THE removal of best before dates on the packaging of a raft of Sainsbury’s fresh produce could save up to 17 million food products going to waste a year, the supermarket has said.
Pears, onions, tomatoes, and citrus fruit are amongst 100 product lines now being sold without best before dates, with a further 130 products set to follow.
It builds on Sainsbury’s having already removed dates from 1,500 lines including pineapples, pumpkins, apples, and indoor plants in recent years.
A message of ‘no date helps reduce waste’ will appear on the packaging of products where label changes will come into play.
The supermarket said that the changes could see UK households save 11,000 tonnes of food each year, which it said is the equivalent of 17 million products. A message of ‘no date helps reduce waste’ will appear on the packaging.
A recent report from WRAP revealed that removing date labels from the most wasted fresh produce items such as, broccoli, apples, potatoes, and cucumber, has the potential to cut annual household food waste by 50,000 tonnes.
Additionally, Sainsbury’s said it will also switch all use b’ dates on own-brand yoghurts to best before dates by the end of this year in a move which it said will affect 46 product lines.
It comes following research from WRAP revealing that 54,000 tonnes of yoghurt is wasted a year. For 70% of this waste, the date label was cited as the reasons for throwing it away. Related to this, around half of all yoghurt thrown away in homes is in unopened packs.
Kate Stein, director of technical at Sainsbury’s, said, “We know that around a third of all food produced for human consumption is either lost or wasted and food waste is one of the leading contributors of carbon emissions, accounting for a staggering 8-10% of GHG emissions globally, which is why we’re committed to helping customers reduce waste at home. We also know that by avoiding unnecessary waste, we can help our customers save money by making their food shop last longer.
“The changes that we’re announcing today will do just that, giving customers more autonomy to make their own decisions on whether their food is good to eat, and preventing them from disposing of food too early. With changes like these, together, we can all play our part in tackling the climate crisis and protecting the planet for generations to come.”
Catherine David, director of collaboration and change at WRAP, added, “WRAP is thrilled to see these changes on fruit, veg and yogurts to help tackle food waste in our homes. Wasting food feeds climate change and costs us money.
“The right date label, or no date label, has a big influence on what we use and what we throw away. For fruit and veg, date labels are unnecessary and our research has shown that removing them can save the equivalent of seven million shopping baskets’ worth from our household bins a year. With yogurts, applying a best before date rather than a use by date means that people can use their judgement to eat beyond that date. Storing most fruit and veg and all yoghurt products in the fridge, below 5 degrees, will keep them fresher longer.
“We call on more retailers to make these changes. The average family in the UK throws away £700 worth of food a year – check out Love Food Hate Waste for tips on how to reduce food waste, save money and fight climate change.”
