yes it is wastefulI've not rested for 10 days, 6 at most and that was because he got stuck at the back of the fridge and he didn't get found until two days later.
This sell by/eat by dating system is so wastefull. Apart from discouraging people to re-remember by smell touch and colour that something is going off, so much food is still fine to eat way past the sell by date and a lot of that just gets thrown away.
My cousin will toss sell by items. I have sent and told her numerous times that it's just for store use and doesn't mean expired. ...and expired is a cya, it's still good in most cases.
My store will sell things 50% off a day or so before the sell by date. If its something I'll use I buy it so it doesn't go to waste.