Also called: Expiry date · Remaining shelf life · RSL
Many medical consumables, sterile products, adhesives and some coated textiles have a limited shelf life: after the expiry date the manufacturer no longer guarantees sterility or performance. Shelf life always assumes storage conditions — temperature range, humidity, protection from light — printed on the label or in the instructions.
In procurement, the key figure is the minimum remaining shelf life at delivery, stated either as a period (for example months) or as a share of the total shelf life. State it per item in the request, together with the storage conditions in the field, because items with short shelf lives may need to be delivered or replaced separately from the rest of the kit.
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