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January 05, 2024 3 min read
Welcome back, Legends! Today's story is about tackling the perplexing matter of "best-before" and "used-by" labels on fresh produce... A topic we love eco-nerding out about!
Did you know that the average Australian family discards roughly $2500 a year's worth of food, yikes! Let's dive in and learn the difference in expiry dates, what we can do, and the coming change!🤞
Imagine a fruit store overflowing with juicy strawberries, plump grapes, and vibrant greens, only to witness a large chunk of it waltz straight into the compost bin, because of its "best before" dates. This absurd scenario isn't far from reality. Every year, millions of tons of food are tossed in landfills, not because they're rotten or inedible, but simply because they've crossed an arbitrary line on a label: the expiry date.
The story of expiry dates and food waste is far more complex than simply tossing out spoiled food. It's a mix of misinformation, consumer confusion, and a delicate dance between safety and sustainability. Let's peel back the label and delve into the lesser-known facts about expiry dates and their surprising contribution to global food waste.
First, let's clear the air: not all expiry dates are equal. The two most common types are "use-by" and "best-before."
But here's the twist: the environmental impact of expiry dates goes beyond just wasted food. The resources used to grow, transport, and process that food are also squandered. Imagine the water wasted on irrigation, the fuel burned in transportation, and the greenhouse gases emitted – all for food that never reaches our plates. No, thank you!
Who is responsible for this? Manufacturers might err on the side of caution with overly conservative dates to avoid liability concerns. Consumers, on the other hand, lack clear education of expiry dates, leading to unnecessary discards. And let's not forget the role of marketing, which often promotes the idea of "freshness" as synonymous with "new," further fuelling the throw-away culture.
Here comes our good news.... Witnessing Australia's soaring food waste, the Australian Institute has proposed to revise expiry dates. Yes please! Removing unnecessary "best-before" labels from fresh produce will empower consumers and reduce waste. See, smell, feel—that apple or carrot might still be a winner. That slightly crinkled cucumber? Still a contender! Of course, dates would only be scrapped where there are no food issues.
Supermarkets, reaping billions from unsold food, seem open to reform, with both Woolworths and Coles acknowledging the potential benefits when combined with customer education on how to best store food.
By embracing labelling reform, we can rewrite the food waste story, and let our food find its way to our plates, not a landfill.
The fight against food waste is a collective effort. We, as consumers, can play a crucial role by:
We hope to see "best-before" labels removed from not just fresh produce but other goods too. We will keep you up to date with any changes happening around expiry dates, but for now, we think you might enjoy our other happy earth news story around reducing food waste: introducing Platform Zero the company saving our odd-looking fruit and veg from going to waste; enjoy!
Much love,
Ellie & Shan x
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