PREVRA Sell By Date vs Use By Date: Understanding UK Date Labelling Law
A clear reference explaining the difference between sell by, use by, and best before dates. Essential for every UK food business to avoid enforcement action and reduce food waste.
Why date labelling matters for legal compliance and food waste
There is no such thing as a "sell by" date in UK law. The legal terms are "use by" (a food safety date, after which food must not be sold or consumed) and "best before" (a quality indicator, after which food may still be safe to eat). Using the wrong label or selling food past its use by date is a criminal offence under the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013.
Counter-intuitively, the term "sell by" was abolished from UK food labelling law over a decade ago to reduce consumer confusion and food waste. If you are still using "sell by" labels in your business, you are out of date — and could face EHO enforcement action.
Applying date labelling correctly in your food business
Print this poster and display in your dry store, walk-in fridge, and prep area. Train all staff to understand the critical distinction: a use by date is a hard stop for safety, a best before date is about quality. Implement a daily date check as part of your opening procedures and remove any items past their use by date before service begins.
Digital SFBB includes automated date tracking: log your stock with expiry dates and the system alerts you before items reach their use by date, helping you plan your prep and reduce waste. Your EHO can see your date management records during an inspection.
Common date labelling errors that trigger enforcement action
The most frequent error EHO officers find is food past its use by date still in the fridge or on display. This is treated as a serious non-compliance regardless of whether you "knew" it was there. Another common mistake is re-dating food when it is repackaged or frozen — you cannot extend a use by date. Food frozen before its use by date must be labelled with the date frozen and a new shelf life assigned. Misunderstanding best before dates leads to unnecessary waste: tinned and dried goods past their best before are often perfectly safe and can legally be sold.
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