Date codes help manufacturers to set different criteria for their items. The type of date code depends on the product being produced and what information the manufacturer is legally obligated to illustrate.
Date codes are mostly used to ensure the safety of a product but manufacturers need to be careful about which dates they use. For the different types of date codes that manufacturers use and why they matter, read on.
Packaging Dates
Packaging dates are for the manufacturer to inform consumers when the item was put in the box and shipped. There are two kinds of packaging date formats: the Gregorian and Julian styles. The Gregorian date is the typical secular calendar format shown as the date, month, and year the item was packaged.
Julian packaging dates lists the date as the day of the year. For example, August 31st is the 243rd day of the year, so the package will read 0243. If a consumer knows the date that an item was packaged, they can more accurately determine if the product is still safe to use. Packaging dates will be different for the types of items, such as dairy compared to canned products.
Best Before Dates
These dates are added by the manufacturer and are a time in the future when the product is deemed to have lost its original quality. Most shelf items have a date with a maximum of 360 days between the packaged and best before dates. The title quite literally tells the consumer when the item is no longer up to standard and when the quality is expected to drop.
If the best before date for milk is in two days, then a consumer knows they need to finish it within that timeframe. A best before date serves as a guide for consumers and should be treated as an estimate. These dates can be added using a date coder from Diagraph, which will take the packaging date into account. The system will determine the best before date depending on the item in question.
Expiration Dates
Slightly different from best before dates, expiration dates deem when the product is no longer safe to consume. A realistic time frame is given when products are made to determine when they will lose their quality. For perishable products, these dates are exceptionally important so that consumers don’t get ill.
The anticipated shelf life will be calculated to give a few days or weeks grace. This indicates to the consumer that if the product goes past that expiry date, it needs to be thrown away. Even some items that are nearing their expiration dates, such as medication, should be used with extreme caution.
Manufacturers need to ensure that their products are dated with the right information so that consumers can make informed decisions when purchasing. The types of dates discussed can be found on most grocery and pharmacy store items, and each one has a specific purpose in place to keep the consumer safe from any products that have gone off or aren’t as fresh as they were at production.