Quick answer
- Use-by: treat as a safety deadline where this label has that legal meaning.
- Best-before / Best if Used By: generally describes quality, not an automatic safety deadline.
- Sell-by: commonly guides retailer stock handling, not a universal consumer safety date.
- Country rules differ, so follow the package and your local food-safety authority.
Use-bySafety
Best-beforeQuality
Always checkStorage instructions
When unsureDiscard high-risk food
What each label usually means
| Label | Typical meaning | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Use-by | Safety deadline on highly perishable food in systems such as the UK/EU | Do not eat after the date; follow chilling/freezing instructions |
| Best-before / Best if Used By | Peak quality date | Inspect storage history and spoilage; quality may decline |
| Sell-by / Display until | Retail stock guidance in many markets | Do not treat it alone as a universal safety deadline |
Smell cannot clear a use-by food
The UK Food Standards Agency warns that food can look and smell normal after a use-by date yet still be unsafe. Do not use a sniff test to override a safety-based date.
Why the country matters
In the UK and EU, “use by” is associated with safety and “best before” with quality. In the United States, most food date labels are not federally required safety dates; USDA and FDA encourage “Best if Used By” as a quality phrase. Infant formula is an important US exception with required date marking.
Safe decision checklist
- Read the exact phrase, not only the printed date.
- Follow refrigeration, freezing and after-opening instructions.
- For a safety-based use-by label, use, cook or freeze before the deadline as official guidance permits.
- For a quality date, inspect packaging, storage history and signs of spoilage.
- Discard bulging, leaking, badly damaged or suspicious food regardless of date.
Dates do not replace safe storage
A date assumes the product was handled as directed. Food left warm too long, stored in a failing refrigerator or contaminated after opening can become unsafe before its printed date. Conversely, some properly stored shelf-stable foods may remain usable after a quality date.