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Work out how long a cosmetic is good for after opening from its open-jar (PAO) symbol, and understand best-before dates and batch codes as set by EU Regulation 1223/2009.
What the symbol looks like
Illustration of the open-jar symbol described in Annex VII of the regulation.
What the regulation says
- Date of minimum durability: required for products lasting 30 months or less (Art. 19(1)(c)).
- Period after opening: for products lasting more than 30 months, shown with the open-jar symbol plus months or years.
- Batch number or reference: mandatory to identify the product (Art. 19(1)(d)); the format is the manufacturer's own.
Methodology
The calculator adds the months to your opening date and compares with the best-before date if you enter one. It does not read batch codes or guess production dates.
Left out
Brand-by-brand batch-code decoding: we found no official brand source explaining their formats, and unofficial decoders are unverified, so we left them out.
Sources
- EUR-Lex: Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (2026-10-22)
- legislation.gov.uk: Article 19 (2026-10-22)
- legislation.gov.uk: Annex VII (symbols) (2026-10-22)
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FAQ
What does 12M mean?
An open jar with 12M means the product stays safe and usable for 12 months after opening, under Article 19 of EU Regulation 1223/2009.
Is there a universal batch-code decoder?
No. The regulation requires a batch number or reference identifying the product, but each manufacturer encodes it differently. To learn the production date, contact the brand with the code. That is why we offer no decoder.
When is there a date instead of the jar symbol?
Under the regulation, products with a minimum durability of 30 months or less must show a best-before date; above 30 months the period-after-opening symbol is used.