If anything it's more of a quality control thing.
It's the difference between "I bought frozen peas that expire in 6 months and they're all freezer burned - I want a refund!" And "the frozen peas I forgot about that expired 2 years ago are freezer burned - I want a refund!" One of them is more likely to get their money back than the other.
Also the quality of certain canned foods deteriorates after a time. Some things get mushy or the color changes weirdly that make it unappetizing, so dates can be a good reference. That said, I've been utilizing food banks for the last 25+ years. Expiration dates don't scare me, but they do inform.
I'm 53 and have been questioning it for a few years. I just have to make that doctor's appointment to ask about it . That's my goal for next week. It was also my goal last week, last month, and the last couple years... one day/week at a time.
After my morning coffee everything sounds like a great idea, but it's too early in the morning to do anything about it because that window of time is designated peaceful quiet moment before I have to work. I'll just do it this afternoon after work...