B&M issues urgent nationwide recall of two infant milk powders: Why “use by” dates on formula matters more than you think

• B&M pulled several Aptamil and Kendamil infant milk products after shoppers spotted items months past their “use by” dates, underscoring that quality lapses can happen anywhere and that retailers themselves emphasize these items “should not have been sold.”
• FDA and USDA guidance stresses that infant formula past their “use by” dates may no longer deliver the precise nutrients listed on the label or flow properly through a baby bottle nipple, meaning it can undermine feeding and safety even if it looks fine.
• Experts explain that “sell by,” “best by” and “use by” dates on general foods are overwhelmingly about quality, not hazards. But expired infant milk formula is the only food category where the stamped “use by” date is a true safety line, not a guess about freshness.
• Misunderstanding confusing labels like “best by” and “use by” dates leads to wasted food on one hand and dangerous assumptions on the other. Infant milk formula is the rare exception where the date is not about flavor but safety.
• Behind each printed date is a promise – from regulators, manufacturers and retailers – that the product is safe. When that promise falters, parents are left to bridge the gap.

The moment you become responsible for feeding a child, food labels take on a whole new kind of gravity. A printed or stamped date that once seemed like a loose suggestion suddenly becomes something you squint at in a dim kitchen light at two in the morning, holding a crying baby in one arm and a can of formula in the other. In that moment, that tiny stamp doesn’t feel like an accessory – it feels like a promise.

That’s why a recent recall by the British retailer B&M rippled so far beyond the aisles where the products were sold. It wasn’t just about expired baby formula found on shelves. It was about trust – who maintains it, who relies on it and what happens when it is shaken.

This fall, B&M issued an urgent nationwide recall after customers discovered cans and cartons of Aptamil and Kendamil milk formulas that were months past their “use by” dates. Some were reportedly almost a year old. The retailer apologized, saying the sale of outdated formula “falls short of one of the high standards we set” and urged parents who purchased the affected products to return them immediately.

A recall like this may seem like a one-off mistake. But it exposes a deeper, more universal truth: Not all expiration dates carry the same weight. And for parents, knowing the difference isn’t just helpful – it’s essential.

Why milk formula dates are in a category of their own

Walk through any grocery store and you’ll find dates everywhere: on bread, canned soup, cereal, deli meats, eggs, fruit juice, milk or yogurt. Most of us have been trained to treat those dates as deadlines. But here’s the twist the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have been quietly repeating for years: Almost all of those dates are about quality, not safety.

Infant formula, however, is the exception – the one item in your kitchen where the date printed on the carton or stamped at the bottom of the can actually has legal force.

Federal regulations require every can of formula sold in the United States to carry a “use by” date and that date is non-negotiable. The USDA explains that until that date, the formula must contain the precise nutrient levels listed on the label and must maintain a consistency that flows through a standard bottle nipple. After the date, that guarantee disappears.

When formula is your baby’s sole or primary source of nutrition, precision matters. That’s why health agencies consistently tell parents: Do not feed infants expired formula – ever.

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) explains that most of the dates printed on everyday foods – “sell by,” “best by” and “use by” – are voluntary guidelines chosen by the manufacturer. They are meant to indicate the period of peak quality, not the moment the food becomes unsafe for consumption.

Food safety experts quoted in multiple parenting and nutrition sources say that if a food is unopened, stored properly and shows no signs of spoilage, it is generally “safe” to eat even after the printed date. Spoilage bacteria announce themselves loudly: discoloration, sour smells, sliminess, mold. When something has gone bad, your senses almost always know before the calendar does.

So why do many people throw away perfectly good food the moment a date expires? Because the terminology is murky. Here’s what the major terms actually mean:

• Sell by date– a store inventory tool, not a consumer safety warning
• Best by/Best before date – the product is at peak flavor or texture by this date; it does not mean unsafe after
• Use by date (for foods other than milk formula) – suggests when quality begins to decline
• Closed or coded dates – strings of letters and numbers manufacturers use for tracking and recalls, not for consumers

The USDA estimates that confusion over these terms is a major contributor to food waste. Knowing the difference not only prevents unnecessary tossing – it also helps families save money.

How mistakes happen – and why parents notice first

What made the B&M recall notable wasn’t just the expired items themselves – it was that they made it all the way to the shelves.

And this is where parents often play an unspoken role in the safety chain. They’re usually the ones who find problems first.

Investigations in Canada and the U.S. uncovered stores in multiple regions selling outdated formula or baby foods. In one Canadian case, expired formula was found in two out of several stores checked. Retailers apologized, as they typically do, and pledged to review their procedures. But parents asked why such products were stocked at all.

It’s a reasonable question. With such high stakes, infant milk formulas seem like the one product where date-checking should be automatic. But stocking errors happen. Staff turnover happens. Busy seasons happen. And sometimes, as one mother voiced in a consumer report, it seems like nobody notices until a parent points it out at the checkout counter, or worse, at home in the middle of the night.

This is why simple, proactive habits – checking dates at the store, scanning cans before use, writing the opening date on lids – matter more than they seem.

The B&M recall of Aptamil and Kendamil milk products pulled back the curtain on a system still shaped by confusing labels, inconsistent regulation and uneven enforcement.

In the U.K., formula discounts are banned to support breastfeeding. In the U.S., some states levy fines against retailers who sell expired baby formula or baby food. Several major retailers have paid significant penalties for violations.

There is no one-size fits-all rule for every product in your kitchen. But a few simple principles can make feeding your babies safer and less stressful”

• Always check “use by” dates in infant formula. It is the one food where the date reflects both nutrition and safety.
• Write the opening date on formula lids, since most formulas must be used within a month of opening.
• Store milk formula in a cool, dry place, away from areas exposed to heat or humidity.
• Use your senses for other foods – if something looks, smells or feels off, skip it.
• Understand that “best by/use by” usually means “quality” – not “unsafe afterward.”

BrightU.AI‘s Enoch notes that parents shouldn’t have to second-guess whether the formula they bought is safe for their child. Understanding what those dates actually mean – and when they matter – gives parents something invaluable: confidence. In the world of infant feeding, dates are not just numbers printed on labels; sometimes, they’re lifelines.

Is it safe to use expired baby formula? Learn more by watching this video.

This video is from the Daily Videos channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

Ask.USDA.gov

FSIS.USDA.gov

FoxNews.com

SheKnows.com

Brighteon.com