Best Before Date

The best-before date (also called best-before-end or BBE) indicates the date until which the product retains its expected quality, flavour, texture, and nutritional value when stored as directed. Unlike the expiry date, which is a food-safety cutoff, best-before is a quality indicator: a biscuit past its best-before date may be stale but is not necessarily unsafe. Under FSSAI rules, products with shelf life exceeding 18 months must declare a best-before date (e.g., "Best Before 12 months from packaging").

In Indian distribution, the practical challenge with best-before dates is retailer and consumer perception. Most Indian consumers treat best-before and expiry as interchangeable, so a product past best-before is effectively unsellable even if technically safe. This means distributors must manage best-before stock with the same urgency as expiry-dated stock. A trade scheme offering Rs 10 off per case on stock within 30 days of best-before is a common tactic to avoid write-offs.

For SKUs like biscuits, namkeen, and packaged spices that use best-before rather than expiry, FIFO discipline at the godown is essential. Distribution platforms track best-before at the batch level and trigger progressive alerts as the date approaches, enabling proactive stock rotation rather than reactive write-offs.