If the product has a shelf life of less than 90 days, it must have either a best before or packed on date with specific rules about how it’s formatted. If it has a shelf life greater than 90 days, the best before date is optional. Also a best before date has no guarantee that the product isn’t spoiled, but also may be perfectly safe to consume well beyond the best before date.
To further muddy the waters, there are actual expiration dates which must be included on very specific products. Mostly medical diets, meal replacements, and infant formula. This means that best before dates are not expiration dates, although most people use the term interchangeably. Indeed, even this article does because alcohol would have a best before date and the article is quoted as saying it’s expiring.
Anyway, apart from actual “expiration dates” which are serious business, best before dates do seem to be largely based on vibes and woo-woo
Edit: And you know what else, this all Canadian regulations. I have no idea how that impacts an imported product. I’m assuming an import has to follow our regulations in order to be sold, but hey, anything goes in business
The best buy date isn’t standardized. It’s mostly legal protection bullshit.
Well, it is and it isn’t
Understanding the date labels on your food
If the product has a shelf life of less than 90 days, it must have either a best before or packed on date with specific rules about how it’s formatted. If it has a shelf life greater than 90 days, the best before date is optional. Also a best before date has no guarantee that the product isn’t spoiled, but also may be perfectly safe to consume well beyond the best before date.
To further muddy the waters, there are actual expiration dates which must be included on very specific products. Mostly medical diets, meal replacements, and infant formula. This means that best before dates are not expiration dates, although most people use the term interchangeably. Indeed, even this article does because alcohol would have a best before date and the article is quoted as saying it’s expiring.
Anyway, apart from actual “expiration dates” which are serious business, best before dates do seem to be largely based on vibes and woo-woo
Edit: And you know what else, this all Canadian regulations. I have no idea how that impacts an imported product. I’m assuming an import has to follow our regulations in order to be sold, but hey, anything goes in business