To have returned these hot cross buns?

[Flossyfloof]

Nipped in to M and S earlier and bought some hot cross buns. Once I got them hone I realised that the packaging said "best before 6 March ", which I took to mean that they were past their best. I rang the store and asked if I could return them as they are to have for breakfast with visitors. The chap I spoke to was very helpful but explained that M and S use sell by dates and not best before dates and that these buns would have been reduced later today, that was why they were still on the shelves. I asked if it didn't mean that they were past their best And he talked again about sell by not best before and said "but you want a longer date and that's very understandable" I woukd happily have eaten then had I bought them a few days ago but AIBU in thinking that best before doesn't mean sell by? We all know the dates are a bit rubbish anyway ...

There's a big margin built in - they should be fine. Have you actually tried them?

You bought them on 6 March, they are dated 6 March. YABU, check the bloody dates before you leave the shop.

Best before X is normally taken to be Best before end of X , so a shop may discount them at some point during X or may not.
Buyer beware, and look at the dates on anything you don't plan to eat same day.

That said, its Best before date not a "use by" date. buns will be fine tomorrow and probably the day after as well they have that many preservatives in them.

Yabu. They were in date when you bought them.

Yabu they in date when you bought them. I buy them (ok reduced..morrisons) and freeze them.

But there's nothing wrong with them. The dates is there for customers to read and make a decision on buying, it's annoying but M&S haven't done anything wrong. They will be fine in the morning, they don't just turn stale overnight.

But they didn't say best before end of..! I am not bu!!
I definitely should have checked the date though, stupid not to.

You mean there isn't a small fanfare, streamers and a puff of smoke at midnight as food suddenly goes off?
I feel lied to!

I bought some yesterday and they are vile. Have you seen the ingredients list at the back?? Why the hell do they need Palm Oil inside them?

Sisters I don't know, I destroy all food three days before the date. You can't be too careful.
I hope you haven't bloody thrown them away, Lady S. Chuck them this way, doesn't matter about the date. Mine are toffee fudge and chocolate, yum yum.

I ate 2 and they left a bad taste in my mouth (could have been the palm oil). Seriously, food does not need this amount of shit in it.

I didn't look at the ingredients, I was too busy not looking at the date.

I expect they will still be hot and cross.

If you have them for breakfast and they turn out to be tepid and apathetic - that is the time to fire off a strongly worded email to Malcolm in customer services.

Toast them if they are a bit stale

best before, not use by, and even then you would be U. Best before means for optimum flavour, nothing to do with safety. I have some of them that say best before a week ago, they are fine, we'll toast them in the morning. You're being daft.

Yabu.

Also what is the point in posting in AIBU to then say "I am not bu!!"

So Yabu x2

You are eating hot cross buns before Easter. I have a feeling that you are going to be struck down and best before dates are the least of your worries. Btw if the packaging does indeed say the words best before then said M and S man is talking through his arse, pardon my wine induced obscenity.

You destroy all food three days before the date

As in, you won't eat anything with a BBE of less than three days in the future?

Fox I think op was taking the piss in response to my exploding foods comment
Have to say though, it's gone midnight and I haven't heard my milk explode yet.

sell by = sell it on by this date, then they will be ok to eat over next day (or longer depending on product

best before = tastes best before end of this date, but can be used afterwards (eg bread may be a little dry, but fine to eat, ie it won't be at its best after that date)

use by = you should use by the end of this date and after that you should not use. (unless you are me and go by the smell and gut instinct test )

They are actually very defined terms.

op you ARE GOING TO DIE OF HOT CROSS BUNS

"Tepid, apathetic buns" PelvicFloor
Love it, I'm off to bakers now to buy some

Any update OP? Did they self destruct at midnight?

Toffee fudge and chocolate?

As in buns. Without any of the shitty peel and dubious currants that make hot cross buns taste of concentrated horrid? Interesting.

I eat a lot of hot x buns and would not have been happy with these, and in a rush I would not expect to be able to pick up something that should have been sold the day before. (Although surely everyone knows you pull out the buns right at the back), They would taste dry and stale on the 7th. Yanbu.