Waitrose will remove the best-before dates on 500 fruit, salad and vegetable products in a bid to help customers reduce food waste.
From September, Waitrose will remove the best-before dates on nearly 500 fresh products including root vegetables, grapes, citrus fruits, apples and indoor plants.
The move is designed to help cut the volume of food waste in UK households by “inviting customers to use their own judgement” when using Waitrose produce at home.
Waitrose said that in the UK best-before dates are designed to showcase food quality on shelves rather than food safety. It added that use-by dates will remain on products to ensure food safety standards are met.
Marija Rompani, director of sustainability and ethics at John Lewis Partnership, said: “Food waste continues to be a major issue, and in the UK alone 70% of all food wasted is by people in their own homes. UK households throw away 4.5 million tonnes of edible food every year, meaning all the energy and resources used in food production are wasted.
“By removing best-before dates from our products, we want our customers to use their own judgement to decide whether a product is good to eat or not, which in turn will increase its chances of being eaten and not becoming waste.
“By using up existing fresh food in our homes, we can also save on our weekly household food shop, which is becoming an increasingly pressing concern for many.
“The objective builds on our existing commitment to help our customers reduce their food waste by 2030. By working with Wrap [Waste and Resources Action Programme] to bring this initiative to life, we’re delighted to help our customers play their own role in tackling this global issue.”
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