UK and Ireland

What’s still good, and what’s nearly for the bin.

Use By records the use-by and best-before dates printed on the pack — not a guess. Your household shares one list for the fridge, the freezer and the larder, and a multipack keeps count of what’s left.

  • The date on the pack
  • Shared at home
  • No ping when someone uses one
See how it works Friends and family first

How it works

Three steps, then it’s just the kitchen.

  1. 01

    Scan the barcode

    Point it at the pack. Use By keeps the date printed there, rather than guessing. Photographing that date, and bringing in a receipt from the shop, come later.

  2. 02

    Put it where it lives

    Fridge, freezer or larder. The milk stays away from the tins, and the peas stay out of the fridge door.

  3. 03

    Share the household

    Everyone you live with sees the same list. Open a tin from the multipack and the number changes for all of you — with no ping.

The kitchen

Where the food actually is.

Milk in the fridge, peas in the freezer, tins in the larder. Each one keeps the date from its own pack.

Fridge

The cold food, with the dates you actually watch.

  • Semi-skimmed milk Use by Saturday
  • Chicken thighs Use by Sunday
  • Natural yoghurt Use by Wednesday

Freezer

Frozen food can wait. It usually carries a best-before date.

  • Garden peas Best before March 2028
  • Beef mince Best before January 2028

Larder

Tins, rice, and whatever’s left of the multipack.

  • Chopped tomatoes 2 of 4 tins
    Best before November 2027
  • Basmati rice Best before August 2027
  • Baked beans Best before June 2027

For the people you live with.

Household

One list at home

Add your family, or anyone who shares the kitchen. Same fridge, same list — handy when someone else did the shop and you’re home late.

Multipack

Still counting

Four tins are four tins, not one lump of tomatoes. The number left is shared. Use By stays quiet about it: no ping when somebody opens one.

The pack

The date that’s printed

Scan the barcode and keep the use-by or best-before date from that pack. Guessing is how good food ends up in the bin. A photo of the printed date, and a receipt from the shop, come later.

Quiet

No fuss

There isn’t an alert every time the household uses something. The list changes. You look when you’re cooking, or before you do the shop.

Use by and best before

Two dates. They don’t mean the same thing.

Safety

Use by

Don’t eat the food after this date, even if it looks and smells fine. You’ll see it on meat, fish, dairy and ready meals.

  • Meat
  • Fish
  • Dairy
  • Ready meals

Quality

Best before

Often still fine afterwards, though it may not be at its best — have a look, and trust your nose. You’ll see it on tins, rice, pasta and frozen food.

  • Tins
  • Rice
  • Pasta
  • Frozen food

Whichever date is on the pack, Use By keeps that one. Checking the pack still matters, especially on a use-by date.

Coming soon

Friends and family first.

We’re opening Use By slowly, with households we already know. If that’s you, you’ll hear from us. If it isn’t yet, this is the address for when the door opens a little wider.

useby.date

Kitchens in the UK and Ireland