No More Shelf Life, Starting New Year, Expiry Dates Apply When Buying Food.

Starting from 2024, a new labeling system will be introduced on food packaging, replacing the traditional 'shelf life' with 'consumption period.' This change aims to express the period during which food can be consumed more intuitively, as part of an effort to reduce food waste caused by expiration of shelf life.

 

Last January, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety decided to replace the 'shelf life' indication with the 'consumption period' through the introduction of the 'consumption period labeling system.' After a one-year transition period for stable implementation, it will officially take effect on January 1, 2024.

 

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety plans to continue providing reference values for the consumption period, allowing manufacturers and sellers to set appropriate consumption periods for each food item.

 

Understanding the difference between shelf life and consumption period is crucial. Shelf life indicates the period during which distribution and sale to consumers are allowed, starting from the manufacturing date. On the other hand, the consumption period refers to the safe duration for consumption if the product has been correctly stored under the specified conditions.

 

Consumers need to pay attention to this labeling change. Products with slightly expired shelf life but stored correctly can still be safely consumed. However, products with expired consumption periods should be avoided as their safety is not guaranteed. While shelf life is set considering the point when quality changes begin to appear, the consumption period is set with a longer safety margin.

 

To assist with this change, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has been disclosing reference values for the consumption period for 66 types of food and 698 items since 2022. These values serve as provisional consumption periods, helping consumers make clearer choices when selecting food.

 

Even with the full implementation of the consumption period labeling system, supermarket shelves may still display products with the traditional 'shelf life' during the transition period. Products manufactured during the transition period can be sold until the indicated date.

 

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety plans to continue providing reference values for the consumption period, allowing manufacturers and sellers to set appropriate consumption periods for each food item. Ongoing discussions between the ministry and private sector representatives aim to establish reference values for items where they are needed, contributing to the stable implementation of the system.