Tesco removes best before labelling from fruit and veg to reduce waste

The UK's largest food chain has removed 'best before' labelling from fresh produce in a bid to tackle the country's growing food waste problem.

Earlier this year, Tesco announced it would be removing 'best before' labels from 70 lines and has now extended that to 116 products.

Shoppers will no longer find labels on products including own-brand apples, oranges, cabbages, and asparagus.

Tesco hopes the changes will help tackle the UK's problem with food waste.

A study, commissioned by the supermarket giant, recently revealed 69 per cent of customers believe scrapping best before dates is a good idea, with 53 per cent saying scrapping the labels will help them keep food fresh for longer.

It comes just days after the government announced a £15m project to cut food waste after calling for more action to "preserve our world".

Tesco's Head of Food Waste Reduction, Mark Little, said: "Removing best before dates is our way of making it easier for customers to reduce food waste at home and save money in the process.

"It's simply not right that food goes to waste and we're going to do everything we can to help."

'Best before' guidelines were designed to indicate a time to use products before they start to deteriorate, whereas the 'use by' label is to indicate safety.

The Food Standards Agency says the 'best before' labels are about quality and not safety.

Last year food waste charity WRAP estimated 1.9m tons of food is wasted by the food industry every year in the UK alone.

The organisation launched a £500,000 food waste reduction fund designed to support local projects run by organisations and charities to move surplus food for those in need.

Last week it was revealed that major supermarkets and manufacturers were signing up to help the UK halve levels of food waste by 2030.

Words above from article here
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/foodanddrink/foodnews/tesco-removes-best-before-labelling-from-fruit-and-veg-to-reduce-waste/ar-BBO6ONs?ocid=spartanntp

All the best Jan

… I re-read this and it got me thinking!

Shopping years ago, I can't remember any of this! Perhaps my memory isn't what it used to be, LOL , but did we have use by / sell by dates on our food?

Of course years ago, when I used to accompany my dear mum on many shopping trips, we would just pop into the local butcher, grocer, green grocer etc and buy what was needed. Yes, we went shopping more than once a week, she always bought fresh ...

Back to 2018 - I still buy fresh (occasionally frozen). Our supermarket does have a fresh fruit/veg area, and a butcher and a fish monger ... not every supermarket does.

Times have changed, not always for the better, but it is what it is!
I do wish there wasn't as much food waste, plastics in the ocean etc. etc. but that's another subject.

With so many in the UK and around the world still not able to have enough food ... I'm sure your supermarket like ours has big boxes for us to donate food to the local food bank ... perhaps it's time for each of us to do our bit, to cut down on waste of all types, and also for supermarkets to consider donating their usable food waste to those who would welcome it - perhaps some already do?

All the best Jan

I tend to buy fresh veg both supermarkets near me have it loose, I do prefer the fresh veg from the market though always pick some up when I go into town.

Yes food without labels is more likely to be food.

I alternate my shopping trips between the supermarket and the town with its two butchers and two greengrocers and the "health food" shop, a lot of which actually isn't, and the farm shops and roadside stalls.

The fish van man is trying to stop using plastic bags. The butchers still do, I'm trying to recall what we used back in the day, greaseproof paper wrapped in newspaper I think.

chris c wrote:I'm trying to recall what we used back in the day, greaseproof paper wrapped in newspaper I think.

The internet has some great articles about how we used to live etc. etc.

I came across this

1950's - Going Shopping
Going to the Shops in the 1950's was an event

Some readers may remember 'The Cashier Sales Assistant would place your cash in a little steel tube 'thingy' which was attached to a complex arrangement of wires going around the Store, through the ceilings and overhead, at great speed as well.'

An interesting read - find it here.
www.downthelane.net/growing-up-50s-60s/going-shopping-1950s.php

All the best Jan

Oh yes, and air tubes. In the Sainsburys there was an honour system, you were handed a receipt which you took to the cashier's desk at the end of the shop to pay.

I'll read the rest of the article later, I need more coffee.

Jan1 wrote:

chris c wrote:I'm trying to recall what we used back in the day, greaseproof paper wrapped in newspaper I think.

The internet has some great articles about how we used to live etc. etc.

I came across this

1950's - Going Shopping
Going to the Shops in the 1950's was an event

Some readers may remember 'The Cashier Sales Assistant would place your cash in a little steel tube 'thingy' which was attached to a complex arrangement of wires going around the Store, through the ceilings and overhead, at great speed as well.'

An interesting read - find it here.
www.downthelane.net/growing-up-50s-60s/going-shopping-1950s.php

All the best Jan

Wow that was excellent! I read most of the rest of the site too because I was born and brought up in a very similar place at a similar time.

The reminder of John Mayall was terrific

I remember someone playing me the entire George Harrison double LP. Well it wasn't bad, just not that good. Then they put this on



mind blown