacement goods, so fair enough.

 

Seriously though the most you are likely to get is your delivery refunded and I didnt even bother ringing them last time as its hard to understand their call centre half the time.

 

They are okay most of the time, just when they get it wrong as happens with companies, they really mess it up. Seems to depend store by store how quick they sort it out though. I keep going back to them though as they are cheaper:D

 

One thing I do know is my store does not like complaints recorded with head office, they prefer to deal with it directly and act quicker I notice.

[Goldbrain]

Thanks loopinlouie

[AtlantisZPM]

Hmmmm one of my black listed company's Asda are now owned by wall mart who seem to take life insurance out on staff. Not sure if this happens in the UK but their actions in the US are sickening. Dead Peasants google it

[sneaksms]

Over the course of 2 months, I had 7 deliveries from Asda. Only 4 of them were 100% correct. 2 were missing a lot of items (about 20% in both), and the 3rd had a large bottle of ketchup and some cereal I hadn't ordered. I gave up in the end

[kirkB]

heyy all..

 

ermm me and my partner went for a quick shop at an Asda yesterday day time to buy ready made baby formula in the cartons. we bought a six pack and 2 singles. got them home ready to make the daughter a bottle, poured one into her bottle to find the Off smell and that the 2 single cartons were nearly 2 months out of date. My daughter is only 8 weeks old, doesnt weigh much either as she was 6 weeks premature and hasn't been out of hospital for long. We were given lousy gift vouchers and two new cartons of formula (indate this time) to shut us up. The member of staff on stocking them wasn't in work so had to be rang. Asda have gave her a warning and a weeks re-training and thats all. They phoned and said all they could do further is apologize, we said we'd soon be seeking legal action and all of a sudden they want a face to face conversation..

 

what shall we do??

 

be grateful if someone could help please thanks

[sneaksms]

Possibly be thankful that you got vouchers AND replacements?

 

What else do you want? What on earth are you going to take legal action for?

[kirkB]

Baby milk and formula is alot lot different to casual adult food. the baby has drank a carton. baby products are meant to be taken off the shelf many days before expiring, even staff employees at Asda told us so. just seems funny how threatening legal action makes them want to know??

[kirkB]

??

[labrat]

to b e honest your not the only ones

 

we brought some cow and gate at asda a while ago

 

got home 9 out of 18 were out of date oldest was 3 months

 

took them back got them exchanged - staff told us that it was getting more common with the new owners as they had been trying to make money by buying short dated stock, but with the delays in delivery they hadnt been getting through on time

 

checked back with them a while ago and they had breifed out to all shelf stockers to keep an eye on dates