Smell will tell: Co-op scraps “use by” dates on own-brand yogurts for food waste reduction

27 Apr 2022 --- Co-op is scrapping use by dates on all its own-brand yogurts to reduce food waste and combat the 42,000 metric tons and £100 million (US$125 million) worth of edible yogurt thrown out by UK homes each year.

The move – said to be an industry-first– will see the UK convenience retailer replace on-pack “use by” guidance with “best before” dates on its entire range of own-brand yogurts, which it says will help shoppers prevent unnecessary food waste at home. 

“Yogurt can be safe to eat if stored unopened in a fridge after the date mark is shown, so we have made a move to ‘best before’ dates to help reduce food waste. The acidity of yogurt acts as a natural defense, and we’d encourage shoppers to use their judgment on the quality of their yogurt if it is past the best before date,” says Nick Cornwell, head of food technical at Co-op.

Data shows that six million people in the UK consume a yogurt each day and research from WRAP has shown that 50% of yogurts are thrown away in unopened packs and 70% of all the yogurt wasted in the home was due to yogurts “not being used in time,” with the date label cited as the reason.

In a similar move, Morrisons ditched “use by” dates from Arla-supplied milk in a push to cut food waste earlier this year.

Saving yogurt 
Traditionally, yogurts have carried “use by” dates, which are linked to food safety and guide shoppers to not consume past the specified date, whereas “best before” refers to the quality and often allows for the food to be eaten after that date.

WRAP has shown that 50% of yogurts are thrown away in unopened packs.Testing shows the product is safe to consume past its listed expiration date and that the main change is quality. Co-op’s new guidance aims to encourage shoppers to check the quality of the product and use visual cues to establish its suitability for consumption.

“Data from WRAP has suggested that 70% of food waste happens within the home setting. It’s our ambition to help our members and customers to make small changes that will collectively make a big impact and combat unnecessary food waste,” continues Cornwell.

“Controlling food waste is not only beneficial for managing household budgets, it also has an environmental benefit and will ultimately help reduce carbon emissions. We encourage more retailers and brands to review their on-pack guidance and make the switch to ‘best before’ dates for yogurts.”

Co-op against food waste 
In 2021, Co-op removed date labels on several fresh produce lines as part of an ongoing trial and offered pack storage advice on a number of its ranges to help cut waste.

The convenience store also combats its own in-store food waste and supports thousands of local community groups, donating and redistributing surplus food through its Food Share program. 

“We’re delighted to see Co-op making this change to its entire yogurt range, as we know that the date label on yogurt is a fundamental reason that it is wasted at home. Wasting food feeds climate change and costs money,” says Catherine David, director of collaboration and change WRAP.

“Applying a ‘best before’ date helps give people the confidence to use their judgment to eat beyond a best before date and use more of the yogurt they buy – protecting the planet and their pockets.”Co-op wants more retailers and brands to make the switch to “best before” dates for yogurts.

Since 2015, Co-op has diverted more than five million meals worth of food through its partnership with FareShare, and will introduce “best before” dates to its own-brand yogurts from May and have the full range amended by October 2022.

Plastic and food waste
Recently, WRAP claimed to have proven that plastic packaging doesn’t necessarily prolong the life of uncut fresh produce and can actually increase food waste. 

The resource efficiency organization called for an end to unnecessary plastic packaging and “Best Before” labels on a wide range of fresh uncut fruit and vegetables in the UK. 

WRAP says evidence shows that selling fresh produce loose and removing date labels could prevent 14 million shopping baskets worth of food from going to waste and 1,100 rubbish trucks of avoidable plastic simply by allowing people to buy what they need. 

By Louis Gore-Langton