Clearance

Most prepacked foods must show either a use‑by date or a best before date. Use-by dates relate to the safety of food, whereas best before dates relate to quality.

Use-by dates on food labels tell you when the food is no longer safe to eat.

Best before dates Some foods reduce in quality over time but are still perfectly edible. The best before date, also sometimes shown as ‘best before end’ (BBE), tells you when the food might start to reduce in quality.