The pellets should still work to some degree, but not like new. The chemicals loose their potency over time, but not all at once - just like everything else.

Well I'm amazed - I've got some slug pellets I must have had at least 8 years in the cupboard, still use them occasionally, they still work, and there's no use by date on them at all. I had no idea they had a use by date on these days, never looked. Though its fair to say that chemicals generally degrade over time, the same way medicines do. I'd use 'em anyway, you'll know if they're still working or not after a few days.

Almost certainly. I have slug pellets which are several years old and they still work. No Use By date on them that I can see, so I assume they'll be potent for a long time.

no use by date on mine either.

Never heard of that before. Our slug pellets are pretty ancient also.

As I mentioned, the pellets won't suddenly stop working at 12 mid night on the 'expiration date' but that's about when they start declining. It's a scientific fact whether you agree with it or not. Everything decomposes to it's basic elements over time. It also serves as a disclaimer for those shady lawyers out there. :)

Is it an expiry date, a use by date, or a best before date, Smurfit 44? And we are talking about metaldehyde pellets, aren't we, not some 'organic' alternative?

I shall await your response, Smurfitt 44....

I thought it was to good to be true.

Mine are ancient and still work. Anyway the easiest way to find out is to put some down and see if they do.

I have a huge box at least 3 years old. I only use when my hostas come up. I never even checked for a date, but have never seen slugs and never gave it a second thought. I think I paid $5.00/box.

I have some that are donkeys years old as well, these flipping sell by dates/ use by/ and expiration dates are a curse sometimes, they cause people to waste so much and also of course spend more money buying new all the time.
I will continue using mine until I find the snails aren't pegging out and just slithering over the top, slugs I never worry about, rarely see any, my frogs are well fed...

Lincsclass - I used to have a pet turtle (red ear slider). He would run around the garden gobbling up every slug, worm & snail like it was Christmas. Then one day he disappeared and I overheard my neighbor bragging about her turtle soup she made. She was from the Deep South (Alabama, Louisiana somewhere) I'm pretty sure that was Tommy.

Well, I just wanna check Smurfitt does actually mean metaldehyde pellets - lots of the 'organic' type ones don't keep long and do have a use by or expiry date, because they do become inactive...

And Kenny, yes, it was too good to be true, indeed, pain in the arse, ain't it... not that I ever believed anything would change anyway, not all the time I've got a pulse and do anything on here....

Do any of the organic ones actually work, I only tried them once cannot remember the brand name though, I swear my snails loved them and were laughing at me as they wandered merrily over the top....

The iron phosphate based ones work, in my experience. In some circumstances, even better than the metaldehyde ones do. Metaldehyde deteriorates in high temperatures and/or humidity, but I have never heard of a company that puts an expiration date on the box. A few manufacturers put manufacture dates on their packaging, and that's often mistaken for a "sell by" date.

I use iron phosphate based organic pellets and they work a treat. I hide them under rocks all round the garden.

Thankyou Tugbrethi and Littlenic999....