Expiration dates should be mandatory

[gregmech26]

I bought some Virgil's cream soda at Merchant of Vino in Dearborn, Michigan. It was obviously expired. It tasted like it had been sitting on the shelf for a couple of years.

It's hard to tell which packages are the "fresh" ones since the store clerks usualy move the old product to the front, and put the fresh product in the back of the shelf.

I wish all food products had a "born on" date so the consumer can make a judgment call on whether or not to purchase the product.

[Mr Zabe]

I'm very sensative to not drinking stale soda pop.
If I can't figure out how fresh/old a soda pop is , I will not buy it or drink it.

As a soda pop addict, I can't stand the let down of going home and finding out that I can't enjoy the soda pop I just brought.

[The Interpreter]

And not only should expiration dates be required, they should NOT be in code. Born on dates I couldn't care less about. I want to know when I should have the product consumed BY, not when it was made....

[gregmech26]

You're going to leave it up to the manufacturer to predict when their product expires? I'd rather make my own judgement call with a "born on" date AND an expiration date.

[Mr Zabe]

I see your point Greg but in general the average soda pop consumer is not as savvy as us. I mean most of the posters on this board,like you and me, look for date/codes on the boxes and bottle/cans. We have an idea what of the age of the product is.

Common folks grab fridge packs off the shelf and as well grab a can from the fridge without looking for dates/code. I say because of the common (average) drinker of soda pop does not seem to care, then the information on the cartons and bottles/cans needs to be sort of "dummyfied".
It has to be real easy to read and understand.

That's my two cans. LOL

[ 06-16-2005, 02:12 AM: Message edited by: Mr Zabe ]

[BottleBoss]

I've bought old sodas like this to. One made me sick. I don't think they want you to really be able to read the date either.

[Hacksaw]

Date is only part of the problem. Yes, we need clear dates, but there is the problem of storing sodas in a hot warehouse. This speeds the aging process very quickly.

[Mr Zabe]

Great point. Once the soda pop (the big players tend to merchandise the stores, free labor) smaller brands/ store brands can sit in a warm/hot area of the store's back storage area for weeks and or months.

Sure the fresh date shows a few months from the current date but the product is all but ruined.
Diet products spoil from heat about as fast as a fresh teenage pimple grows on a greasy face. LOL

[Beverage Slinger]

It would be great if there was a standardized dating,but different co. use different methods,but ultimately the consumer is truly the highest priority,marketing,price,give aways dont mean squat if a customer has a bad experience with any beverage,and to anyone who has a question, you will always find a comment line on each can,every co. only want to bring you the best quality product home,and Im not talking from a spread sheet but years of experience,freshness is a huge deal,for me it all boiled down to a simple ideal,if its not good enough for me,it definately was not good enough for you,and as for product left outside in the sun,I havent seen that in over 20 years.

[Mr Zabe]

Ok let's clear the air.
I said some products in the store that I use to mechanize from time to time had products like soda pop stored in a hot warehouse.(As noted in a previous thread.) Back up the truck, no one said or implied that any store would be so dumb as to store soda pop in the day light sun.

Chill, I'm sure you and the vast majority of store stockers do a great job. I know you do because I worked with people just like yourself. Now as a regular shopper, I treat all of the stockers, cashiers ects with the utmost respect. Chill.

Let's face it there are a few poorly managed stores that do not rotate stock and or make sure their worker are as efficient as you are.

I apologize as I should have included that remark in my original post.

By the way I was a retail merchandiser for Proctor and Gamble right out of college some 20 years age,and I bagged grociers in high school.

[ 06-16-2005, 09:47 PM: Message edited by: Mr Zabe ]