Unclarity confusion and expiration date labels in the United States: A consumer perspective

This paper discusses findings from a qualitative study about the role played by unclarity confusion related to expiration dates in the purchase of perishable grocery products from the perspective of consumers in the United States. Participants emphasized that expiration dates provide important point-of-purchase information that facilitates consumer decision-making at the shelf when tasting or smelling the product for freshness is not an option. Issues related to understanding the meaning of expiration dates, confusion caused by varying formats and how this confusion produces affective, cognitive, and behavioral consequences are also highlighted. Based on these findings, this paper presents a conceptual framework explicating the role of unclarity confusion surrounding expiration dates on the consumers’ path to purchasing perishable grocery products. We expect that our findings and proposed framework will allow for more exploration of the use of expiration dates, highlight the consequences faced because of unclarity confusion caused by expiration dates, and call attention to opportunities for retailers and manufacturers to play a larger role in ensuring consumers can make better informed decisions at the grocery shelf.