Freezer temperatures

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Devil
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Freezer temperatures

Post by Devil »

I am not sure of the actual legislation but I believe that freezers in shops should normally have a temperature of -18° C or lower, with occasional excursions as high as -15° C.

I have carefully noted that the Lidl that I frequent have all the freezers well below the limit, usually -21° C or thereabouts, which is excellent.

I was in a different shop yesterday and noticed that all their freezers had temperatures higher than -16° C, two of them at -12° C, which I am reasonably sure does not conform to the regulations. I informed the lady managing it and, guess what?, I got the shoulder shrug. The particular shop, which I am not naming, has frozen products of UK origin, including fish products which may be more dangerous than some made up dishes. I went into the shop expressly to get something easy for supper but I came out empty-handed.

May I suggest that you check the temperature of freezers before buying any products out of them? If they are not consistently at -18° C or lower (bigger figure, such as, -20° C), I recommend that you do not buy, especially as the hot season is approaching. If one freezer is at between -15° C and -18° C, this is acceptable, particularly if other customers have been rummaging in it.

Caveat emptor!
jeba
Posts: 1563
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2017 8:38 pm

Re: Freezer temperatures

Post by jeba »

A common problem with supermarket freezers is that goods must be stored below the red storage line. Often that's not the case.
glang3000
Posts: 223
Joined: Mon Jan 15, 2018 11:27 pm

Re: Freezer temperatures

Post by glang3000 »

Just to note, if you have a fridge that is 16 years old, it probably costs more to run per year than the cost of a new one, new ones will be A+ rated a 16 year old one will most likely be un-rated.

Gary
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