1/3 of food waste in households is linked to date labelling on foodstuffs

With great interest we have responded to the invitation to participate in research being conducted by the European Commission “on date marking and other information provided on food labels and food waste prevention”.

It is estimated that a significant proportion (from 15% to 33%, depending on the study) of food waste in households could be associated with date marking on foodstuffs. This is, among other things, due to misunderstanding of the meaning of dates found on food labels. The practices and approach followed by the food companies, as well as the regulatory/supervisory authorities in the distribution chain also have an impact on the phenomenon of food waste.

As part of the study launched by the European Commission, consultations are being conducted with food companies, Member States' competent authorities (ministries, regulatory authorities), and other interested parties at European Union level. This was preceded by the pan-European quantitative consumer research to assess the attitude of citizens towards the phenomenon of wasting food, as well as the level of understanding of date marking on food products.

The research findings in Greece are of particular interest, as a large percentage of citizens face both “use by” and “best before” dates indiscriminately. In fact, the percentage in Greece of those who would throw away a food item after the date of minimum durability (“best before”), regardless if the food item appears safe, is twice the corresponding European average.

It should be noted that “use by” dates appear on perishable food and informs us about food safety, while “best before” dates appear on non-perishable food and is associated with quality characteristics. It's safe, if properly stored, for a foodstuff to be consumed for a certain time after the indicated date, but it may no longer have the optimal quality (e.g. texture, aroma).

The European Commission is seeking possible solutions to simplify date marking on foodstuffs, such as a possible replacement of the terminology ‘best before’ with a more understandable term, extending the list of foods which are exempt from the obligation to include a "best before" date in food labelling, as defined in European legislation. Currently this list includes foods such as sugar, vinegar and salt.

The results of the survey, in which Boroume gladly participated, will support the solutions that will qualify when formulating policy at European Union level in relation to date marking and food waste prevention.

Boroume’s team will continue to contribute through information and educational activities of the organization in informing the general public and students respectively, to avoid wasting food that is safe.