to think supermarket shelf stackers shouldn't get annoyed because I want to get items that have a later best before date?

[supersup]

When I am food shopping, I always choose the items at the back with the later best before dates. The items at the front are sometimes out of date in the next day or two. When I am planning ahead, I want to get food with a later date as possible.

I know the dates don't have to be strictly followed but I prefer the later dates.

Shelf stackers are getting increasingly annoyed when I pull out items from the back and I was told I should just get one from the front. I put everything back properly so it is not as if I am messing up the shelf.

AIBU?

I do the same!

exactly the same here too , shop for a week to 10 days so go to the back for the best dates , no one has objected yet but I’d still do it as it’s best way to shop for us

Depends. Are you capable of doing it without leaving the shelf looking like a bomb hit it, or are you one of those people who absolutely demolishes everything on the shelf in search of that one thing that's got an extra day on it?

Tell them to get annoyed with the buyers, not you!

If they bought the right quantities at the right time everyone would have lengthy dates, lol

It is in my OP.

Then you're fine.

The reason why it is annoying is that it is their responsibility to ensure out of date foods aren't left on the shelf.

When people are continually taking from the back, it means the front ones don't get consumed at the expected rate and so there's more out of date products/complaints/pressure from management

They should really only put out products that have the same use by date and then replenish with the next batch, but management like shelves to look full.

(ex shelf stacker who didn't get annoyed but can see why some do)

I do this with some items because it’s just DD and me at home, so the food might go off before we finish it.

However, if everyone did that, a massive amount of food would get wasted. So I tend not to do it with food we’ll be eating that day.

If they are literally in the middle of filling the shelf then if you are shoving them out the way to rummage at the back - then it is a bit annoying.
If you ask "Can you hand me one of the ones with the longer date please" they will likely say "Of course....here you are".
Sales assistants actually don't care that much about the mundane things that customers do.

Ex shelf stacker here - nope, it's really not that deep (or hard to re-stack stuff)
If management complain it's a them problem, you aren't going to lose your job over it and you have no control over it so... who cares? Is my view anyway. But I have met the odd stacker who took themselves incredibly seriously and would get wound up about this.

Lately in my local M&S I have lifted items dated that day. These usually have a yellow sticker. Noticed this well into the day. Not going to buy something dated today unless definitely going to use it that day unless price has been reduced.
Dates are not great atm in Marks was especially bad at Christmas. Everything practically dated 25th Dec. They close 26th and who wants to be food shopping on the 27th 28th

Meh. I do it too. I’ve yet to come across a disgruntled shelf-stacker.

This, how many shelf stackers have said something to you. I always look at the date on items and not one shop worker has ever said anything.

It's fine. If they want people to buy the stuff with the shortest dates then they need to make the shorter-dated items cheaper. Why would anyone deliberately choose a less fresh item? (Unless it's something like a Stilton and you want it really "ripe" of course.)

Shelf stackers shouldn't get annoyed at customers for doing this. If they want people to buy from the front, put the best stock at the front. Or don't put the newer stock out until the older things are sold (a technique common in my local Asda). If you stop and think about it, the idea that staff get annoyed at people wanting to buy stuff they've got on sale is ridiculous.

Yes but if I'm doing a weekly shop and buy all the front stuff I would have to eat it all within the next 2 days.

I think they should reduce the stuff that's going off in the next 48 hours to clear it that way. It's only really certain fresh meat that it applies to (chicken and fish being the main ones) - most dairy and other foods have plenty long enough dates

YANBU. If the supermarkets are serious about not wasting the food, they will discount the short dated products sooner.

If you want the freshest food, don’t buy it from a supermarket!

I get why the shops want us to buy their nearer-dated food first; and how the shelf-stackers would get annoyed at those people who leave it a right old mess in pursuit of the best date.

However, equally, why would any customers choose something with short date when they know there will be ones that will last until they have chance to use it all, for the same price?

Part of the issue is when the dates are very short - as they frequently are. If a loaf has 5 or 6 days on it, I'm not going to bother looking at the back for a longer date, as that's plenty. 2 days, and I will.

Maybe shops should bring in some kind of automatic dynamic pricing, so that the shorter dates are a few pence cheaper?! That way, people who don't mind and/or will use it up quickly anyway would likely take the shorter dated stuff off their hands in preference to the longer ones!

Same - unless it’s the same one with a bee in their bonnet. I do this and never ever had someone mention it.

Agree with all of this. Of course, you're not unreasonable, OP.

Don’t worry. My husband always manages to choose the thing with the shortest date on it, so that when I go to open it a few days later it’s already past the use by date.

Last week it was ham and it had gone a bit grey. I wouldn’t eat it, he did, but his dicky tummy the next morning was absolutely nothing to do with it, apparently.

I think it entirely depends on the culture of the supermarket. I’m like you OP, I shop from the back too. Never had a problem with this until I moved areas and thus supermarkets and the shelf stackers in the new Sainsburys displayed their irritation whenever I carefully took something from the back or rooted around for a better date.

Buffalo mozzarella for some reason has varying dates, some only last a day or two but some packets have 2 weeks life on them. I guess it is the way it is bought by the supermarket from the supplier. I prefer the fresher mozzarella and will carefully rummage around to find packs with a longer life.

Move supermarket is my advice. You’re probably spending a small fortune on your food bill and deserve better customer service.

Many years ago I had an Xmas job at M&S in their foodhall. It has possibly altered now, but the local store had no control over what food they were sent. the amount of sliced bread stuck in the stockroom for several days was an eye-opener.

Shelf life is one of the reasons I buy a lot of food from Ocado; at least they state minimum shelf life on their website.

Me too!

I'm always amazed when I see someone taking something like meat/deli stuff/dairy off the shelf and just putting it in their trolley without even looking at the date! Do they just put stuff in their fridge and not bother about dates?

I do this all the time! Waitrose dates have gone awful so I go right to the back for the freshest stuff. I also ensure everything is put back properly.