Are the use-by date and the best-before date the same thing?

Answer

According to the Ministry, these two dates are different. The use-by date is applied to perishable products such as meat, milk and fish; once it has passed the product is not considered safe, must not be consumed, and may not be sold. The best-before date, used on products such as pasta, biscuits and canned goods, indicates the period of quality — taste and crispness, for example; in a product that has been stored properly with intact packaging, a passed best-before date does not necessarily mean it has spoiled. The Ministry notes that knowing this distinction also reduces food waste.