An Aldi customer will look twice at the expiration dates of beers when she goes shopping next time. In fact, it purchased a box from the Portuguese brand Sagres in the Männedorf (ZH) subsidiary. When she arrived home, she couldn’t believe her eyes: the expiry date indicated was March 2023!
“At first I thought I couldn’t see well and I put on my glasses,” she said. But there was no doubt: the beer had indeed expired for two years. “A beer a few months overdue can happen, but two years?” she asked, still incredulous. “It’s really undrinkable now.”
On the Aldi side, we highlight human error. “We would like to sincerely apologize to the customer concerned for the inconvenience caused,” replies the discounter who will obviously exchange the expired beer. According to the brand, staff regularly check the assortment displayed on the shelves and normally sort products whose expiry date is approaching. “Even though we have established strict controls and processes, unfortunately human error can never be completely excluded,” he explains.
-As for the customer, who admits that she never looks at the expiration date of beers when buying them, she swears that we will never use them again. “We all need to be more careful,” she advises.
Please note, however, that a beer does not really expire. Several of its ingredients actually limit the development of bacteria like hops. Over time, it risks losing quality. Its aromas and bitterness can indeed change, it can also oxidize. But it is entirely possible to drink it as long as the taste suits, many brewers say.
