Asda was fined £410,000 for their actions at Plymouth Magistrates' Court this week.
It comes after after inspectors found dozens of food items being sold past their use-by dates, risking public health.
The case followed an investigation by Cornwall Council’s Trading Standards team after a number of consumer complaints.
On 30 October 2023, Trading Standards officers visited Asda’s Penryn store and found 58 expired food items still on sale.
Several of the products were targeted at children, including ready-to-eat foods like yoghurts that were nearly four weeks past their use-by date.
Two days later, another inspection at Asda’s Hayle store found a further four expired items being sold.
At Plymouth Magistrates’ Court on 23 April 2025, Asda Stores Ltd pleaded guilty to two charges of selling unsafe food.
The charges related to a total of 62 expired food products on offer for sale.
District Judge Jo Matson said the supermarket had systems in place but they had not been properly followed.
She also said Asda’s response to earlier warnings from customers and Trading Standards officers had been insufficient.
As well as the £410,000 fine, Asda was ordered to pay £20,582.70 in prosecution costs and a £2,000 victim surcharge.
Jane Tomlinson, Trading Standards Group Leader at Cornwall Council, said the food on sale could have posed a danger to the public.
She added: "Consumers should be confident that the food they buy is safe to eat. We hope the steps Asda Stores Ltd have now put in place will prevent the sale of out-of-date food in future".
Use-by dates are a legal safety measure for highly perishable foods. According to the Food Standards Agency, products must not be sold or consumed once the use-by date has passed.
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