Asda, a leading supermarket chain in the UK, has been fined £500,000 for selling expired food items in its Barnsley store, with some items being over two weeks past their sell-by date. The infractions, discovered by an investigation from Barnsley Council Trading Standards, included various products such as tubs of hummus and frozen meals. The company pleaded guilty to five offences under the Food Safety Act, leading to a total financial penalty of £507,767, which includes costs associated with the prosecution. In response to the hefty fine, Asda has pledged to improve its food safety measures. The supermarket introduced new date-checking procedures across all its outlets to help prevent the recurrence of such offences in the future. Improvements made include retraining staff and enhancing auditing processes to ensure compliance with food safety regulations. According to a spokesperson from Barnsley Trading Standards, while there have been positive changes at Asda, the substantial fine speaks to the seriousness of the violations that occurred. This incident raises important questions about food safety practices within large retail chains. Consumers place their trust in these businesses to provide safe and fresh food options, and lapses in safety can lead to severe health risks. Asda's swift action to rectify the situation may help restore customer confidence, but it also underscores the importance of regular checks and accountability in the food supply chain to protect the public from similar issues in the future.