What is the "Sell By" Date?

"Sell by" dates mean little to the average consumer and are put there by a manufacturer to make sure that the product is sold when it's still at its best. One thing many consumers don't know about these, and all expiration dates, however, is that they're optional.  Yes, you heard it, there is nothing forcing manufacturers to put these dates on their packaging unless they're selling things like infant formula and certain baby products. However, it should still be a priority for manufacturers as it will prevent a retailer’s negligence from hurting their brand. This is why we would suggest that you start looking at advanced packaging solutions that will make the sell by and expiration date visible on both primary and tertiary packaging. This will allow you and retailers to quickly identify boxes that contain products that shouldn’t be sold. Barcodes will also help manufacturers know when they need to cycle their inventory and keep tabs on their losses. Here, the best solution would be to work with a team like Diagraph, found at https://www.diagraph.com/. They have all sorts of solutions for different industries whether you’re selling dried, fresh, or frozen foods. All of these have different packing needs and specificities, so choosing the right printing solution will be essential. As you can see, expiration dates are not as simple as you might think. If you still don’t fully understand them, we strongly suggest that you do a bit more research, whether you're a manufacturer, retailer, or client.