Furious Christmas shoppers have accused Britain’s largest supermarkets of ruining Christmas after their turkeys were found to be smelly and discoloured upon delivery.
The shoppers posted pictures of yellowed turkeys, complaining about the smell as they criticised the supermarket giants for failing to supply healthy meat.
“Just opened the turkey I ordered & it has MOULD on it & the smell is awful, it's rotten,” said a Tesco shopper, alongside a picture of a rancid-looking yellow turkey.
@Tesco Just opened the turkey I ordered & it has MOULD on it & the smell is awful, it's rotten. Thank you for ruining Xmas, I don't have a back up, so it's just stuffing & pigs in blankets for us, if they aren't off too. Never again. Omg the smell is everywhere, need candles ASAP
— Dr Sarah L (@SazOnWheels) December 25, 2025
— Dr Sarah L (@SazOnWheels) December 25, 2025
“Thank you for ruining Xmas, I don't have a back up, so it's just stuffing & pigs in blankets for us, if they aren't off too. Never again. Omg the smell is everywhere, need candles ASAP,” she added.
Another shopper, who paid Sainsbury’s nearly £32 for a 1.8kg turkey, said: “Rancid taste the difference turkey opened Christmas morning!
“In date till 26/12, the smell was so bad!! £31 and had to go in the bin!”
@sainsburys rancid taste the difference turkey opened Christmas morning! In date till 26/12, the smell was so bad!! £31 and had to go in the bin! pic.twitter.com/ilvr41Q5rF
— Victoria Thompson (@Vikkithompson14) December 25, 2025
Another Sainsbury’s shopper said turkey had to be dropped from the Christmas menu on Thursday.
“No turkey for us today!” he posted on X.
“Bought on Saturday, been in the fridge ever since. The pictures really don't portray how bad it smelt once we cut the packaging open. Very disappointed Sainsbury's.”
No turkey for us today! Bought on Saturday, been in the fridge ever since. The pictures really don't portray how bad it smelt once we cut the packaging open. Very disappointed Sainsbury's. pic.twitter.com/kDtGeHJUPA
— Paul Warren (@Pilgrim2925) December 25, 2025
One shopper accused Sainsbury’s Longwater Superstore in Norwich of selling him a “rotten turkey” which he “opened up to a Christmas morning stench”.
He added: “I’m certainly gonna “taste the difference” with this!!!!!”
Another shopper, who opted for beef, said: “Thanks @LidlGB our beef is rotten for Xmas day. Not good.”
Thanks @LidlGB our beef is rotten for Xmas day . Not good . pic.twitter.com/Ujsf3MLKiU
— FlyingBear (@BigPawsRule) December 25, 2025
Other shoppers complained that their meat went out of date before Christmas Day arrived - or even long before they had been bought.
“I bought these turkey 10/12. They are massively past their sell by,” said one Tesco shopper, alongside pictures of turkeys which went out of date in May and June 2025. “Ealing Broadway store should be fined for food hygiene failures . I didn’t notice . Not expecting turkeys on sale in December to be past their date.”
Another Tesco shopper who collected an order on 23 December soon found out that the use by date on her unsmoked bone-in gammon joint was 24 December.
@Tesco I bought these turkey 10/12. They are massively past their sell by. Ealing Broadway store should be fined for food hygiene failures . I didn’t notice . Not expecting turkeys on sale in December to be past their date pic.twitter.com/1eJ9bwUMQI
— amanda (@LadyGuru) December 21, 2025
“@Tesco Collected order 23 December. Just noticed date is 24 December and it smells! Cooking this for xmas dinner!! Disgusted,” the shopper wrote. Tesco asked her to direct message further details about the incident.
A spokesperson for Sainsbury’s said: "We will be contacting these customers who received a turkey that does not meet our usual high standards to say how sorry we are for this experience and reassure them that we're looking into how this may have happened."
The Independent has contacted Tesco and Lidl for comment.
