WHAT THOSE LABELS MEAN AND WHY WE HAVE THEM…

ACCORDING to the 1996 EU Food Labelling Directive, perishable foods such as dairy products, fish and meat have to be given use-by dates, giving a strict cut-off point when food can be eaten. It is illegal to sell food past this date in the UK. The date is based on thresholds set by the European Food Safety Agency for bacteria before they reach levels that cause food poisoning.

Best-before dates must be given for non-perishable foods such as dried and tinned food but it’s not illegal to sell these foods past this date, except for eggs.

Best-before dates can be pretty vague too – a date can be given as a day, a month and a year; a month and a year; or even just a year.

The length of time a best-before date gives is also not set by law, and is left up to manufacturers to decide.

Trading Standards officers do carry out spot checks to ensure that manufacturers and producers are following guidelines, and firms can be fined for ‘food labelling’ offences.