Germany Introduces Best-Before Dates for Beer

On December 22, 1981, Germany introduced the requirement to print a Mindesthaltbarkeitsdatum, or best-before date, on beer packaging. The measure formed part of a broader system of food-labeling rules intended to give consumers clearer information about the period during which packaged foods would retain their expected quality. The Mindesthaltbarkeitsdatum identifies the date until which the manufacturer guarantees that an unopened product, when stored continuously under the appropriate conditions, will retain its characteristic properties, including its smell, taste, and nutritional value. It is therefore a statement about expected quality rather than an expiration date: beer does not automatically become unsafe or undrinkable once the date has passed, although its aroma, flavor, appearance, or stability may gradually change as it ages.