The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department is considering making it mandatory to display a use-by date on all foods.
At present the rules vary for different types of food, with some perishable products requiring a use-by or expiry date while a best-before date is acceptable on others.
A senior official revealed the plan yesterday amid calls for tighter controls after long-expired food products were found for sale this week.
Assistant director for food surveillance and control Thomas Chung Wai-hung said the move would need a change to the law but the department was willing to discuss it with concerned parties.
It is not illegal to sell food past its best-before date unless there is a health risk but it is strictly forbidden to sell food that has expired.
There have been calls for the government to tighten label controls since expired products, many scavenged from refuse-collection sites, were found on sale in Ap Liu Street, Shamshuipo, on Wednesday.