Lidl fruit & veg - why so many with no sell-by/use-by date?

NIMAN

In every other supermarket I use, every single item of fruit & veg has a sell-by date on the packaging.

Yet I notice in Lidl a lot of their F&V have none.

Anyone know why this is?

In the likes of Tesco, at least you can sift through the shelves and get the fresher ones. In Lidl no such chance.

Dozen Wicked Words

NIMAN wrote: »

In every other supermarket I use, every single item of fruit & veg has a sell-by date on the packaging.

Yet I notice in Lidl a lot of their F&V have none.

Anyone know why this is?

In the likes of Tesco, at least you can sift through the shelves and get the fresher ones. In Lidl no such chance.

Possibly the answer to your question:
http://www.cheapeats.ie/2012/10/09/lidl-and-aldis-mysterious-best-before-dates-on-fruit-and-veg/

corsav6

Dozen Wicked Words wrote: »

Possibly the answer to your question:
http://www.cheapeats.ie/2012/10/09/lidl-and-aldis-mysterious-best-before-dates-on-fruit-and-veg/

Thanks for that, it will save me lifting loads of boxes just to get to the bottom box now.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I have never seen use by dates on loose apples, oranges, carrots, cabbage etc in a greengrocers or supermarket. Why anybody expects it on packaged fruit and veg alludes me.

NIMAN

Thanks for that, everyday is a school day, eh?

I will look out for it in future.

NIMAN

Cruz Wonderful Harbor wrote: »

I have never seen use by dates on loose apples, oranges, carrots, cabbage etc in a greengrocers or supermarket. Why anybody expects it on packaged fruit and veg alludes me.

But its on packaged fruit in most places.

With loose fruit, at least you can lift it and feel it. Different if you are buying blueberries for example, and you can't tell how firm or mushy they are in the packet. Many times I have bought them to find them all soft when I get them home.

Dozen Wicked Words

corsav6 wrote: »

Thanks for that, it will save me lifting loads of boxes just to get to the bottom box now.

That's part of the fun though!

delahuntv

surely your eyes and nose will tell you. Mostly I reckon its a con by suppliers so that the uninitiated will throw out perfectl;y good fruit and veg becasue a date that is on it has passed.

Also, the freshest is not always the best - Tomatoes, avocado, pineapples, melons etc etc are far better bought for the suitablilty of when they are to be used.

noodler

Cruz Wonderful Harbor wrote: »

I have never seen use by dates on loose apples, oranges, carrots, cabbage etc in a greengrocers or supermarket. Why anybody expects it on packaged fruit and veg alludes me.

You buy one or two lose then its fine as you could use that day or day after.

You buy a pack of 6 you risk 4/5 of them being useless by Day 3.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

noodler wrote: »

You buy one or two lose then its fine as you could use that day or day after.

You buy a pack of 6 you risk 4/5 of them being useless by Day 3.

Ever hear of buying 5 loose? 10 loose apples or oranges is not unusual and they keep all week.
OP needed to be more specific as to what fruit or veg requires dates.

Padraig Mor

They're not necessary is why. I read some time back that Tesco et al found a good way to increase profits was to put arbitrary 'use by' dates on fruit and veg - because people then chucked plenty of perfectly good food into the bin and bought more!

NIMAN

Cruz Wonderful Harbor wrote: »

Ever hear of buying 5 loose? 10 loose apples or oranges is not unusual and they keep all week.
OP needed to be more specific as to what fruit or veg requires dates.

Anything boxed or pre-bagged.

noodler

Cruz Wonderful Harbor wrote: »

Ever hear of buying 5 loose? 10 loose apples or oranges is not unusual and they keep all week.
OP needed to be more specific as to what fruit or veg requires dates.

I have heard of the phenomenon yes.

I can't get Tomatoes on the vine loose though - sometimes alot of the loose stuff looks like it will only be good for a dy or so anyway.

Bar onions as they last forever.

P. Breathnach

It has never crossed my mind to look for sell-by or use-by dates on fresh fruit or vegetables, prepacked or not. I have eyes, nose, and hands, and can make a reasonable inspection. There is rarely a need for me to dig down into the box below the open one.

[The same applies to cheese: I do very well on the 30% off short-dated stuff.]

NIMAN

P. Breathnach wrote: »

It has never crossed my mind to look for sell-by or use-by dates on fresh fruit or vegetables, prepacked or not. I have eyes, nose, and hands, and can make a reasonable inspection. There is rarely a need for me to dig down into the box below the open one.

[The same applies to cheese: I do very well on the 30% off short-dated stuff.]

How can you tell is strawberries/blueberries and the like are ok or soft when they are in a box?

I'd love to know.

ABajaninCork

NIMAN wrote: »

How can you tell is strawberries/blueberries and the like are ok or soft when they are in a box?

I'd love to know.

Open the box and see! That's what I do...

P. Breathnach

ABajaninCork wrote: »

Open the box and see! That's what I do...

That's one of the reasons why I mentioned hands as an aid to inspection.

I also use my hands to close the box again. It's unfair to mess up a display of produce. If I judge that something is in condition where it is unsaleable, I bring it to the attention of staff.

my3cents

Cruz Wonderful Harbor wrote: »

I have never seen use by dates on loose apples, oranges, carrots, cabbage etc in a greengrocers or supermarket. Why anybody expects it on packaged fruit and veg alludes me.

Then take a look at the box they are displayed in. In Aldi and Lidl they display the fruit and veg in the boxes they are delivered in and those boxes have to have certain information on them including Country of Origin and BBD.

OK I know that sometimes that the last few items from one box can be tipped into the one below it but thats not a huge problem as often the hole batch of veg has the same BBD.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

my3cents wrote: »

Then take a look at the box they are displayed in. In Aldi and Lidl they display the fruit and veg in the boxes they are delivered in and those boxes have to have certain information on them including Country of Origin and BBD.

OK I know that sometimes that the last few items from one box can be tipped into the one below it but thats not a huge problem as often the hole batch of veg has the same BBD.

Point Missed! I don't need to see dates. I can look at, smell and feel fruit and veg and tell if it will last the time I need it to. Maybe buying cheap fruit and veg is different but I have no need for dates on fruit or veg.

L1011

noodler wrote: »

I can't get Tomatoes on the vine loose though - sometimes alot of the loose stuff looks like it will only be good for a dy or so anyway.

In my local greengrocer from about March to September every year. None on-vine rest of the year though.

JohnC.

Cruz Wonderful Harbor wrote: »

I have never seen use by dates on loose apples, oranges, carrots, cabbage etc in a greengrocers or supermarket. Why anybody expects it on packaged fruit and veg alludes me.

It's legally required. And with loose stock, it will usually be on the crate/box it comes in, which are usually used to display them in too, though not mandatory on loose stuff. They also can't be sold after the use by date. It's not a Tesco conspiracy as one poster seems to think.

my3cents

Kahless wrote: »

It's legally required. And with loose stock, it will be on the crate/box it comes in, which are usually used to display them in too. They also can't be sold after the use by date. It's not a Tesco conspiracy as one poster seems to think.

Its good to see I'm not the only one who missed the point

pucky8967

Returned Plums to Lidl, Kilcock store on Monday 6th July - purchased 24 hours earlier!
Not the first time I got 'caught out'.
I do my best to purchase fruit and veg in SuperValue, Dunne's and Tesco because nearly all the fruit and veg they sell has a Best Before date on the packaged items.
The law allows Lidl and Aldi not display a BB date.

See this site -
fsai.ie/faq/shelf_life/best_before_and_use_by.html

Do all foods require a shelf-life declaration?
No, a shelf-life declaration i.e. a ‘best before’ or ‘use by’ date, is not required for the following foods:

Fresh fruit and vegetables, including potatoes, which have not been peeled, cut or similarly treated. However, this does not apply to sprouting seeds and similar products such as legume sprouts which do require a date of minimum durability