What is the difference between ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ dates?

Sign up to IndyEat's free newsletter for weekly recipes, foodie features and cookbook releases Get our food and drink newsletter for free Get our food and drink newsletter for free SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Supermarkets are ramping up efforts to reduce food waste in the UK, with Waitrose becoming the latest retailer to get rid of “best before” dates on hundreds of products. Confusion surrounding “use by” and “best before” dates may lead to people throwing away food prematurely instead of using their own judgement to determine whether the product has gone bad. “This uncertainty leads to food waste on a large scale across society – with 10 per cent of all food waste in Europe attributed to date labelling confusion.” Here’s what you need to know about the difference between “use by” and “best before” dates and which food items you can consume at a later date. “After the ‘use by’ date, food is deemed unsafe and it is a criminal offence to sell it.” Marks and Spencer Little Shop miniature food collectables Show all 5 “Best before” dates, on the other hand, tell the consumer the date up to which a food item is “expected to retain its specific properties, after which it will not be in optimal condition”.