Expiry dates on food products

Is there any Maltese or EU law prohibiting shopowners from exhibiting and selling expired food products? (Saviour Attard)

It is illegal to keep expired food products with a view to selling them. Shopowners, manufacturers, producers, and traders should not sell perishable goods bearing an expired expiry date.

The manufacturer or packager who places an expiry date on a product is making a clear statement that the quality or any other property of the product is not guaranteed after the expiry date. Therefore consumers must check the expiry dates on food items to avoid purchasing products which, when consumed, may be harmful to their health.

Consumers who may have inadvertently purchased 'expired' goods are encouraged to write to me at the Customer Service Column in accordance with the terms and conditions published with every column.

In the meantime, here follow some tips to shops, traders and other outlets:

¤ Make sure that you and all members of staff are aware of expiry dates and fully understand all the respective implications;

¤ Do not sell or give away expired products;

¤ Remove all outdated livestock medicines from store shelves;

¤ Do not sell outdated stock at a discount;

¤ Return outdated stock to the manufacturer or dispose of it as hazardous waste. Selling short-dated stock is not a good customer service practice.

Check expiry dates when the respective products arrive at the store; before they are sold, and at least once a month.