It’s always a risk to buy food that has passed its expiration date, but many people don’t know whether or not they can sue grocery stores over food that has gone bad. Whether you were buying the product for personal use or as part of your job at the grocery store, there are certain situations in which you could potentially be able to take legal action against them.Can i sue a store for expired food?
Can i sue a grocery store for selling expired food?
Can I sue a grocery store for selling expired food?
The truth is, you may not be able to successfully sue a grocery store. In most cases, food that has passed its sell-by date is still safe to eat; it’s only when there’s visible mold growth or other signs of spoilage that one should consider tossing expired food. If you believe your grocery store sold you expired food, contact them first and let them know your concerns.
If they don’t resolve things to your satisfaction, then you can contact your local county health department. Most counties have an environmental health services department that handles these types of complaints and will tell you what steps they will take next (if any). Whether or not they’ll tell you if filing suit would be worth it is up in the air.
Tips on How to Avoid Buying expired foods
We’ve all been there, standing in front of an aisle full of packaged foods and you can’t help but wonder: Is that food past its expiration date? If you want to know how to avoid buying expired foods, here are some tips:
- Ensure that products that are about to expire are rotated for first use.
- Make sure things that are about to expire are labeled.
- Ensure that things that are about to expire are transferred to where they will most likely be utilized.
The most obvious way to avoid expired groceries is by learning how long they are safe to eat. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has created an unofficial list of when various types of food expire known as safe-to-eat timetables. While these are not legally binding, they do offer valuable insight into how long certain items stay good for once their date passes.
Is it worth my time and money to sue them?
You don’t have to be an attorney to sue someone—but you will need an attorney on your side if you decide to sue. That’s because these types of cases are notoriously difficult, with complicated laws and policies to navigate and lots of money at stake. Even if you win, it doesn’t mean that you’ll get any money out of it (depending on how negligent or intentional whoever is responsible was). So, most often, you wouldn’t bother suing in court. Instead, your best bet is to try and resolve things outside of court. But that means going through your grocery store’s customer service department or corporate office.
What can happen after eating expired food?
Eating food that has passed its expiration date isn’t necessarily a reason for concern. Foods that can be safely eaten after their expiration dates have been reported by the United States Department of Agriculture and Consumer Reports; these items are typically leftovers or packaged and sealed products, such as cookies or cereal.
Canned foods do have a shelf life of one to five years, but they are safe to eat long after the expiration date has gone (canned foods have been known to keep well over 10 years). There’s also conflicting information about whether frozen items should be consumed after their expiration date.
When properly stored in freezers set at 0 degrees Fahrenheit or below, frozen fruits, vegetables, meat, and poultry can last indefinitely. Experts advise that you thaw frozen food before serving it, similar to how you would defrost chicken breasts before cooking them. You shouldn’t eat it once it’s been frozen for more than two days.
Conclusion
You can sue a grocery store for selling expired food. If you’re able to sue a grocery store in your state, how much you’ll be awarded (if anything) depends on what you were harmed by. If someone got food poisoning after eating expired meat, for example, he or she will likely receive enough money to cover medical expenses and lost wages from being out of work.
FAQS
- Is it possible to seek a refund for food that has expired?
Yes, but don’t eat anything that has beyond its expiration date. If you bought the food after it had expired, you should be able to get a refund or an exchange from the store.
- Are out-of-date labels illegal?
It’s against federal law to sell food that’s expired or mislabeled, but some exceptions allow grocers to label food as best by, use by, or sell-by. These dates help stores track inventory and know when food should be taken off their shelves. If you purchase an item with a bad label from a store and get sick from it, you may have grounds to sue.
- How long can you store canned foods after they’ve passed their expiration date?
The bulk of shelf-stable foods can be stored indefinitely. In actuality, canned goods will last for years if the can is in good shape (no rust, dents, or swelling). Packaged foods (cereal, pasta, and cookies) are safe to eat after the “best by” date has gone, but they may get stale or have an unusual flavour.
