Adding a Safety Date to a Freshness Date Label Reduces Premature Food Disposal
Business & Society: Founded at Roosevelt University
Published online on May 31, 2026
Abstract
Business & Society, Ahead of Print.
Packaged perishable foods often display one of two date label formats: a freshness date (e.g. “Best before,” “Best if used by”) or a safety date (e.g. “Use by”). Many consumers misinterpret a freshness date as a safety date and infer that the food is ...
Packaged perishable foods often display one of two date label formats: a freshness date (e.g. “Best before,” “Best if used by”) or a safety date (e.g. “Use by”). Many consumers misinterpret a freshness date as a safety date and infer that the food is ...