The expiration date on a product seems like a strict safety deadline. In reality, most of these dates are not regulated by the FDA. They are a manufacturer’s best guess for peak quality. Some companies use these dates as a marketing trick. The goal is to encourage you to throw away a perfectly good product and buy a new one. This practice of “planned obsolescence” is a subtle but powerful way to increase sales at your expense.
1. Bottled Water
You may have noticed that a bottle of water has an expiration date. The water itself does not actually expire. The date is there because the plastic bottle can eventually start to leach chemicals into the water. This can affect the taste. However, the date is often very conservative. It encourages stores to rotate their stock and gets you to buy a new bottle instead of drinking an old one.
2. Cosmetics and Skincare
Many beauty products have a small symbol on the back. It looks like an open jar with a number like “12M.” This “period after opening” symbol is not a required expiration date. It is a manufacturer’s suggestion. Many products, especially powders, last much longer than this. The short date encourages you to discard and repurchase expensive items more frequently.
3. Milk
The “sell-by” date on a carton of milk is for the retailer. It is not an expiration date for the consumer. Milk is often perfectly safe and fresh for up to a week after this date. Yet, many people throw it out the day it passes. This habit, driven by the date on the carton, is a major source of food waste that benefits the dairy industry.
4. Canned Goods
The “best by” date on a can of food is purely about quality. Canned goods are safe to eat for years, or even decades, after this date has passed. The date is a marketing tool to ensure the product tastes its absolute best, which encourages you to consume and repurchase it more quickly. It has very little to do with the food’s actual safety.
5. Over-the-Counter Medicine
The expiration date on a bottle of pain relievers is about potency, not safety. Studies have shown that most medicines are still effective for years after their expiration date. The drug may be slightly less potent, but it is not dangerous. The strict expiration date is a marketing tactic that ensures a steady stream of sales for pharmaceutical companies.
6. Heavy Cream and Sour Cream
Dairy products like heavy cream and sour cream will develop a tangy flavor as they age. This is due to the growth of harmless lactic acid bacteria. This is the same process used to make sour cream in the first place. As long as there is no visible mold, these products are often safe and usable long after their “best by” date.
7. Packaged Snacks
The date on a bag of chips or a box of cookies is about freshness. After this date, the snack might be slightly less crispy or flavorful. It will not be unsafe to eat. The date is designed to get you to throw out a perfectly edible snack. This pushes you to buy a new, fresher package to get the best experience.
8. Eggs
The date on an egg carton is a “sell by” date. It is not a hard expiration date. Eggs are generally good for three to five weeks after this date if they are properly refrigerated. The relatively short date printed on the carton is a marketing tool. It encourages faster turnover and more frequent purchases by the consumer.
The Trust in Our Senses
Planned obsolescence in our pantries is a real and costly problem. The best way to fight back is to ignore the marketing dates. You should learn to trust your own senses of sight, smell, and taste. A quick check for mold or an off smell is a much more reliable indicator of a food’s safety than an arbitrary date on a package.
Do you often throw away food as soon as it passes the date on the label? Or do you rely on your own judgment? Let us know your thoughts!
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