Yes, but how much of those herbs and spices are you going to use in 6 months, which is the maximum shelf life of packaged seasonings before their flavor seriously fades? (And how many people go to the trouble of date-stamping the containers they buy?) I frequently purchase only enough herb/spice for a particular dish from a vendor whose wares are consistently fresh. This is, quite frankly, marketing genius on McCormick's part-- too bad their stuff isn't that good.