No Bananas gave away expired strawberry jam with hidden 'best before' date
Estonian company No Bananas gifted customers strawberry jam that had passed its best-before date, with the date deliberately covered by a sticker, which food authorities say is misleading and illegal.
The company No Bananas, which operates berry stands in shopping centers, gave away strawberry jam with an expired best-before date to customers. The incident came to light when journalist Kadri Põlendik bought berries in a Tallinn mall at the end of June and received a jar of jam as a gift.
Põlendik had purchased the same jam before and knew that the lid should display the best-before date. However, the gifted jar had no visible date—the lid was entirely covered by a large sticker reading "Gift. No Bananas. No bulls**t."
After considerable effort to peel off the sticker, she found the date: January 31, 2026. The jar was given away nearly five months after that date.
The No Bananas brand is owned by Get Fresh Estonia. Owner Andero Keronen admitted last summer that the strawberry jam project had failed: 40,000 jars were produced in spring 2024, but only 200 were sold in the first two weeks. The jam is now sold at a steep discount or given away for free.
Kairi Sisaask, chief specialist of the food department at the Agriculture and Food Board (PTA), said consumers cannot be misled by hiding expiration dates, even if the product is free. "Food rescue is important, but it must be done honestly and safely. The consumer always has the right to know what they are consuming," she stated.
Sisaask distinguished between "best before" and "use by" dates. Since the jam had a "best before" label, free distribution is allowed, but the date cannot be concealed. Violations can lead to warnings, fines, or even misdemeanor proceedings if health is at risk.
No Bananas marketing manager Ekaterina Shendrik said in a written response that the company is aware of isolated cases and that the sticker was intended for promotional labeling, not to hide the date. "Unfortunately, it covered the date on some jars, but that was not our goal. We will review the labeling process to avoid such situations in the future," she said.
The company still has promotional jars with a best-before date at the end of the year and continues to give them away as gifts, after which they plan to donate them.
