Dear Sir/Madam,

I bought a ‘fresh’ trout from Sainsbury’s fish counter in Lewes Road on the Sunday 16th January. When I opened it later that day, I realised it was covered in slime and clearly, dangerously, stale. The use by date on the pack was the 17th of January.

I took it back to the shop the next day. The women at the front service area agreed it was stale and gave me a refund. I asked to see the fish counter and was shown other fish which were clearly a later batch. The manager shown me a book with some labels in it and invented a story about it being a ‘rogue’ fish and a one off. He mentioned sell by dates of 19th January. Clearly the fish he showed me were from a different batch.

I was appalled that the member of staff who served me the fish and wrapped it up did not appear to realise it was so obviously stale when he sold it to me.
Or do the staff have a policy of hoping customers will be too ill to complain?

Does Sainsbury’s feel that profit is more important than customers’ health?
Does Sainsbury’s train the staff to hide stale fish under ice and then sell it to customers, even though it is rancid?

I strongly suggest that you try inspecting the work done at the fish counter of Sainsbury’s Lewes Road and try training staff.

I await your reply.

Yours faithfully,

F. M. Swift