Around here it is quite common to do with dairy products.

I however choose not to do so quite deliberately. I want to avoid food waste. I just check the date is "good enough". My regular shop has a good enough flow that I usually pick from the front.

Food waste is a trending concern around here. But I think you and I who cares about shelf life belongs to the same minority. The majority has enough other worries and does not spend bandwidth to care as it is usually good enough.

I consider fish a "fresh" item and care more for looks and smell.

Same as with vegetables. But I hate people who prod everything - that is detrimental to the product.

Some dairy products here - milk mainly - moves so fast there's only ever one expiration date available, lol.

But the reason people do this is also food waste. If the food expires at my house it still goes in the garbage, the only difference is I'm also the one that got stuck paying for it. It isn't like there's a discount based on the expiration date.