Discounted honey cakes at S$1 from usual S$6.20 at Fairprice removed after complaint on 'best buy' date

Honey cakes, which had passed their "best before" date by 11 days were reportedly found on sale at an NTUC FairPrice supermarket in Singapore.

The affected products have since been removed from the shelves.

On promotion

According to Shin Min Daily News, on Apr. 11, a customer and his wife were shopping at the FairPrice outlet at Old Airport Road when they spotted honey cakes, also known as kuih bahulu, being sold at a promotional price.

It was priced at only S$1, down from the usual S$6.20.

It was only at the checkout that the wife realised that the "best before" date on the packaging was stated as Mar. 30, which was more than a week and a half prior.

According to the photo provided by the customer, the promotion was slated to run until Apr. 30, a month after the "best before" date.

The customer immediately alerted the staff at the outlet, who apologised and immediately removed the batch from sale.

He later emailed FairPrice and was told by the supermarket that routine product checks were carried out daily.

Concerned that other customers may have already purchased and consumed the items without noticing the expiry date, the man reported the incident to citizen journalism platform Stomp.

In response to Mothership's queries, a FairPrice Group spokesperson said the affected products had been taken off the shelves, and investigations into the incident were ongoing.

Customers who purchased the honey cakes may return them to the store of purchase with their receipt for a full refund, the spokesperson said.

"Use by" vs "Best before"

According to the Singapore Food Agency's website, most pre-packed foods carry either a "best before" or "use by" date.

The latter applies to highly perishable items, and food past its "use by" date may be unsafe to consume.

"Use by" dates are for highly perishable food. Food that has passed its "use by" dates may be unsafe to eat.

On the other hand, "best before" dates indicate the period during which a product is expected to be at its best quality, and are typically used for foods with a longer shelf life.

SFA advised the public not to consume any food product if they have doubts about its safety, regardless of whether it is within the indicated date.

Top photo from Shin Min Daily News