Stockholm ICA store accused of relabeling expired meat
An ICA store in Stockholm's Östermalm district has been exposed for systematically relabeling expired meat with new dates to sell it. The revelation comes from Aftonbladet's "200 sekunder" program and has sparked strong reactions among customers. The store's owner has initiated an internal investigation and apologizes for the routine failures.
Aftonbladet's "200 sekunder" has documented how Ica Nära Banér, located near the upscale Strandvägen in Stockholm's Östermalm district, routinely changes dates on expired meat. Journalists discreetly labeled and photographed packages on two occasions – in March and August 2025 – observing best-before and packaging dates advanced by up to five days. Examples include beef tenderloin and veal entrecôte.
When questioned by Aftonbladet, the store's responsible manager denied knowledge of the fraud: "I don't understand how this could happen." An insider, however, stated it occurred routinely and that the store manager was aware.
Customers on the street outside the store reacted with shock and anger. A woman in her 20s, who shops there daily, said: "Oh my God. Totally disgusting and worrying. [...] I think I'll buy meat somewhere else." Ninni Banck, 77, questioned the low prices and feared for trust: "That one loses trust." Bertil Simonsson emphasized the importance of trusting labels, especially for pork. A loyal regular refused to believe the allegations after 30 years of shopping there.
Store owner Leif Jönsson initially said he did not recognize the claims, but in an email a week later apologized: "I want to start by apologizing for the shortcomings in our routines, which we take very seriously." He announced an internal investigation, routine review with ICA's quality department, a new action plan, and staff training.
At ICA Sweden, quality manager Niklas Warén called the incident unacceptable: "It should be honest products you buy in an ICA store. And this may not be health-hazardous, but it's not honest and it's not fair." He noted similar cases have occurred before due to poor routines or training.