Is It Legal To Sell Expired Food in UK?

In the UK it is generally illegal to sell food items that have passed their best before date, this is stated in The Food Safety Act 1990. There are some exceptions, such as for certain long shelf life products that are labelled with a best before date of more than 18 months. However, even these products must not be sold if they are not fit for consumption.

For food that has a “use by” date on the packaging, it is a legal requirement to follow this and not sell the product once this has expired. These use by dates are applied to products that could cause food poisoning if eaten after this point, such as meat, poultry and fish.

To ensure compliance with food safety regulations, businesses in the UK are required to have a food safety management system in place, such as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP). This system helps businesses identify and control potential food safety hazards, such as the sale of expired food.