In developed countries, the majority of food waste occurs at home. A significant factor contributing to this waste is the confusion surrounding ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ labels, as revealed by consumer research. According to Eurobarometer research, 53% of consumers are unaware of the meaning behind ‘best before’ labeling, while 60% are unfamiliar with the meaning of ‘use by’ labeling.
A recent study from the US challenges the notion that consumers are primarily concerned with label phrases rather than the actual date. The researchers used eye-tracking technology to examine whether consumer decisions to discard food were driven by the label phrase or the date stamped on the container. To conduct their study, the researchers focused on milk, as it represents a significant portion (12%) of food wasted by US consumers. They presented different milk bottles to 68 participants, both physically and digitally, each with various dates and label phrases, including ‘sell by,’ ‘best if used by,’ and ‘use by.’
The results revealed that 50% of participants intended to discard the milk based solely on the date without paying attention to the label phrase. The participants looked at the date more frequently and 44% faster than the label phrase. This finding aligns with previous studies that highlight the importance of the date rather than the phrase in influencing food waste behaviors.
Professor Brian Roe from The Ohio State University, one of the study authors, emphasized that the date is the most salient piece of information on the label. He suggests that extending the date horizons could be an effective strategy in minimizing food waste. While he acknowledges the need for a simplified two-phrase system, he emphasizes the importance of pushing the date further out to encourage consumers to utilize food for longer periods and reduce waste.
In the UK, retailers have already taken steps to address the issue of ‘best before’ dates for fresh produce. M&S plans to remove dates from over 300 fruit and vegetable products, replacing them with a code to ensure freshness and quality. Co-op has also removed date labels from select fresh produce lines and replaced ‘use by’ dates with ‘best before’ dates on its own-brand yogurts. Similarly, Morrisons encourages consumers to use the sniff test to determine the freshness of its own-brand milk.
Overall, it is clear that date labeling plays a significant role in consumer decision-making regarding food waste. While efforts to rephrase labels have been made, the focus should be on extending the date horizons to reduce wastage. By encouraging consumers to consider the actual date and ensuring the quality and safety of food, we can make substantial progress in combating food waste.
Source: ‘When considering whether to waste food, consumers focus attention on food label dates rather than phrases’ from Waste Management, published online on June 12. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2023.06.006. Authors: Aishwarya Badiger, Talia Katz, Christopher T. Simons, Brian E. Roe.
