Tesco is Using New Labels on Yogurt to Help Prevent Food Waste

Tesco is taking a step to help prevent food waste by changing the “use by” labels on more than 30 yogurt lines. The new label will say “best before,” allowing customers to make their own judgement on whether to eat a product or not.

According to a survey by food waste prevention group WRAP, UK customers waste 54,000 tons of yogurt a year which makes up 9% of yogurt purchases. Also, that half of all yogurts are thrown away in unopened packs, and 70% are thrown away due to the product having passed its use by date.

The two labels give customers different information without ruling a product inedible right away. ‘Best before’ dates are set by the retailer telling customers that the food is still good to eat but may not be at its best quality anymore. ‘Use by’ labels are to let customers know when to eat something by before it becomes a safety concern. Products must be eaten or frozen before its ‘use by’ date.

“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,” said Amy Walker, Tesco Lead Technical Manager for Dairy.

“We have made the decision to remove ‘Use By’ dates on yogurts 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.”

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