{"id":"F2015L00401","name":"Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code – Standard 1.2.5 – Information requirements – date marking of food for sale","slug":"australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-1-2-5-information-requirements-date-marking-of-fo","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":92973,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2015L00401-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code – Standard 1.2.5 – Information requirements – date marking of food for sale","content":"Standard 1.2.5 Information requirements – date marking of food for sale\n\nNote 1 This instrument is a standard under the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (Cth). The standards together make up the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. See also section 1.1.1—3.\n\nNote 2 The provisions of the Code that apply in New Zealand are incorporated in, or adopted under, the Food Act 2014 (NZ). See also section 1.1.1—3.\n\n1.2.5—1 Name\n\nThis Standard is Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code – Standard 1.2.5 – Information requirements – date marking of food for sale.\n\nNote Commencement:  \nThis Standard commences on 1 March 2016, being the date specified as the commencement date in notices in the Gazette and the New Zealand Gazette under section 92 of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (Cth). See also section 93 of that Act.\n\n1.2.5—2 Definitions\n\nNote In this Code (see section 1.1.2—2):\n\nbaked-for date, in relation to bread, means:\n\n(a) if the time at which the bread was baked is before midday—the baked-on date;\n\n(b) if the time at which the bread was baked is after midday—the day after the baked-on date.\n\nNote For example, bread that is baked after midday on one day may have a ‘baked-for date’ of the following day.\n\nbaked-on date, in relation to bread, means the date on which the bread was baked.\n\nbest-before date, for a food for sale, means the date up to which the food for sale will remain fully marketable and will retain any specific qualities for which express or implied claims have been made, if the food for sale:\n\n(a) remains in an intact package during its storage; and\n\n(b) is stored in accordance with any storage conditions applicable under Standard 1.2.6.\n\nuse-by date, for a food for sale, means the date after which it is estimated that the food for sale should not be consumed because of health or safety reasons, if the food for sale:\n\n(a) remains in an intact package during its storage; and\n\n(b) is stored in accordance with any storage conditions applicable under Standard 1.2.6.\n\n1.2.5—3 Food for sale must be date marked on labels\n\n(1) For the labelling provisions, the date marking information is:\n\n(a) if there is a \\*use-by date for the food—that date; or\n\n(b) otherwise—any of:\n\n    (i) the \\*best-before date of the food; or\n    (ii) for bread that has a shelf life of less than 7 days:\n\n(A) the best-before date; or\n\n(B) the \\*baked-for date; or\n\n(C) the \\*baked-on date.\n\n(2) Unless the food is an infant formula product, the date marking information is not required if:\n\n(a) the \\*best-before date of the food is 2 years or more after the date it is determined; or\n\n(b) the food is an individual portion of ice cream or ice confection.\n\n(3) Despite subsection (1), if the food is in a ‘\\*small package’ the only date-marking information required is the \\*use-by date (if any).\n\nNote The labelling provisions are set out in Standard 1.2.1.  \n\n1.2.5—4 Prohibition on sale of food after its use-by date\n\nA food must not be sold after its \\*use-by date.\n\n1.2.5—5 Required wording and form for dates for labels\n\n(1) The date marking information may only be expressed in accordance with this section.\n\n(2) A \\*best-before date, a \\*use-by date, a \\*baked-for date and a \\*baked-on date must:\n\n(a) be expressed using the following wording:\n\n    (i) for a best-before date—the words ‘Best Before’;\n    (ii) for a use-by date—the words ‘Use By’;\n    (iii) for a baked-for date—the words ‘Baked For’ or ‘Bkd For’;\n    (iv) for a baked-on date—the words ‘Baked On’ or ‘Bkd On’; and\n\n(b) be accompanied by:\n\n    (i) the relevant date; or\n    (ii) a reference to where the date is located on the label.\n\n(3) In a \\*best-before date or a \\*use-by date:\n\n(a) the day must be expressed in numerical form; and\n\n(b) the month may be expressed in:\n\n    (i) numerical form; or\n    (ii) upper or lower case letters; and\n\n(c) the year must be expressed in numerical form and may be expressed using the full year or only the last 2 digits of the year.\n\n(4) A \\*best-before date and a \\*use-by date must at least consist of:\n\n(a) if the best-before date or use-by date is not more than 3 months from the date it is applied:\n\n    (i) the day and month, in that order; or\n    (ii) if the month is expressed in letters—the day and the month, in any order; or\n\n(b) if the best-before date or a use-by date is more than 3 months from the date it is applied—the month and the year, in that order.\n\nExample For subparagraph (a)(i)—‘23 Dec’ or ‘23 12’ or ‘23 12 2015’ or ‘23 Dec 2015’.\n\nFor subparagraph (a)(ii)—’23 Dec’ or ‘Dec 23’ or ‘23 Dec 2015’ or ‘Dec 23 2015’.\n\nFor paragraph (b)—‘Dec 2015’ or ’12 2015’ or ’23 12 2015’ or ’23 Dec 2015’.\n\n(5) The day, month and year must be expressed so that it is apparent which number is the day, the month or the year.\n\n1.2.5—6 Packed-on dates and manufacturer’s or packer’s codes\n\nTo avoid doubt, section 1.2.5—5 does not prevent the addition of a packed-on date or a manufacturer’s or a packer’s code on the label on a package of food.\n\n\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\n\n  \n\nAmendment History\n\nThe Amendment History provides information about each amendment to the Standard. The information includes commencement or cessation information for relevant amendments.\n\nThese amendments are made under section 92 of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 unless otherwise indicated. Amendments do not have a specific date for cessation unless indicated as such.\n\nAbout this compilation\n\nThis is compilation No. 3 of Standard 1.2.5 as in force on 3 June 2021 (up to Amendment No. 200). It includes any commenced amendment affecting the compilation to that date.\n\nPrepared by Food Standards Australia New Zealand on 3 June 2021.\n\nUncommenced amendments or provisions ceasing to have effect\n\nTo assist stakeholders, the effect of any uncommenced amendments or provisions which will cease to have effect, may be reflected in the Standard as shaded boxed text with the relevant commencement or cessation date. These amendments will be reflected in a compilation registered on the Federal Register of Legislation including or omitting those amendments and provided in the Amendment History once the date is passed.\n\nThe following abbreviations may be used in the table below:\n\nad = added or inserted am = amended\n\nexp = expired or ceased to have effect rep = repealed\n\nrs = repealed and substituted\n\nStandard 1.2.5 was published in the Food Standards Gazette No. FSC96 on 10 April 2015 as part of Amendment 154 (F2015L00401 –- 31 March 2015) and has since been amended as follows:\n\n| Section affected | A’ment No. | FRL registrationGazette                     | Commencement(Cessation) | How affected | Description of amendment                           |\n| ---------------- | ---------- | ------------------------------------------- | ----------------------- | ------------ | -------------------------------------------------- |\n| 1.2.5—3(1)       | 157        | F2015L013741 Sept 2015FSC993 Sept 2015      | 1 March 2016            | am           | Correction of typographical errors.                |\n| 1.2.5—3(2)       | 168        | F2017L0041411 April 2017FSC11013 April 2017 | 13 April 2017           | rs           | Subsection to correct typographical errors.        |\n| 1.2.5—3(3)       | 200        | F2021L006842 June 2021FSC1413 June 2021     | 3 June 2021             | am           | Omit ‘small package’, substitute ‘*small package’. |","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The amendment history recorded in the Standard reflects typographical corrections and a substitution in terminology (notably regarding 'small package') and does not alter the core scope: mandatory date-marking types, format rules, specified exceptions and the prohibition on selling after a use-by date remain in force (see 1.2.5—3 to 1.2.5—6 and Amendment History)."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple defined date types with distinct legal meanings and conditional use: best-before, use-by, baked-for and baked-on (Definitions, 1.2.5—2 and labelling choice rules, 1.2.5—3(1)).","Special-case rules for bread with shelf life under 7 days that allow alternate date types (1.2.5—3(1)(b)(ii) and baked date definitions in 1.2.5—2).","Exceptions that remove labelling obligations for specific products (infant formula excluded from exemption), long shelf-life foods (best-before ≥ 2 years) and individual ice cream portions (1.2.5—3(2)).","Detailed mandatory wording and format requirements (exact words to use, numeric/letter month options, permitted year formats, minimum information depending on proximity to date) creating operational compliance checks (1.2.5—5(2)–(5)).","A strict prohibition on sale after the use-by date that creates an enforceable removal/sales decision point for retailers (1.2.5—4).","Cross-references to other Standards (labelling Standard 1.2.1 and storage conditions in Standard 1.2.6) requiring integrated compliance across instruments (notes and definitions).","Allowance for additional packer/manufacturer codes and packed-on dates which can interact with consumer-facing marks and internal traceability systems (1.2.5—6).","Recent amendment history limited largely to typographical and term substitutions, which requires readers to check compiled text and amendment notes for current wording (Amendment History)."],"plain_english_summary":"This Standard sets out which date labels must appear on food for sale in Australia and New Zealand, how those dates must be worded and formatted, special rules for bread and small packages, a limited set of exceptions, and a ban on selling food after its use-by date. It applies to food manufacturers, bakers, packers and retailers who decide, apply and display date marks. Knowing these rules matters because they determine labelling practices, storage expectations and the point at which food must be removed from sale."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains tightly focused on its original purpose of regulating date marking requirements for food labels. The amendment history shows only minor technical corrections (typographical errors, formatting corrections) rather than substantive expansion of scope. No evidence of scope creep into unrelated areas such as nutritional labelling, advertising, or non-food products."},"complexity_factors":["Only 4 defined terms in the interpretation section (baked-for date, baked-on date, best-before date, use-by date)","Straightforward structure with 6 main sections plus notes","Limited cross-referencing (only references to Standard 1.2.1 for labelling provisions and Standard 1.2.6 for storage conditions)","Clear conditional logic with explicit exceptions listed in subsections rather than nested deeply","Prescriptive but simple formatting requirements for dates (day/month/year rules)","Single absolute prohibition (no sale after use-by date) with no exceptions or qualifications"],"plain_english_summary":"This law standardises date labelling on packaged food in Australia and New Zealand, specifying required wording and formats so consumers can tell when food is unsafe versus merely past peak quality. It distinguishes legally enforceable \"Use By\" dates (unsafe after the date) from \"Best Before\" dates (quality-focused), allows bakery exemptions for short-life bread, and excludes long‑life items. It affects manufacturers, importers, retailers and helps protect health while reducing food waste."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-1-2-5-information-requirements-date-marking-of-fo","history":"/api/acts/australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-1-2-5-information-requirements-date-marking-of-fo/history","analysis":"/api/acts/australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-1-2-5-information-requirements-date-marking-of-fo/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-1-2-5-information-requirements-date-marking-of-fo/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-1-2-5-information-requirements-date-marking-of-fo/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-1-2-5-information-requirements-date-marking-of-fo/documents"}}