Best before, not use by
Food supplements carry a best before date. “Use by” is for foods that become unsafe quickly, which almost never applies to supplements. How you write it depends on how much of the date you give:
- “Best before” followed by a day, month and year (“Best before 14/03/2028”).
- “Best before end” when you give only the month and year, or only the year (“Best before end 03/2028”).
Products lasting more than 18 months can legally show just the year, but most brands show month and year.
Where to print it
The date can be printed elsewhere on the pack, such as the base of a tub or the crimp of a pouch, as long as the label says where to find it: “Best before end: see base”. We can print dates and batch numbers straight onto each label run with variable data printing, which avoids a separate coder for short runs.
How long should the shelf life be?
It is your responsibility to set a date you can justify. Most vitamin and mineral products run to two or three years, but some ingredients degrade faster:
- Vitamin C, B12, folic acid and vitamin A lose potency with heat, light and moisture.
- Probiotics lose live counts over time, so the count you declare must still be true at the end of shelf life.
- Omega-3 oils oxidise, especially after opening.
- Powders clump and degrade faster once opened.
Manufacturers set shelf life with stability testing: storing samples at normal and raised temperature and humidity, then testing them over time. Ask for the stability data or rationale and keep it in your technical file.
Declared amounts and tolerances
The amount on your label must still be right throughout shelf life. UK and EU guidance on labelling tolerances for supplements allows vitamins to measure 20% below to 50% above the declared value, and minerals 20% below to 45% above. That’s why manufacturers add a small overage of the less stable vitamins. Declaring the target amount, not the overage, is normal practice.
Storage conditions
If the product needs special storage to last until its date, the label must say so: “Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight” is the usual wording. Add “Once opened, consume within 3 months” or “Refrigerate after opening” if that’s what your shelf-life testing supports.
Batch (lot) codes
Every product needs a lot or batch mark so it can be traced and recalled, unless the date is printed in full with at least the day and the month. In practice, supplements always carry a batch code, usually next to the date. It must match the records of the batch it came from. Batch codes are also what Amazon and testing schemes ask for. Need variable dates on your next run? See our printing specification.
Not legal advice. This guide covers the general rules for food supplements sold in Great Britain. Check your own product with a regulatory adviser, your local Trading Standards team or your Primary Authority partner.