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2 Lawson franchise stores found to have falsified food expiration times

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Not surprising really, as the food gets tossed after the "expiration time" and the loss is eaten by the franchise. I have a friend who is the manager of a convenience store here and I have seen the amount of food that gets tossed out on a daily basis.

10 ( +13 / -3 )

The real tragedy here is that people are starving all over the world and pefectly good food is being trashed. 

S

8 ( +13 / -5 )

While selling "dangerous" food is unacceptable, extending the shelf life by a few hours is hardly dangerous.

Especially considering the use by time is often way too short. This of course as others mentioned results in a disgusting waste of food amounting to millions of tons over the whole industry.

The re-labelling is to be deplored, but a more realistic use-by time/date system needs to be implemented and the buying public need to be educated about the whole food chain process in more detail.

And if you want to see re-labelling practices, do a careful observation over a few days in your local supermarket. Not suggesting it's rife, but it exists.

And if high end restaurants in Tokyo can trick customers with falsely claimed superior products at exorbitant prices (big news in 2017), what do you think happens at the low end?

4 ( +7 / -3 )

This is nothing unusual. I knew a woman who worked in the seafood section at Mitsukoshi department store in Shinjuku. She was ordered to get the octopus off the shelf, wash it and reliable it. She was told to do this regularly and is quite a common orevtice with many seafoods.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Mislabeling food products? Lying to the public? The people under fire here are probably wondering what is wrong with that. Everyone does it here to the point that it's considered 'normal'. TIJ.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

This isn't really "news" though, seeing as how data falsification is an everyday occurrence in Japan.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Don't know about the bentos but those breads like Yamazaki bread have so many preservatives and chemicals in them, its no surprise they last long. But most of the toast sold in Japan gets mold on it after a few days, unlike those big packs of sandwich/toast bread in the states that last for weeks...

I'm thinking you've got this a bit backwards (but I could be wrong).

The reason they DON'T last so long, and get moldy quickly, is the lack of preservatives. Store bought bread in the US has chemicals added that are specifically intended to extend the shelf-life.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Ehh. Expiration dates in Japan are so very liberals, or is it strict? What I mean is that they may label something that expires in 3 days but is good for more like 7. In the USA most things that expire in 3 days will pretty much be disgusting on day 4.

Of course I don't mean stuff like Onigiri, those get hard rice after about a day, but those sandwiches or bentos or bread will last well over expiration date.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

"We deeply apologize for having caused serious inconvenience to our customers," Lawson said in a statement.

A funny thing for a convenience store to say. And it's got nothing to do with convenience. More to do with greed, dishonesty and corruption. Franchising is a very convenient way to make profits while allowing a company to distance itself from direct responsibility. Are they really trying to say they didn't know? - sure they didn't.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Do branches of Lawsons have a kitchen and prepare bentos "in the store"? Near me, the bentos are just delivered by truck from the producer. For stuff that is delivered, I would have thought the typical control freakery by the chain would mean labeling at the factory and no relabeling on site. I associate "food prepared in the store" with deep fried stuff, nikuman, and oden.

Regarding bread, it will not go mouldy if it dries out first. Those experiments with non decaying McDonalds burgers do not prove anything, because if they dry out, there is no moisture for mould to live on. "Artisan" bread that dries out won't go mouldy either.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@Spidey

The real tragedy here is that people are starving all over the world and pefectly good food is being trashed.

True, but how does one get the food to them? Logistically a system would be expensive and the time needed to reach the people who need it most would put it well beyond the expiration date. I suppose one could flash freeze it and send it there, but slowly defrosted tonkatsu would be nasty without a way to heat it up, which the people who truly need it probably don't have. And where would the trash end up? Blowing across the sands of the Sahara, I suppose.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

More big business lying and cheating.

agree they could give this stuff to charities or homeless.  Lots of food places in UK and elsewhere do just that.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Well in Japan, they just have to bow their heads and say very sorry , we have no words, mosiwake gozaimasen. It is a common happening. Nothing to be surprised abt.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@Chabbawanga be sure to remove the labels most franchises want to keep such things hidden to prevent people from waiting for free expired food.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Of course I don't mean stuff like Onigiri, those get hard rice after about a day, but those sandwiches or bentos or bread will last well over expiration date.

Don't know about the bentos but those breads like Yamazaki bread have so many preservatives and chemicals in them, its no surprise they last long. But most of the toast sold in Japan gets mold on it after a few days, unlike those big packs of sandwich/toast bread in the states that last for weeks...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Franchising is a very convenient way to make profits while allowing a company to distance itself from direct responsibility.

I don't see that in this case, as they aren't trying to distance themselves, nor blame it on the franchisee:

"We deeply apologize for having caused serious inconvenience to our customers," Lawson said in a statement.

...

Are they really trying to say they didn't know? - sure they didn't.

Sounds like a conspiracy theory.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Tsk tsk.. Very naughty

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Most combini food is full of chemicals so maybe safe for a day.deep fry oil is more dangerous. A while ago I was told by a manager that the company collects out of date food and roasts it to make fillings and toppings.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It's unknown if the franchiser is the one who ordered it? I'm sure it's just a coincidence and a few rogue employees, certainly that tipster isn't one of the workers who was forced to do it and was disgusted by the practice!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@Loki520

I'm thinking you've got this a bit backwards (but I could be wrong).

The reason they DON'T last so long, and get moldy quickly, is the lack of preservatives. Store bought bread in the US has chemicals added that are specifically intended to extend the shelf-life.

What I meant to say was the sweet breads in Japan seem to have lots of preservatives in them, while the toast do not. But I could be wrong - after all the sweet breads usually get gobbled up right away! Either way I admit my comment was confusing as Yamazaki make both sweet breads and toast.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The real crime is that all convenience stores arent doing this. The amount of perfectly good food wasted at conbinis is disgusting. I went into my local conbini at around 11pm before closing (believe it or not), as they were scanning hundreds of items to throw away I asked them whether they could give me some of the food to distribute to the local homeless community, or better not why not do it themselves a a charitable act to the local community. I got a very cool reception. waste of food, waste of plastic. eurgh. Not a problem limited to Japan, but definitely a very bad example here

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

2 Lawson franchise stores found to have falsified food expiration times

Each franchise they have their own way in doing things.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

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