TESCO is to switch from ‘use by’ to ‘best before’ dates on more than 30 yoghurt lines in a move it says is to help customers reduce food waste.
The move comes after stats from a survey by WRAP revealed that UK consumers waste 54,000 tonnes of yoghurt a year – with half thrown away in unopened packs – and 70% of packs thrown out due to the product having passed its use by date.
The supermarket explained that ‘best before’ dates are put on foods by retailers as a quality indication to show that, although the food may no longer at its best, it is still fine to eat.
‘Use by’ dates are used when products need to be eaten before the date for safety reasons. Tesco said that a product with a ‘use by’ date must be eaten or frozen by midnight on its ‘use by’ date.
Tesco lead technical manager for Dairy Amy Walker, said, “We know some shoppers may be unclear about the difference between ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ dates on food and this can lead to perfectly edible items being thrown away unnecessarily. We have made the decision to remove ‘Use By’ dates on yoghurts where it is safe to do so, after extensive testing which reveals that the acidity of the product acts as a natural preservative. However consumers should always use their judgement to determine if the quality is acceptable.
“These lines represent a significant proportion of our own brand yoghurts and we hope to phase the change in between now and the end of June.”
The yoghurts include Tesco lines such as Greek Style Yoghurt 500g, Creamfields Greek Style Yoghurt 500g, Creamfields Berry Medley Low Fat Yoghurt 6x125g and Finest Lemon Curd Yoghurt 150g.
Catherine David, director of collaboration & change at WRAP, added, “WRAP welcomes this change from our partner, Tesco, which will help reduce food waste in our homes. Wasting food feeds climate change and costs us money – with the average family spending over £700 year on good food which ends up in the bin.
“Our research shows applying the appropriate date label to products can help reduce the amount of good food that is thrown away. For yogurts, applying a ‘Best before’ date rather than a ‘Use by’ date means that people can use their judgement to eat beyond that date, giving people longer to use what they buy.
“Check out Love Food Hate Waste for tips on how to make the most of the food you buy – for example ensuring your fridge is below 5°C, to keep your food fresher for longer.”
