Food sell-by dates are to be scrapped in an attempt to tackle the UK’s GBP12bn (US$18.9bn) food waste problem.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is advising manufacturers to remove sell-by and display-until labels, which relate to stock rotation, and only show the use-by and best-before dates.

It is hoped the move will stop shoppers getting perplexed over labelling and help cut the estimated GBP12bn of edible food that UK consumers throw away each year.

Environment secretary Caroline Spelman said: “We want to end the food labelling confusion and make it clear once and for all when food is good and safe to eat.
“This simpler and safer date labelling guide will help households cut down on the GBP12bn worth of good food that ends up in the bin.”

The move has been backed by the Food Standards Agency but criticised by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), which says the government should focus its attention on educating consumers about the terms ‘use-by’ and ‘best-before’, instead of blaming retailers’ use of ‘display until’ for adding to food waste.

BRC food director Andrew Opie said: “If the government really wants to make a difference to reducing food waste it should be educating consumers about the two basic terms – use-by and best-before. This system is carefully used by retailers and it isn’t complicated.

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“Helping consumers understand that food past its best-before date can still be eaten or cooked could contribute to reducing food waste and saving people money. The government should be spreading that message, not focusing on retail practices.”

The Food Ethics Council (FEC), an independent food charity, said the move was a step in the right direction but argued the UK still needs to tackle high levels of waste.

“It’s great news that government wants simpler food labels. Sell-by dates are confusing and cause UK households to waste food, costing them hundreds of pounds a year,” executive director Dr. Tom MacMillan said.

However, he added: “Scrapping sell-by labels goes some way to addressing the problem of waste. But it runs much deeper than that. Right across the board – food, clothes, computers and other goods – the market tells us to buy first, ask questions later. If in doubt, we chuck it out. Now they’ve tackled labels, ministers need to tackle our throwaway economy.”