4 ms·

If I see a sell-by date, I only use it to compare between individual items. If there's a shelf with bread and two items have different sell-by dates, I choose t

If I see a sell-by date, I only use it to compare between individual items. If there's a shelf with bread and two items have different sell-by dates, I choose the one with the later sell-by date.

iwontberude 2y ago
I pick the older one to make sure the supply chain still works well.
- lubujackson 2y ago
  User name checks out.
- derekp7 2y ago
  In the case of buttermilk, it only starts to get a good flavor some time after the date on the carton. So I will often pick the oldest one (which is easy, be cause they put the older cartons toward the front).
  - Arch-TK 2y ago
    Similar rule seems to apply to avocados. They sell them as "ripe and ready" and a week later they're still too hard to crush.
- akira2501 2y ago
  It's not incumbent on you to manage the supply chain. The people who are earning profits from servicing that chain have that responsibility. The entire system is best served if you operate with your _own_ best interests in mind.
  - iwontberude 2y ago
    I am smart enough to know that the food with expiration dates gets taken off the shelf and then some human being has to move it somewhere else if I don't take it. How does that not serve the system? I like being efficient and filling in gaps where it doesn't matter. Freshness differentials on shelves isn't worth it for me or the business.
    - akira2501 2y ago
      > I like being efficient Sure, but selecting the oldest groceries on the shelf is not a factor, as it's not your efficiency you're improving. > filling in gaps where it doesn't matter. If the store is arranging its stock orders incorrectly then they should fix that. They have a much better opportunity to have impacts here than your gap filling ever will. Why don't they actually do this then? Because the 2% loss on waste can't be made up by the 5% additional cost of labor to "right size" the order perfectly every time. Finally it's only waste because we don't manage these outputs correctly and have a single dumpster where all "garbage" goes. Food recycling and city compost programs could close the rest of the loop far more efficiently than any of this. > Freshness differentials on shelves isn't worth it for me or the business. No, it's just the entire rest of the supply chain.
  - unethical_ban 2y ago
    Agree that one does not have an obligation (first sentence) but disagree that pure individual self interest is best for society.
kodt 2y ago
Yeah, I assume if it were to be sold by that date, then you still have time after that date that the product remains fresh. Is this not common sense to people?
- tivert 2y ago
  Yes, but it's unknown how long the product will remain fresh past the sell by date. Personally, I think everything should be labeled with both a sell by date, a best by date, and an expiration date, all right next to each other.

If I see a sell-by date, I only use it to compare between individual items. If there's a shelf with bread and two items have different sell-by dates, I choose the one with the later sell-by date.

iwontberude 2y ago

I pick the older one to make sure the supply chain still works well.

lubujackson 2y ago
User name checks out.
derekp7 2y ago
In the case of buttermilk, it only starts to get a good flavor some time after the date on the carton. So I will often pick the oldest one (which is easy, be cause they put the older cartons toward the front).
- Arch-TK 2y ago
  Similar rule seems to apply to avocados. They sell them as "ripe and ready" and a week later they're still too hard to crush.
akira2501 2y ago
It's not incumbent on you to manage the supply chain. The people who are earning profits from servicing that chain have that responsibility. The entire system is best served if you operate with your _own_ best interests in mind.
- iwontberude 2y ago
  I am smart enough to know that the food with expiration dates gets taken off the shelf and then some human being has to move it somewhere else if I don't take it. How does that not serve the system? I like being efficient and filling in gaps where it doesn't matter. Freshness differentials on shelves isn't worth it for me or the business.
  - akira2501 2y ago
    > I like being efficient Sure, but selecting the oldest groceries on the shelf is not a factor, as it's not your efficiency you're improving. > filling in gaps where it doesn't matter. If the store is arranging its stock orders incorrectly then they should fix that. They have a much better opportunity to have impacts here than your gap filling ever will. Why don't they actually do this then? Because the 2% loss on waste can't be made up by the 5% additional cost of labor to "right size" the order perfectly every time. Finally it's only waste because we don't manage these outputs correctly and have a single dumpster where all "garbage" goes. Food recycling and city compost programs could close the rest of the loop far more efficiently than any of this. > Freshness differentials on shelves isn't worth it for me or the business. No, it's just the entire rest of the supply chain.
- unethical_ban 2y ago
  Agree that one does not have an obligation (first sentence) but disagree that pure individual self interest is best for society.

kodt 2y ago

Yeah, I assume if it were to be sold by that date, then you still have time after that date that the product remains fresh. Is this not common sense to people?

tivert 2y ago
Yes, but it's unknown how long the product will remain fresh past the sell by date. Personally, I think everything should be labeled with both a sell by date, a best by date, and an expiration date, all right next to each other.