Even More Expiration Code Cheat Sheets
Another Consumerist Hero, as tipster P gives us another "Expiration Code" Cheat Sheet. And what food stuff does this cover? Why, delicious delicious candy! Find them after the jump.
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Comments:
@erikislame: Yeah, with all the pointless regulation there is on the whole I'm still shocked that there are not rules for this. People shouldn't need a cheat sheet to tell if that milk they're buying is still safe to drink. This is bullshit, and needs to stop now.
I guess I'm lazy because even attempting to read those charts is painful...sad that printing expiration dates is so complicated...
Would the "5" mean 2005?
I don't understand those single digit year codes.
This is hilarious. None of the products listed on these sheets are potentially hazardous. In other words, they will become unpalatable before they become unsafe to eat.
@erikislame: The FDA doesn't have anything to do with the selling food in retail locations. The FDA regulates the production of food at production facilities (factories). States regulate the sale of food at retail facilities.
they will become unpalatable before they become unsafe to eat.
Well that's a relief. I only buy candy for the shiny wrappers anyway, so why should I care if it's unpalatable?
@erikislame: It's insane that you think the government actually regulates things for YOUR benefit and not theirs.
I think Shock's intent was to point out that an expired candybar won't hurt you. While yes, you might worry about buying an expired, unpalatable bit of candy, you shouldn't worry too much about keeping them around past the expiry.
Truth is, an expired candybar probably isn't going to be unpalatable, either. M&Ms are good for ~6 months beyond the shelf-life, if sealed.
Whoa PEZ = 3+ years, I'll pass. Darn I'll have to find some other candy that comes with a super rad dispenser to snack on =(
I work retail and we regularly throw out stuff that's even close to expiration. (As in MONTHS in advance.) We always find stuff that uses some bizarre date code that no one can decipher.
They ought to sponsor a bill to make these illegal. They're obviously designed to keep product on the shelf as long as possible, often times to the detriment of both the consumer and retailer. The consumer because they don't know that the hell is going on. The retailer because they have to keep track of all of these codes which leads to mistakes being made. (I know of no retailer who purposefully keeps expired products on the shelf.)
Wow... expiration dates are actually effectively hidden from Americans. Yeah, that makes sense.
@Shaggy: Indeed they do, but if review the FDA labeling requirements for retail food, you will find expiration dates not mentioned. Oh, and labeling enforcement is up to the state/local jurisdictions. The FDA doesn't have label police.
I believe the reason that many manufacturers have gone to cryptic expiration dates is very simple. I work in the grocery/foodservice industry and I have noticed that if expiration dates are easily read or deciphered, people will almost always grab the freshest ones they can, leaving the older ones there, even though they are still good, but that means that the store will most likely have to throw those older ones out, causing the stores spoilage index to go up. In certain things I can see people wanting fresher, like milk for instance, so it will keep longer in their refrigerators, but seriously folks, if it's still within code, most likely it's good.
It's so insane that this is even allowed by the FDA. Ugh.