Investigation finds CK Foodstores sold meat past use-by date

CK Foodstores has more than 30 stores across the region, including in Narberth, St Davids, St Clears and Llandysul.

An Y Byd Ar Bedwar investigation saw 24 stores visited on three different occasions across a year.

Of these, they found that almost half the shops sold or displayed produce past its use-by date, with a total of almost 50 items found.

Among the items was a gammon joint with a use-by date of June 13 bought from the store in Penclawdd, near Swansea, which was bought on June 20, and a pack of gammon misshapes in the Narberth store that was ten days past its use-by date.

Packs of chicken drumsticks were sold from the St Clears store while two days out of date, and joints of lamb and a pack of bacon were being sold in the Llandysul store while three and one day past the use-by dates too, the investigation found.

The company has a partnership with the brand Nisa Local, which is why stores sometimes have the Nisa logo displayed, but CK Foodstores owns and operates the stores independently.

The investigation focused solely on CK Foodstores and there is no suggestion that Nisa Local has been selling out-of-date food.

It is an offence to sell something past its use-by date, and any company breaking these rules could be heavily fined or face up to two years in prison.

Chicken drumsticks being sold at at CK Foodstores in St Clears two day past their use-by date. (Image: Y Byd ar Bedwar)

Nathan Barnhouse, director of the Food Standards Agency, told Y Byd Ar Bedwar: “A use-by date is about safety.

“It may smell and look okay, but you won’t be able to see the bacteria that can make you very ill.

“That can lead to hospitalisation if you’re elderly, young, or have an underlying health condition. Just because you may have eaten food past its use-by date in the past and have been okay, you may not be so lucky in the future.

“The food hygiene rating scheme was introduced in Wales to give consumers a way of comparing businesses and making decisions about where they want to buy their food or eat.

“The number you see on a food business gives the consumer that information as to how sure they can be that food business is complying with the law.

“It is a requirement that businesses display their food hygiene rating. It is local authorities through inspections that decide what that rating should be.

“It’s really important if you find food that’s being sold past its use-by date to report it back to the local authority so they can take follow-up action with that food business.”

And Meirion Roberts, an expert in food science at Aberystwyth University and former butcher, told the programme: “Meat is in a high-risk food category. The use-by dates are there to stop the dangerous bacteria that survives the cooking process from still being there.

“If someone who is immunocompromised would end up eating it, it has the potential to cause them a lot of harm and even to kill.

“This is a shocking case. There is a risk to public health.

“It makes me lose confidence in the industry.”

In a statement to S4C, a spokesperson for CK’s Foodstores said: “CK’s values all of its customers and the communities in which it operates.

“In recognition of its commitment to its customers, CK’s will continue to monitor and improve on its policies and procedures to ensure that its customers continue to receive quality items at reasonable prices.”

It did not respond to the allegations put forward by the Y Byd Ar Bedwar team that they were selling produce beyond its use-by date.

ITV Wales and Y Byd ar Bedwar contacted all of the local authorities within which CK Foodstores have supermarkets.

Each of the councils said they would assess the evidence before investigating further, apart from Ceredigion council which said it does not comment on individual cases.

You can watch the Y Byd ar Bedwar investigation on S4C, S4C Clic, or iPlayer.