Quite a bit longer, in fact, regardless of the storage method. The best-before date on bread indicates the length of time the manufacturer considers the product to remain ‘fresh’ (i.e., not stale) and is unrelated to product safety, as denoted by expiry dates on packaged meats. There are really only two factors to consider when deciding if a loaf of bread is fit to eat: 1. Has the bread become too stale to eat? 2. Has mold permeated the loaf to such an extent that you can taste it regardless of where you take a sample? You can usually extend the lifetime of a loaf of bread by freezing or refrigerating it, although it can pick up the taste of foods stored adjacent to it and can become dried out. The plastic bags that bread is sold in are not impermeable. The mold that grows on bread is not hazardous and can be cut away with a knife, so long as it has not permeated the loaf to such an extent so that you cannot avoid tasting it. Breads maintain their food value quite well over time. If a loaf is not hard enough to use in hand-to-hand combat and has not become completely blue-green furry, it can be eaten. Stale bread is used in many recipes, such as French toast and for making croutons. To be honest, I never check the best-before date on a load of bread; instead, I let the product speak for itself. Note that I don’t include in this discussion the freshness of bread that has perishables baked into it, such as fruits and vegetables. Such ingredients can go bad before the bread itself does.