sell-by date

American  

[sel-bahy] / ˈsɛlˌbaɪ /

noun

1. the last date on which perishable food should be sold, usually established with some allowance for home storage under refrigeration.

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idioms

1. past one's / its sell-by date, past one's or its prime; past the period of greatest vigor, success, etc..

   an aging actress, well past her sell-by date.

sell-by date British  

noun

1. a date printed on the packaging of perishable goods, indicating the date after which the goods should not be offered for sale

2. informal beyond one's prime

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Etymology

Origin of sell-by date

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

Weight-loss drugs have only added to investor concerns that traditional food businesses are approaching their sell-by date.

From The Wall Street Journal

They clink together as you reach past them — past the chili crisp you swore you’d use more often, the artisanal vinaigrette with a sell-by date approaching — to retrieve the same jar you always do.

From Salon

But what was once known as the Lieder recital — the German title for songs in a genre once dominated by Schubert, Schumann, Hugo Wolf and Richard Strauss — has approached its sell-by date.

From Los Angeles Times

The affected products had sell-by dates between Oct.

From Los Angeles Times

The products have sell-by dates ranging from January to late March of next year, according to the FDA notice.

From Los Angeles Times