Examine the Print Quality
The first and most obvious clue can often be found in how the date itself is printed. Genuine manufacturers use high-quality, automated printing processes that result in clean, uniform, and clear text. Scammers, on the other hand, often use cruder methods.
Look closely at the manufacturing and expiry date information. If the ink appears smudged, unusually thick, uneven, or scratched, it’s a major red flag. Sometimes, chemicals are used to erase the original date, which can leave faint marks or discoloration on the packaging material around the new, fraudulent date. Gently rubbing the date with a dry finger can also be revealing; a poorly printed fake date might smudge or leave ink residue, which is a tell-tale sign of tampering.
Check for Suspicious Stickers
One of the most common methods used to fake an expiry date is simply to cover the original one. Be extremely cautious if you see a sticker placed directly over the area where the manufacturing or expiry date is typically printed. While some small brands might use stickers for batch coding, fraudsters use them to hide an expired date with a new, much later one. Try to look at the edges of the sticker. Can you see any part of the original printing underneath? Does the sticker look like it was placed hastily or imprecisely? If you can, compare it to another packet of the same product on the shelf. If one has a sticker and the other has a cleanly printed date, it is safer to trust the printed version and leave the stickered one behind.
Inspect the Overall Packaging
A fake expiry date often sits on a package that gives away the product's true age. Step back and look at the entire packet, not just the date. Does the packaging look old, faded, dirty, or damaged, yet the expiry date is months or years in the future? This mismatch is a strong indicator that something is wrong. Check for broken seals, punctures, tears, or signs of leakage. Also, look for inconsistencies in the labelling itself. If the font, ink colour, or alignment of the expiry date looks different from the rest of the product information, such as the brand name or ingredients list, it suggests the date may have been added separately and much later. Trust your instincts; if the packet looks old and worn out, the 'fresh' date is likely not to be trusted.
Compare with Other Products
When in doubt, use the other products on the shelf for comparison. Pick up a few identical items and check their manufacturing and expiry dates. Most products in a single case or shipment will have the same or very similar date information. If you find a packet with a date that is wildly different from the others, it warrants suspicion. Pay attention to the batch or lot number, which is required by FSSAI regulations. Products from the same batch should logically have the same expiry date. If you notice the batch numbers are the same across several packets but one has a different expiry date, it's a strong sign that one of them has been altered. An inconsistent date is a warning sign to avoid that particular item.
Trust the Product, Not Just the Label
Ultimately, the printed date is just one piece of information. The condition of the food inside is the final word on its safety. Even if the date looks fine, always inspect the product itself upon opening. Do not consume anything that has an unusual odour, is discoloured, or has a strange texture. If a can is bulging or a sealed packet is swollen, it indicates bacterial growth inside, and the product is unsafe regardless of the expiry date. For dairy products or juices, if they spurt liquid or foam when opened, they have likely spoiled. When it comes to food safety, your senses are your best defence. If something seems off about the smell, look, or feel of a product, it’s always better to be safe and discard it.
