Understanding Best Before Date Coding
Best before date coding is the process of applying a printed best before date to food and drink products at the point of production, packing, or display. It is a legal requirement under UK food labelling regulations for most pre-packed food products, and is widely used in food retail, delicatessens, bakeries, farm shops, butchers, and food production environments. A date coding gun applies a printed date label directly to the product or its packaging quickly and consistently, replacing handwritten dates and reducing the risk of labelling errors.
Pre-Printed Best Before Labels
Pre-printed labels carry the wording "Best Before", "Best Before End", or "Best Before/Batch No." already printed on the label, leaving only the date itself to be stamped by the gun. This removes any ambiguity about what the printed date refers to and presents a clean, professional result. Labels are available in CT1 (22×12mm), CT4 (26×12mm), and CT7 (26×16mm) sizes to suit the most common date coding gun models. CT7 labels are available in three pre-printed variants "Best Before", "Best Before End", and "Best Before/Batch No.", providing flexibility for businesses that need to print batch codes alongside dates.
1-Line Date Coding Guns and Starter Packs
Single-line date coding guns print one row of characters, typically used to stamp a date in formats such as DD/MM/YY or DDMMYY. The Motex 2612 and Lynx C-6 and C-10D are 1-line models available as standalone guns or as starter packs with pre-printed label stock included. The Lynx Lite DBS10 is a compact 1-line starter pack option suited to lower-volume environments. The Motex MX-5500 8-band punch hole model offers an alternative format for businesses requiring a specific label style. All 1-line starter packs include pre-printed "Best Before" label stock as standard.
2-Line Date Coding Guns and Starter Packs
Two-line date coding guns print two rows of information on a single label, allowing businesses to show both a best before date and a batch number, a production date alongside a best before date, or other combinations of date and reference information on one label. The Motex 2616, Lynx Lite DBC20, and Lynx Lite DBS16 are 2-line models available as starter packs with pre-printed label stock. Two-line guns are particularly suited to food production and wholesale environments where traceability information is required alongside the consumer-facing best before date.
Monarch Date Coding Labels and Starter Packs
For businesses already using Monarch 1131 or 1136 price guns, pre-printed best before labels in the Monarch format are available individually or as part of a complete starter pack. Monarch 1131 and 1136 best before labels include two free ink rollers with every pack of eight rolls, making them a cost-effective ongoing consumable for established Monarch users.
Why Choose Price Gun Land?
We supply best before date coding guns and labels alongside a full range of pre-printed labels, price gun labels, and ink rollers, so you can source your date coding equipment and consumables from a single UK supplier. All orders placed before 4pm qualify for free next day delivery.