Tesco is switching from ‘use by’ to ‘best before’ dates on more than 30 of its own-label yogurt lines as part of moves to help its customers reduce their food waste.
Latest stats from a survey by food waste prevention group WRAP reveal that UK consumers waste 54,000 tonnes of yogurt a year, equal to 9% of purchases, due to the product passing its ‘use by’ date. Tesco stated that the labelling change would enable customers to use their own judgement on whether to eat a product.
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 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.
“These lines represent a significant proportion of our own brand yogurts and we hope to phase the change in between now and the end of June.”
The yoghurts include popular Tesco lines such as Greek Style Yogurt 500g, Creamfields Greek Style Yogurt 500g, Creamfields Berry Medley Low Fat Yogurt 6x125g and Finest Lemon Curd Yogurt 150g.
Asda removed ‘use by’ dates from over half of its own-label yogurts earlier this year, whilst brands such as Arla have also transitioned to ‘best before’ labelling.
NAM Implications:
- How long before we can be trusted to rely on the ‘smell test’ of yesteryear?
- And remove the need for earlier warnings.
- And not just on yogurt?
