Avoid shops where cooked and raw meat is not kept separated. Shop assistants should not handle raw food and then touch cooked food without washing their hands thoroughly in between. Check 'use by' dates . It is illegal for shops to sell food beyond its 'use by' date. Shops may also use 'sell by' or 'display-until' dates, although it is not an offence to sell food past this date.
Egg boxes carry a 'best before' date.
Avoid damaged packages or badly dented tins. Wrap raw meat and poultry well so that it cannot touch other foods while you are carrying it home. Pack chilled and frozen food in a cool bag where possible and get it home into a refrigerator or freezer as quickly as you can.