There has been discussion recently of the EU banning “best-before” labels on shelf-stable products like rice, pasta, coffee, and canned goods. Such products, which are safe to eat well passed their ‘best-before’ date, are causing “unnecessary food waste” and contributing to the roughly 89 million tonnes of food losses annually in Europe. Another concern is that confusion over the meaning of ‘best-before’ labels encourages consumers to overzealously throw food away over safety concerns.

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/eu-tackles-massive-food-waste-151359858.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2630629/Is-end-best-dates-Secret-EU-plan-drawn-ban-packaging-cut-food-waste.html