Dates On Lidl Products

[ask100]

My wife just asked me to check the sell by or best before date on a bag of Lidl sprouts.
It says W3638 on the label which ought to mean the 38th day of week 36 I think. Mad or what?
Anyone know what the W3638 means?

[dannyk13]

Here:-
http://www.cheapeats.ie/2012/10/09/lidl-and-aldis-mysterious-best-before-dates-on-fruit-and-veg/

[ask100]

That doesn't work Danyk13.
There has to be a 0 in the number set.

[fiction-factory]

I think Aldi do the same. I'm not sure why. To hide the dates from us?
But I never see sell by dates on stuff on the market and last week ate some lovely Co-op carrots that were nearly 4 weeks past their date. I go off how they feel/look when I buy them

[fiction-factory]

There was programme on TV a few weeks ago that explained the formula- someone may remember the name/formula. I think that was Aldi but it may be the same formula

[Old_Geezer]

Perhaps you're looking at the supplier number ?

[Tilly2]

Our local Lidl has a delivery everyday, around 3.30 pm. I shop there at around 5.00 pm and choose the newly delivered stuff, which they are still putting out.

I don't bother with the dates. I know it's freshly delivered.

[ask100]

Dannyk13 gave the site that you can check the code by but it doesn't apply if the last two numbers don't begin with a zero as that is supposed to be the day of the week. The first two numbers are the Week number.
http://www.cheapeats.ie/2012/10/09/lidl-and-aldis-mysterious-best-before-dates-on-fruit-and-veg/