Milk Dating Regulations: Their Effect on Milk Distribution and Merchandising Practices

Excerpts from the report Introduction: The dairy industry and consumers of milk in certain areas of the United States are affected by local regulations which require the day of the week to be shown on the milk bottle cap or container. In some of these cities, milk dealers, producer organizations, and some health authorities have sought to have the regulation abolished, but these efforts have been resisted by consumers and labor groups. The issue is complex. Freshness and high sanitary quality are important to consumers, and milk producers and distributors cater to this desire in order to sell as much milk as possible. But milk producers and distributors are acutely conscious of the costs incurred. An important problem for legislators, municipal or other, is to balance costs against benefits in such cases. This study was made to provide information only on costs and cost factors involved in milk dating regulations. It is part of a broad program of research designed to reduce the cost of marketing farm products.