Formula milk being sold discounted at B&M Inverness was nearly a year out of date leaving first-time mum ‘livid’
A first-time mum was ‘livid’ to discover that formula milk purchased at an Inverness store for her newborn daughter was nearly a year out of date.
Laura MacLennan had visited the B&M store at Inshes Retail Park on October 2 to purchase some Aptamil Formula Stage 1 for her daughter, who is five weeks old and being mixed-fed.
When she reached the till, she discovered that the product was discounted. On Monday, October 6, Laura decided to head back to B&M to find out if it was still discounted.
Although there were no advertisements, she was advised it was.
For ‘unknown reasons’, she decided to check the expiration date when she got home and discovered it had expired in November 2024.
Laura said: “I was absolutely livid. I didn’t unpack the rest of the shopping and headed straight back to B&M.
“I told them that they were selling out of date formula and they informed me it had been sent by the warehouse.
“The staff member checked the items and removed them from the shelf and gave me a refund. But there was no apology.”
After a conversation with her partner, Laura realised that other parents may have also purchased the out-of-date formula and stockpiled it.
Her own daughter had been receiving it for four days and did have an upset stomach, but Laura isn’t sure if this was caused by the expired formula.
She tried to inform others through Facebook and got in touch with B&M and Danone, the producers of Aptamil, to inform them of the issue.
Laura said: “I had a call from B&M and their response was that if I was trying to make a compensation claim then they would need further information from our GP.
“But it’s not about goodwill or gestures, it is about letting others know to check the dates on their own formula.”
Since then, five other formula milk products have also been recalled from the store and other B&M stores due to being expired.
This includes: Aptamil Follow on Milk 700g; Kendamil First Milk 250ml; Aptamil First Infant Milk Powder; Aptamil Follow on Milk 4 x 200ml; and Kendamil Infant Milk 800g.
Throughout the process, Laura also discovered that it is against UK Legislation to discount infant formula milk, so as not to discourage breastfeeding.
Laura added: “Somebody somewhere has decided to reduce it for whatever reason, either because it was out of date, or something else. Either way it is wrong.
“I’ve spoken to the health visitor and our infant feeding support worker and both have said it’s quite serious.
“The nutrients in out-of-date formula can stop working and bacteria can grow.”
A spokesperson for B&M said that the company ‘sincerely apologises for this serious error’ and it is urgently investigating how an out-of-date product reached shelves in some stores.
They said: “The impacted formula has been removed and we are actively working to communicate with all potentially affected customers and communities to ensure they are aware and check their purchases. Out of date products should be returned to stores for a full refund.
“We have alerted our primary authority and will ensure necessary procedures are followed.
“This incident falls short of the high standards we set for product safety, compliance, and operational integrity. We are committed to learning from this and taking all necessary measures to ensure it cannot happen again.”
A spokesperson for Danone UK & Ireland added: “Danone UK & Ireland was made aware that out-of-date Aptamil First Infant Milk Powders and Follow-On Milk ready-to-drink liquids were discounted by B&M.
“The quality and safety of our products is our number one priority to ensure parents can rely on them with confidence and these products should not have been sold.
“In the UK, formula milk is highly regulated and we comply with these regulations. We have a strict global policy for Baby Formula Marketing Standards, which all our employees, brands and retail customers must adhere to. This standard prohibits discounts on infant formula.
“Once made aware, we contacted B&M and the retailer removed out-of-date product and marketing materials immediately.”