A Canadian shopper shared a worrying photo showing expired and mouldy No Name-brand cheese allegedly being sold at a Superstore in Manitoba.
A post by Reddit user eisigpolarlicht on the Loblaws Is Out of Control community subreddit shows several blocks of No Name that expired in February this year.
“At this rate, there’ll be an up-charge for vintage,” said u/eisigpolarlicht. “Reminder to check the expiration dates and quality of food if you must buy from Loblaw.”
They said the image was taken on Sunday, June 2. A tag suggests it was snapped in rural Manitoba. Though the poster did not specify the exact store location, they said it was a Superstore in a follow-up comment.
“I worked at this same Superstore back in high school (15-16 years ago) and remember it being a requirement to remove items past their best-before date from the shelf while rotating stock,” they said. “It’s kind of shocking to see how low their standards have fallen.”
Posted by u/eisigpolarlicht on r/loblawsisoutofcontrol (Reddit)
“Now it’s ‘aged cheddar,’ and they can up the price!” Reddit user velocivictor commented.
Others shared how they were grossed out by the mould covering the cheese at one end of the package, as seen at the bottom-right of the picture.
“I could actually smell it through the packaging. Putrid,” eisigpolarlicht said, responding to one of the comments.
After receiving several comments asking the original poster to report the cheese, they said they had already reported the situation to the CFIA before posting the picture.
One person shared some insight about mouldy cheese.
“That kind of mould can happen to cheese if the wrapper is compromised, and long before the date, too. The date is nearly irrelevant in this instance. Actually, the best-before date for fermented dairy is less important than whether or not the food was kept at the right temperature and the seal is still good,” said VincaYL.
To that, eisigpolarlicht responded by saying they were also wondering if No Name’s cheese packaging is the issue.
“Either way, the amount of mould present in my and the other user’s picture is concerning and should have been caught by someone as the stock was being assumedly rotated. Corners are being cut in store and possibly in production,” they stated.
The Reddit user also posted an image to support the fact that the photo was taken on June 2.
When asked why they were at a Superstore during a Loblaw boycott, the community member said they hadn’t been to the store since April but were desperate to find gluten-free bread, which is hard to find in their area.
eisigpolarlicht/Reddit
Is it illegal to sell expired food in Canada?
According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), it’s not illegal to sell food past its “best-before” date, even though it may change texture and lose some of its freshness, flavour, and nutritional value.
However, “it is illegal for food manufacturers, producers or retailers to change the best before date if it results in false or misleading information on the label or food that is unsafe,” guidance from the agency reads.
If you suspect a food product’s label contains false or misleading information, report your concern to the CFIA.
Recent issues at Loblaws, Superstore, and No Frills
In late May, a sign at another Superstore location riled up some shoppers who felt the Loblaw-owned grocery chain was asking customers to voluntarily do a job that should be the company’s responsibility.
The bright yellow sign appeared to be posted outside a parking lot. It read, “If you see it, pick it up. If you pass it, tell someone. Cleanliness is everyone’s responsibility. Please help us keep our store a pleasant place to shop.”
A dramatic increase in Superstore’s chicken prices also left some people fuming in March. A month later, a Loblaws location in Toronto was called out and accused of gouging lamb prices.
Just a couple of weeks ago, Vancouver resident David Albano told Daily Hive have bought some No Name Onion Powder on May 17 and found live bugs inside the packaging.
The product was bought from Joti’s No Frills in Vancouver (310 W Broadway). The store chain is also owned by Loblaw.
After chatting with No Frills’ customer service, Albano was given 10,000 PC points for his trouble.
“I feel like them offering me $10 is a bit of a slap in the face,” he told Daily Hive.
At least thrice in May alone, Loblaw admitted to making a “mistake” after being called out by customers for three other incidents.
Daily Hive has contacted Loblaw, the CFIA, and Reddit user eisigpolarlicht for further comments and will update this story when they respond.
Found suspiciously labelled, overpriced, rotting, or otherwise gross/suspicious items at your grocery store? Send us a tip at [email protected] to investigate it for a future news story.