Date markings act as a guide for consumers so that there is an indication of how long a product can be used in terms of safety and quality and to assist us all in making informed choices as to whether to buy a product – however, it is vital that as consumers we also take responsibility for the correct transport and storage of foods purchased and remember to use our discretion before we consume food
The Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, 1972 (Act 54 of 1972), through Regulation 146 of 1 March 2010 on Labelling and Advertising of Foodstuffs, dictates that all packaged food products must have date markings indicating the best-before, use-by, or sell-by dates and prescribes the format in which these markings must be placed.
- BEST BEFORE (BB)
Signifies the end of the period under any stated storage conditions during which the product will remain fully marketable and will retain any specific qualities for which tacit or express claims have been made. However, beyond the date the food may still be perfectly satisfactory.
NB!
Just because the product has reached its best-before date does not mean that it is no longer safe for consumption. In fact, it is most likely still safe to be consumed. Importantly, it should be noted that it is legal and acceptable to sell a product that has reached its best-before date, as long as the consumer is duly informed of the lapsed best-before date
- SELL-BY:
Means the last date of offer for sale to the consumer after which there remains a reasonable storage period at home
NB!
This date indicates the date after which the product can no longer be sold, but if stored according to instructions, it is likely that the product will still be safe for consumption for a reasonable period after purchase e.g. milk
- USE BY
Signifies the end of the estimated period under the stated storage conditions, after which the product probably will not have the quality attributes normally expected by consumers and after which date the food should not be regarded as marketable and/or safe
NB!
The product should not be consumed. It is illegal to sell products that have exceeded the use-by date (*no product sold at The Trading Place is passed the use-by date)
Factory over-runs and rejects products:
Over-runs: excess product that is safe, identical to branded / sold items, but lack official branding
Rejects: product that is safe, lacks official branding and may have minor flaws like faulty stitching or printing errors
Accredited wholesalers, retailers (e.g. The Trading Place) are allowed to legally sell these products.
AAA grade / replica apparel & products:
South Africa is seen as a dumping ground for ‘AAA grade clothing & fashion apparel. These are high quality counterfeits that directly copy registered brand trademarks and are very difficult to spot as fakes. It is illegal to sell & buy AAA grade products and replicas in South Africa (Counterfeit Goods Act, 1997 (Act No. 37 of 1997)
Second hand / pre-owed / used products:
It is legal to sell & buy second hand, pre-owed, used product in South Africa (Second-Hand Goods Act 6 of 2009). It is the consumer’s responsibility to ensure the item meets health, safety and legal requirements (buying from reputable, trust-worthy traders e.g. The Trading Place takes away this hassle from the consumer)
