Expiration Dates

I just went to grab something out of our spare fridge, and noticed that I have a half of a case of Trix yogurt out there.  And it expires next week.  I guess we bought it on our last BJ's run, but really, how much yogurt can we force our kids to eat?  Especially since we have Halloween candy being rationed out, and now birthday cake leftovers....and soon to have Thanksgiving goodies.  I hate buying things in bulk, and then wasting half of it because you can't eat it fast enough.

Speaking of expiration dates though.....my mind is boggled by the "Best by..." stamp on so many items that I wasn't aware ever expired.  I understand food products.  I am petrified of salmonella, botulism, and even freezer burn.  So, we follow those dates pretty closely.  But soda and water expire now.  What's up with that?  Maybe soda goes flat, but what's the deal with water?  What could possibly happen to bottled water?  I just loaded my dishwasher and noticed an expiration date on the detergent bottle.  Really?  Soap goes bad?  

Is this all a marketing ploy?  So that, if you buy in bulk, and can't use up your detergent fast enough, you'll notice that expiration date and buy more anyway?  Maybe, after that date, it won't clean the salmonella germs off of the cutting board I used when I cut up my raw chicken!