Drink 7 to 10 days after opening?
Is this label telling the consumer that it is best to consume the drink 7 to 10 days after opening it?
I know what they are getting at, but I feel like it should say "Best if consumed within 7 to 10 days of opening". Is my suspicion correct?
This is what I perceive like the label is really saying
|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
(Opened) (Best consumed here)
No. You are wilfully parsing it as though "7 - 10 day" is an interval to which within applies. But within does not take an implicit interval like that. You could say "within the period 7 - 10 days", but that's the only way I can see to get the meaning you want.
Which leaves the alternative (and clearly intended) parsing within x days after opening, where x is specified loosely.
The "Within" portion of the phrase is intended to eliminate the interpretation that you are trying to impose on it.
opened
0---1---2---3---4---5---6---7---8---9---10
(within 7 days .............)
(within 10 days .........................)
(within 7-10 days ..........?????????????)
The extended portion of the range covered by .
is definitely good; the portion covered by ?
is probably good, but not guaranteed.
The "after opening" is probably there to frustrate the pedants who would insist that "within 7-10 days of opening" includes a total of 14-20 days:
open
10--9--8--7--6--5--4--3--2--1--0--1--2--3--4--5--6--7--8--9--10
(within 7 days of ........................)
(within 7 days after )