Be smarter with 'best before dates' to start saving more and wasting less

People are being encouraged to start saving their pennies by wasting less food that's perfectly safe to eat but ends up in the bin because of confusion with date labelling.

New Central Government guidance to shops has been rolled out to assist consumers in a bid to cut food waste. Around 5.3 million tonnes of perfectly edible food is thrown away each year costing the average UK household £680*.

To help Worcestershire residents buck this trend the council's Waste Prevention Team is backing the Love Food Hate Waste campaign and are spreading the word about best before, use-by and sell-by date labelling.

Many people think that once food has past its 'best before' date it is no longer safe to eat, when it really means it's perfectly fine but will no longer be at its best. These labels usually appear on longer shelf-life goods, such as frozen, tinned or dried foods, referring to quality rather than safety. The one exception is with eggs, which should never be eaten after the 'best before' date.

When it comes to safety the key information for shoppers is the 'use-by' date. These are usually found on chilled products such as cooked meats, soft cheeses and dairy-based desserts. Never eat products after the 'use-by' date and always observe storage instructions.

Finally, date marks such as 'display until' or sell-by' are used in some shops but the information is there to help staff with stock control and not for shoppers.

Viktoria Salisbury, Worcestershire County Council Senior Waste Prevention Officer, said: "Many people get confused by the date labels shown on foods and this often leads to unnecessary food waste. By being clear about what the dates mean we can all reduce the amount of food that ends up in the bin.

"The things to remember are that 'use by' dates are key as they relate to food safety. Foods should never be eaten after the 'use by' date.

"Best before dates are about food quality, it should be safe to eat food after the 'best before' date, but it may no longer be at its best. The one exception is eggs which shouldn't be used after the best before date."

Information on making food go further, which in turn could keep more money in the pockets of Worcestershire residents, can be found at www.lovefoodhatewaste.com   

*WRAP, Household Food and Drink Waste in the UK, November 2009