Rant: Food expiry dates

I have a carton of butternut squash soup with an expiry date of 06/DEC/05.

How the heck am I supposed to know if that means December 6, 2005 or December 5, 2006?!

Who designs these things, and why are they not presently languishing in a rat-infested prison cell, where they will remain for the rest of their natural lives while contemplating the idiocy of their expiry dating system?

*shakes head*