Who knew that they had delicious off-brand Thin Mints at the beginning of the 20th century? We didn’t. Yet John discovered this box of cookies that expired way back in 1914. Yet it has a UPC and brags that the cardboard is 100% post-consumer waste. What is this madness? [More]
It’d Be Nice If Starkist Could Make Up Its Mind As To When This Tuna Is Unsafe To Eat
By February 7, 2013
Consumerist reader J.L. is quite observant, and that’s a good thing — otherwise nine months from now he could’ve ended up eating tuna that was seven months past its “best by” date. See, he bought three of those “Lunch to Go” packs from Starkist, the kind with tuna, crackers, a spoon and a mint included. On the outside of the package was one best by date, but on the actual tuna it was a whole other story. [More]
Lawsuit Accuses Big Pharma Of Using Bogus Expiration Dates To Trick Customers Into Buying More Meds
By October 24, 2012
When it comes to over-the-counter pain pills, many people don’t even think to look at the expiration date on the side of the bottle. But a new class-action lawsuit claims that three of the biggest names in the (legal) drug business are deliberately putting early expiration dates on their products to encourage customers to throw them out and buy new ones. [More]
All Of This Walmart’s Enfamil Baby Formula Is Expired
By July 31, 2012
Vinny went to a Walmart somewhere in New England to pick up some baby formula. After the purchase, he noticed that the cans he had were expired. No big deal: he brought them back to the store for the easiest exchange he’s ever experienced at a Walmart. Not an exchange, though. That’s what he would have preferred, but he tells Consumerist that every container of formula on the shelf was expired. [More]
Food Expiration Dates Are Really Just Guidelines, Not Deadlines
By April 18, 2011
Don’t drink that milk if it’s all curdled and nasty, but just because something in your fridge is past its expiration date, that doesn’t mean it’s not safe to eat, says a new study and some food scientists who ostensibly know what they’re on about. [More]
How Long To Wait Before Trashing Expired Yogurt, Eggs
By September 1, 2010
Expiration dates on refrigerated food aren’t gospel — they’re conservative estimates by food manufacturers to ensure you don’t get sick from spoiled products. The trick to minimizing food waste is how to know just how long you have to wait to eat food that’s past its prime. [More]
Customer Says Supermarket Sold Rotten Chicken With New Sell By Date
By May 18, 2010
A woman in Brooklyn has accused a local grocery store of slapping a new “sell by” sticker over an expired one in order to unload some old poultry that was past its prime. [More]
Allow Yourself To Stop Being Obsessed With "Sell By" Dates On Food
By February 18, 2010
Slate has an interesting article about food expiration dates and their meaning — which can be somewhat slippery. The basic idea is this: You don’t have to throw out food just because its past the “Sell By” date. You should inspect your food to see if it has spoiled and try to make a rational decision. [More]
Safeway Sold Me Milk That Expired More Than A Year Ago
By January 19, 2010
Tia says she bought some milk from Safeway, pictured here, that expired more than a year ago. She writes: [More]
Mind Those Milk Expiration Dates
By January 18, 2010
Matt spotted a disturbing milk stocking method at his unnamed New York grocery store, and is convinced the setup was designed to trick folks into buying milk that is set to soon expire. [More]
Save Money By Using Up Old Groceries
By January 6, 2010
Chances are you’ve got forgotten food supplies in your pantry, writes Herb Weisbaum, so why not feed your family some old food for a week and ban yourself from the grocery store? The woman in Weisbaum’s article tried it out, and found that there were enough unused items that when she was forced to make do, she figured out a way. [More]
Reader's $400 In JetBlue Credits Expire With No Notice
By December 10, 2009
S. had canceled two JetBlue flights some time ago. Instead of refunding customers’ credit or debit cards after a reservation cancellation or change, JetBlue issues credits for future flights. Fine. The problem–and the detail that wasn’t made clear to S.–is that these credits expire. [More]
Senator Wants Investigation Of Frequent Flyer Programs
By November 23, 2009
Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) is calling for a probe of frequent flyer programs to determine whether they deliver the value that they promise. In particular, he wants the Department of Transportation to look into the issue of evaporating miles, a relatively new phenomenon brought introduced via expiration dates in recent years.
Federal Reserve Proposes Rules On Gift Cards
By November 16, 2009
Here’s your chance to sound off on another consumer protection issue. In accordance with the CARD Act, today the Federal Reserve proposed new rules that would protect consumers from fees and expiration dates on gift cards, and they’ll soon be accepting comments on the rules.
Target Pays New Jersey $375K To Settle Fraud Charges
By November 10, 2009
Target has agreed to pay New Jersey $375,000 to settle charges that it sold baby formula and non-prescription drugs that had expired, and that it charged higher prices on some products than what was displayed on the shelves.
Here's A Simple Tutorial On Expiration Dates
By July 10, 2009
Howcast has produced a quick video tutorial covering the basics of expiration and sell by dates. If you have questions about eggs, meat, canned goods, or storing things in the freezer, check it out.
Will Best Buy Accept A Gift Certificate That's 12 Years Old?
By June 18, 2009
Jon writes:
Will CVS Ever Pull Expired Medicine, Baby Formula From Their Shelves?
By May 23, 2009
CVS stores across the nation regularly stock expired medicine, milk, and baby formula, according to a damning union report. This isn’t the first time CVS has been caught stocking dangerous goods. Last year, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo threatened a suit after his office caught the pharmacy selling goods over a year past their expiration dates. CVS claims that, despite investing over $160 million in a “perpetual inventory management” system, it’s nearly impossible to keep expired items off the shelf because they simply have too much stuff.
