Soccer: New England strips to carry sell-by dates
Replica England football shirts are to be the first to carry 'sell-by' dates to make sure styles stay the same for two years.
An expiry tag will be sewn into the new shirts when Umbro launches the new national team kit on February 26.
It follows complaints that supporters were being ripped off by clubs changing strips each season.
The kits will hit the shops on April 23 and will not be replaced until April 23, 2003.
Premier and Football League teams are likely to follow suit.
An Umbro spokesman said: "We think it's great news for fans. They can be certain what they are buying. By looking at the expiry date tag, they will know when the strip was launched and when it will be replaced".
A spokeswoman for the National Consumer Council said: "We thoroughly support the idea of an expiry date. It means fans know where they stand".
