Did you know that date label confusion is responsible for roughly 10% of all food waste in Europe? At Too Good To Go, we want to help you understand what these dates really mean so you can rescue food safely and confidently.
1. "Use By" (The Safety Date)
Found on: Highly perishable foods like meat, fish, soft cheeses, and prepared salads.
- What it means: This is a strict safety deadline. You should not eat food after this date, and stores are not permitted to sell it past this date.
- The Rule: If a product says "Use By: 15/08," then August 15 is the last day it can be safely consumed or sold. Starting August 16, it is no longer safe.
- Important: If you receive a product in your Surprise Bag that is past its "Use By" date, this is not normal. Please let us know immediately through the "Help" section in the app so we can investigate this with the store.
2. "Best Before" (The Quality Date)
Found on: Packaged goods like hard cheeses, biscuits, tinned food, pasta, eggs, and milk.
- What it means: This is a quality estimate. It indicates when the food is at its peak flavor and texture.
- The Rule: Food past its "Best Before" date is often still perfectly safe to eat! If the product has been stored correctly and passes the "Look, Smell, Taste" test, you can still enjoy it.
- Is it legal to sell? In many countries, it is legal for stores to sell products past their "Best Before" date (BBD) to prevent waste.
| Legal to sell past BBD | NOT legal to sell past BBD |
| Australia, Belgium, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, USA | Austria, Poland, Spain |
Language Guide for Date Labels
If you are rescuing food while traveling, look for these terms:
- French: Use by (À consommer jusqu'au) | Best before (À consommer de préférence avant)
- German: Use by (Verbrauchsdatum) | Best before (Mindesthaltbarkeitsdatum / MHD)
- Spanish: Use by (Fecha de caducidad) | Best before (Fecha de consumo preferente)
- Italian: Use by (Da consumare entro) | Best before (Da consumarsi preferibilmente entro)
- Dutch: Use by (Te gebruiken tot) | Best before (Ten minste houdbaar tot)
Summary Tip: Look, Smell, Taste
For any product with a Best Before date, use your senses! If the packaging is intact and the food looks, smells, and tastes okay, you are in the clear to enjoy it.