Expiry date
Most food, cosmetics and medicines carry a date that marks the end of their shelf life. On food it comes in two kinds: 'best before' says when quality starts to fall, 'use by' says when the product stops being safe. That date is called the expiry date.
The difference matters in the warehouse. Food past its best-before date can often still be sold at a discount or given away; food past its use-by date must not be sold. Record which kind each product has, not only the date.
Many retailers and marketplaces refuse goods with less than a set share of their shelf life left. Ask your buyers what they need before you promise a delivery, and use the expiry date, not the delivery date, to decide what ships first (see FEFO).
In practice
A small deli sells hummus marked 'use by 12 May' and crackers marked 'best before 12 May'. On 12 May the hummus comes off the shelf for good. The crackers can still be sold, at a discount, while they are in good condition.
Further reading
Related terms
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