The OCU reveals the supermarkets with the most discounts on products that are going to expire

For years it has been common to see refrigerators or shelves in supermarkets where soon-to-be-expired products are sold at discounted prices.

Thomas Osborne
Thomas Osborne
10 October 2022 Monday 22:47
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The OCU reveals the supermarkets with the most discounts on products that are going to expire

For years it has been common to see refrigerators or shelves in supermarkets where soon-to-be-expired products are sold at discounted prices. From meat trays to salads with a few days left, at which centers do you get the best discount? A question with answers that can help save in the midst of rising food prices.

After analyzing 3,168 products from 1,000 supermarkets in 35 provinces, the OCU has detected the places where it pays off the most, with discounts of up to 50%. If there are doubts, "these are perfectly safe products, with a microbiological load similar to those with a longer consumption date, so they can be consumed without risk", it is pointed out based on the analysis of 50 foods of this type chosen random.

Finding these products - salads, meats, prepared dishes and dairy desserts have been analyzed - is not always easy. In chains such as Bonpreu or Caprabo, 100% of the stores have offers for imminent expiration, while in others such as Covirán, El Corte Inglés or BM they barely exist.

According to the OCU, they can have a specific space (occurs in 16% of houses) or be mixed on the shelves, although they are usually distinguished by the colored stickers that indicate the discount.

Meat, dairy products, pizzas, creams or dough... One problem that has been detected is that the expiration date is not always highlighted. And in 1% of cases there are expired products: "supermarkets should be more attentive to this circumstance." Thus, the consumer can run a risk if he does not pay attention to the labeling, it is warned. "Some salad showed a slight rot, but it can be seen with the naked eye through its transparent packaging, so that it can be easily avoided buying," he adds.

In general, meats and salads have a shorter life, expiring the next day in 40% of cases, while in prepared dishes and dairy desserts (such as yoghurts) the margin is 2-3 days.

"OCU encourages people to put prejudices aside and take advantage of discounts of between 20% and 50% on nearby consumer products, even more so now with inflation skyrocketing," it concludes. These are the supermarkets that apply the most discounts: