Denied Purchase of Mangos (Past Best Before Date) at Coles

cloudy on 12/12/2024 - 13:44
Last edited 12/12/2024 - 13:52 by 2 other users

Has anyone ever been denied the opportunity to buy something at Coles?

Today, I found a 4 pack of prepackaged mangos, I normally don’t get these, but it was reduced to $2.18. When it scanned at a self checkout, it didn’t work, and the checkout chick came and said oh maybe it’s because it’s past BB. She checked and it was indeed one day past, and said we’re not allowed to sell this anymore.

I was a bit bewildered, and I wonder, if this is true? Anyone work for Coles confirm? What do they do with the mangos now? Chuck it? What a waste!

Food & Grocery Fruit

Related Stores

Coles
Coles

Comments

  • ihbh on 12/12/2024 - 13:49
    +27

    Same with meat and anything else.

    Yes it's a waste. Could go to Ozharvest/equivalent, farmers as compost/maybe feed, dumpsters for divers to get, etc.

    But put yourself in the supermarket's shoes. Some idiot/a*hole might get sick and because it's past BB, can sue them for big bucks and it could affect their reputation.

    If we all took personal responsibility, then there might be less wastage in the world.

    • Donald McRonald on 12/12/2024 - 14:31
      +1

      it could affect their reputation

      What reputation?

      • netjock on 12/12/2024 - 15:26
        -2

        For ripping people off.

        Imagine the outrage they are selling past BB food!

    • arahardja on 13/12/2024 - 10:56

      Was it Best Before Date (BBD) or Use By Date (UBD)?
      If it was BBD, it is still legal to be sold as long as they make the customer aware, but of course it is their policy not to sell, perhaps to avoid some stupid customer who still expects to get a perfect product and later complain that the mango was not edible etc.

      If it was UBD, it is illegal for them to sell it or even to give away!

      BBD is related to the quality/appearance of the product while UBD is related to Food Safety & Quality of the product

  • MS Paint on 12/12/2024 - 13:50
    +1

    It's not just you and it's not just Coles.

  • MITM on 12/12/2024 - 13:51
    +1

    You get sick and sue Coles. They'll send the to Ozharvest instead.

    • JIMB0 on 12/12/2024 - 17:54
      +2

      sue Coles

      Which court would hear such a case, maybe the food court?

    • mdsh on 12/12/2024 - 23:57
      +2

      They'll send the to Ozharvest instead.

      Unfortunately, that isn't always the case. Sometimes perfectly ripe fruit is just thrown away if it's in a package with a "Best Before" date that has passed.

  • jv on 12/12/2024 - 13:57
    -1

    Has anyone ever been denied the opportunity to buy something at Coles?

    Yes, they are not allowed to.

  • altomic on 12/12/2024 - 14:05
    +1

    this happened with me and a pack of mushrooms at woolworths.

    BB was the day before, they looked fine. went to scan with reduced sticker on it and it wouldn't scan. staff member said it was past the BB date and they couldn't sell it to me.

    • jv on 12/12/2024 - 14:30
      +3

      this happened with me and a pack of mushrooms at woolworths.

      Hi Erin…

    • Mokr on 12/12/2024 - 19:15

      So you could then just take it with you for free

      • A-mak on 30/12/2024 - 01:02

        Have had this happen, they withhold the item and refuse.

        I even offered to 'throw it in the bin' for them, no dice.

        This was at coles.

  • cloudy on 12/12/2024 - 14:17
    +3

    I can understand if it’s an expiry date, but BB by definition can be consumed and sold past date. There are places that just sell past BB stuff…

    Anyway, I just thought it must be something new, but maybe it’s not.

    • jv on 12/12/2024 - 14:32
      +1

      I can understand if it’s an expiry date, but BB by definition can be consumed and sold past date.

      They prefer to reduce their risk of being sued…

    • fantombloo on 12/12/2024 - 17:59
      +2

      Mangos should not have BB dates in the first place. These are reserved for categories of food that do not promote / support bacterial growth, which mangos do.

  • ihfree on 12/12/2024 - 14:28

    Happened on one or two occasions with clearance items at Woolworths.

  • mrdean on 12/12/2024 - 14:44
    -6

    Yes I've had it to happen to me. It was absurd. And the checkout chick agreed with me. Another example of the nanny state. For your "safety".

    • Dollar General on 12/12/2024 - 14:48
      +3

      Isn’t this a company policy, not a law they are adhering too?

    • justworld on 12/12/2024 - 15:11
      +7

      It's not really the nanny state. It's the fact that you could sue them for selling goods past their use-by date if you then get sick. It's not worth taking on that liability.

      • mrdean on 12/12/2024 - 15:32
        -1

        I would have happily signed a waiver absolving them of any liability. I really wanted that $1.71 priced ozbargain. In any case, the food got given to one of those food orgs like ozharvest. Not good enough for paying customers but I guess they are happy to take a chance poisoning some other humans.

      • cloudy on 12/12/2024 - 16:38
        +1

        its not a use by, its a BB, plus I dunno when it started, but fruits and veggies shouldn't have pre-determined dates set by companies.

  • Trance N Dance on 12/12/2024 - 14:55

    Yeah, I've had it on a carton of flavoured milk. Best before was the following day, it had a clearance sticker on it and the machine said no. The staff member said they're not allowed due to it being past the best before. Pointed out that it wasn't past the best before, but once a sticker has been placed on it protocol is whatever the computer says and they're not allowed to override.

  • browser on 12/12/2024 - 15:02
    +3

    Sounds like a sensible policy.

    It's all good and well when happy customers left thinking they saved a few bucks, but things can turn ugly really quickly when angry customers return to complain the food was off. They will post on social media and appear on current affair programs without mentioning the money they saved.

    It's just not worth the risk to their brand reputation and potential legal obligations.

  • GordonD on 12/12/2024 - 15:17
    +4

    Damned if they do, damned if they don't.

    If they sell past the BB date, someone will complain that its dodgy goods. If the don't sell past BB date, someone else will complain that they're not allowed to buy an OzBargain.

    • cloudy on 12/12/2024 - 16:40

      complain that they're not allowed to buy an OzBargain.

      damn right, I want to buy a Ozbargain! (whatever that is)

  • Baysew on 12/12/2024 - 16:26

    What do they do with the mangos now?

    Chuck them at passing Woolworths delivery trucks.

  • JIMB0 on 12/12/2024 - 16:47
    +1

    Go around back tonight and you'll score them free out of the bin.

    • Sye on 12/12/2024 - 17:50
      +1

      Should post this as a deal under freebies

  • apple2016 on 12/12/2024 - 17:14

    She checked and it was indeed one day past, and said we’re not allowed to sell this anymore.

    Yes Coles checkout is designed to block sale of these to avoid complaints / litigation etc . But usually they are given for free if you want them.

  • USER DC on 12/12/2024 - 18:41
    1. You dont own item unless transferred ownership from coles or seller or merchant.
    2. if merchant cannot transfer ownership to you (or receive payment) for that sale, you cannot get that item transferred from merchant.
    3. If item is indeed like past use by date, Coles (a lawful one) would indeed not sell the item to you (for you it could be a risk of having food poisoning etc.)
  • bargaino on 12/12/2024 - 22:37

    Similar has happened to me, but with food far more valuable than fruit.
    I just smiled, said thankyou, I see, and "pocketed" the goods. They can't sue you for stolen food, nor can they prosecute you for taking something of zero value, when you tried to pay. Not that they would want to! Present them with a fait accompli, like Putin with Crimea.

    Of course if they demand you return it, do so. But unlikely.

  • Elppa8 on 13/12/2024 - 00:50
    +1

    One thing I find strange is fruit and vegetables have no best before date unless it’s in a tray covered with cling wrap or bagged. Potatoes for example.

  • tabitha731 on 13/12/2024 - 07:52

    Yes this is a grocery policy.. they legally cannot sell expired products, but places like ozharvest take these to use to feed others, as they are still relatively safe to consume

  • ufohunter on 13/12/2024 - 09:09
    +2

    I tried to by a bunch of flowers one time and it wouldn't scan. The checkout helper came and explained it past it's used by date so they couldn't sell it but let me take it for free. I guess it was safe to assumed I wouldn't be eating the flowers.

  • idonotknowwhy on 13/12/2024 - 10:11

    This is probably my fault. I've been known to buy expired food and eat it without noticing.

    Did you try saying:

    Oh, I see. Leave it with me, I'll 'dispose' of the rubbish for you then

    ?

  • iCandy on 13/12/2024 - 11:05
    +1

    Go out the back and get them out of the dumpster for free.

  • 2esc on 13/12/2024 - 22:58
    +1

    Its poor management of stock and of processes to not reduce the price enough so it doesnt become waste.

    Back when i was 15 i worked at a independent supermarket one of my jobs on a Saturday was to throw out fruit and veg i didnt think would make it to Monday opening (We were shut on Sunday).

    Well for about six months i use to bag up those items and reduce the price drastically as the waste was ridiculous but eventually told not to do it because it supposdly encouraged customers not to buy at full price. In reality at the time it was a few elderly buying like a pre bagged kilo of tomatoes to make sauce/relish or something they were not going to pay full price to make relish.

    A lot of food doesnt always go to waste my grandfather in retirement had a hobby farm of 50 hectares and would get a trailer load of waste veges from Safeway(Woolworths) a rural supermarket for nothing once or twice a week his stock loved it (menagerie of Cattle, ducks, chickens pigs) sometimes it was too good to go to the animals and we had some occasionally day old bread and even other baked goods.
    Though personally our family were never short of veges as grandfather had a huge vege garden himself.

    • mrdean on 14/12/2024 - 07:36

      Though personally our family were never short of veges as grandfather had a huge vege garden himself.

      This is something that should be encouraged, in schools & through government policy.

  • ffhound on 10/01/2025 - 21:32

    Why are you not buying your mangoes from the Calypso man? No need to drive to the supermarket then!

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