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Use By vs. Best Before Dates: Differences Explained

There is a critical difference between “use by” and “best before”, and it is what is happening to the food as it ages.

For “use by” items, there is potentially an increasing amount of harmful bacteria or toxins that will be detrimental to your health. If left too long, you will end up with food poisoning.

For “best before” items, the quality of the item is deteriorating. “Quality” includes taste, texture, flavor, and colour. The point is that you won’t end up sick if you eat it, but you may not enjoy the experience. “Best Before” items may still eventually perish and become hazardous, but it will take substantially longer.

Also keep in mind that these dates have strict conditions that go with them. For “use by”, there are typically limitations on the temperature and usually a requirement for being stored below 5°C. If it is kept at a higher temperature then the “use by” date is reduced. We have probably all left the milk out for the day and returned to a chunky mess.

At the same time, freezing an item will also significantly increase its life. We will all defrost meat weeks after the use-by date.

Will an item instantly perish the day after the “use by” or “best before” date?

In the case of both, these dates are based on how the manufacturer can guarantee that the item will be good on that date. For “use by” it means “you can eat it on this day and you will not get food poisoning (provided you stored it correctly)”. So chances are you can eat it the following day and it will be fine. And the next. In fact, they leave themselves a reasonable buffer, not so that you can eat it the day after, but so you can leave it out of the fridge a little bit and still be safe. But for each day after, your risk of food poisoning is increasing.

If, however, it’s your packet of chocolate coated biscuits, each day after the “best before” means the quality drops just a bit. I’m not sure what “quality” means when you are talking about lollies, and I’m not sure if kids really care. We do know, however, that chocolate turning white is still edible in times of desperation.

We also know that leaving chocolate coated biscuits in the car means that they are no longer presentable, and you will probably end up with just a single lumpy one. Quality shot – but still safe to eat.

Is it legal to sell items past their “use by” and “best before” dates?

Items with a “use by” date must not be sold AFTER the use by date. It can be sold on the day of the use by date but not after.

Most items with a use by date also need to be stored below 5°C. Leaving them above 5°C may mean you will need to consume them immediately or dispose of it. If you are storing potentially hazardous foods, we obviously recommend the use of temperature loggers to ensure that your fridges are working and comply with the standards.

It’s actually still legal to sell it beyond the “best before” date provided it has not spoiled and complies with any other applicable legislation. That’s good news for “The Dutch Shop” where “on sale” is usually a euphemism for “out of date”.

Can you get food poisoning from an item before the “use by” or “best before” date?

Absolutely.

But chances are it is because of you.

Hopefully you get the idea. These dates only work on unopened items that have been stored correctly.

Need more information?

Click here to get the information straight from the horse’s mouth.

What is covered with our shipping insurance?

Our normal terms and conditions (like most businesses) is that you take possession the moment an order ships. If the order is lost or damaged in transit then, in theory, it’s your problem. In reality we will have a conversation and try to work out a good way to resolve the issue where we are both happy (or not too upset).

Shipping insurance is there to remove the drama. If an order is lost or damaged in transit, we will simply send out a replacement, and we will then deal with the courier directly to resolve the original problem.

Our shipping insurance also means that if an order is delayed beyond what is normal and reasonable then we will send you another shipment (stock levels permitting). Then you should receive one of them sooner, and when the second one arrives you simply Return To Sender.

How much is shipping insurance?

Shipping insurance is 5% of the cost of the goods.

Is it worth it? Practically we have had far less than 5% of shipments have problems. It is, however, what Australia Post and other couriers charge. Ultimately insurance is about peace of mind and less hassle when something does go wrong.

Shipping insurance as an option

Shipping insurance is offered as an option on all our web sites. You can select it at the checkout.

For large orders our staff may also ask if you would like shipping insurance.

If you would like shipping insurance on an order you are placing with us, just ask.

Mandatory shipping insurance

Unfortunately we have had a couple of large orders not make it and then the customer refused to pay. A friend suggested that the easy way to avoid the dispute is to insure any shipments where we have a significant risk.

If you would like an immediate line of credit (30 days to pay) and have the goods ship immediately (no credit check delays) and are purchasing over $500 then we will add shipping insurance to your order.

The shipping insurance can be waived if the order is between $500 and $2,000 and you provide us with a formal confirmation that you accept responsibility of the goods once they ship.

Alternatively you can prepay by direct deposit or credit card.

What is not covered?

If there is a clear proof of delivery to the shipping address provided then we class that as delivered. Unfortunately there are cases where it is lost somewhere between the loading dock or receptionist and ending up in your hands. But we also know that a photo of the bag against a generic grey background is not proof of delivery, it is just proof of existence! It needs to be a reasonable proof of delivery.

It also doesn’t cover the expectation of overnight delivery. For example, if we were to ship to Melbourne (we are in Sydney) then we would expect it to be delivered within about 3 days. Most of the time it is overnight, but there are enough floods and other issues that regularly cause minor delays. Sending a second order the next day tends to not fix the problem. If it is super urgent, talk to us about how we can minimise the risk.

For damage claims we ask that you contact us immediately and we will probably ask for photos or some proof. The shipping insurance doesn’t cover claims weeks later. We do have warranty covering our items, but it excludes physical damage (e.g. being dropped). If the goods are damaged in transit then please let us know ASAP so we can cover it under the shipping insurance.