[CookieMom50]

I know there was a very recent discussion about suncare product expiration dates and that's why I was curious about the Coppertone Water Babies Sunblock Stick that I bought recently, like many of us of did, for this week's get $10ECB deal. Especially since the packaging looked a bit beat up and bendy..

I tried figuring out the expiration date online, using the code on the bottom of the tube, but I found conflicting or not enough information, so I called the Coppertone customer service people directly.

They said that the first number is the year the product was made --- for instance, my code of 7C02VF, means my sunblock stick was manufactured in 2007. The C stands for which month, in my case, March. So while it's not expired yet, I know that it will only be effective for another two years of the three years that suncare products work. One of the sticks I bought was manufactured in 2006, so that one only has a year left on it --- hmmmm --- that one will definitely get exchanged once CVS has them in stock again. I'm not sure that I want to settle for only 2 of the 3 years on the other sticks either.

The Coppertone lady said that newer suncare products have the actual expiration date listed, not just a code --- that's good!

Interestingly enough, I noticed that the same sunblock sticks at WalMart have a 2008 code date on them --- well, that's annoying. Looks like CVS just doesn't sell enough of this stuff to offer new ones every year --- thought I'd share........

[AdamsMom]

Yeah, that's probably one of their incentives for the great ECB deals... to get rid of stuff. I mean, look at how many people have complained about their clearanced candy and such being expired already. I actually noticed the Starbursts I bought last month on clearance expired in March. Yuck. I guess you get what you pay - or don't pay - for!

[Tamana812]

Thanks for the info! I was too trying to look for the expiration date. I got one 2006 & one 2007. I guess my baby will use the 2006 first.

[Faith1]

I wonder how true that is because mine has a 7 and an M. What month is M?

[Mom2ThreeLovesCVS]

I'm really not surprised about this, it's just another perk of shopping a CVS!

[BaileyandAbby]

Thanks for the info. I was wondering the same thing because my store had 2 sticks left, but, one of the packages was noticabley older than the other one. It was faded and bent. Anyway, with a family history of skin cancer, I decided not to buy them. I'm all for a good deal, but not at the risk of my family's safety.
I agree with what you said about walmart, they sell a lot more of that type of product than cvs does and therefore have a better chance of having newer product.
Anyway, thanks for the info!!

[CookieMom50]

Originally Posted by Faith1

I wonder how true that is because mine has a 7 and an M. What month is M?

Good question!!! One of the sites that I did find some information on says that M = October! It works the way we would think for C=March and then not all the letters are used in order after that. who knows?!?!?

[SoccerMama]

Originally Posted by BaileyandAbby

Thanks for the info. I was wondering the same thing because my store had 2 sticks left, but, one of the packages was noticabley older than the other one. It was faded and bent. Anyway, with a family history of skin cancer, I decided not to buy them. I'm all for a good deal, but not at the risk of my family's safety.
I agree with what you said about walmart, they sell a lot more of that type of product than cvs does and therefore have a better chance of having newer product.
Anyway, thanks for the info!!

I had the SAME experience at my store-2 old looking sticks on the shelf. I passed on it too. I mean outdated sunblock-what's the point?

[neesie03]

Thanks I was wondering about the exp dates. Based on that info, I have one that was made in 2004

[purplecow76]

what would P be? mine is 7p12vf my other is march 2008 so that one is ok

nikki

[_rori]

i have three that are 8C, so i guess that's march 2008 and one that says 7C...so that's march 2007.

sunscreen only last about 3 years...?

[Faith1]

Originally Posted by CookieMom50

Good question!!! One of the sites that I did find some information on says that M = October! It works the way we would think for C=March and then not all the letters are used in order after that. who knows?!?!?

I was going by the "c = March" thinking and thought Hmmm... M would be the 13th month??? I'm not sure what their thinking is on this. Makes no sense to me. If they leave out some letters, we still don't know what the letters would mean.

But, I appreciate you sharing the info they gave you. Thanks.

[Faith1]

Originally Posted by purplecow76

what would P be? mine is 7p12vf my other is march 2008 so that one is ok

nikki

That would be the 16th month of the year. LOL Who knows...???

[purplecow76]

LOL yeah i am a little confused on that too maybe i should call

P=16th month hmmmm


nikki

[CookieMom50]

Originally Posted by purplecow76

what would P be? mine is 7p12vf my other is march 2008 so that one is ok

nikki

Yeah, I know it doesn't make sense, but........... P = December. I'm getting this from U.S. Pharmacist magazine/journal. The Coppertone lady also told me that the letter = the month it was manufactured, but mine was easy --- C = March --- and I didn't even realize all the other letter and month match-ups were so wacky, until people started asking here! Weird!

[CookieMom50]

A=January
B=February
C=March
D=April
E=May
G=June
H=July
J=August
K=September
M=October
N=November
P=December