Is It Really Best Before? How Expiration Dates Contribute to the Rise in Paper & Plastic Waste
Food waste is a serious problem we must tackle. With over 800 million people suffering from malnutrition worldwide, thinking about the sheer volume of safe-to-eat food wasted each year is hard to bear. One study found that one-third of all food intended for human consumption is wasted or lost—a truly shocking statistic to get your head around. One contributor to food waste is the misunderstanding of best-before dates.
However, best-before dates are not an indication of when a product is unsafe to consume but when the quality starts to reduce. This misunderstanding has a significant impact on the environment, contributing to the rise of food, paper and packaging waste. In this article, we explore how best-before dates contribute to the rise in paper and packaging waste, as well as how plastic pouches help to reduce food and plastic waste.
What Makes Plastic Pouches So Popular?
Plastic pouches are a packaging option that has become increasingly popular in recent years. But what makes them so popular? Plastic pouches are lightweight, durable and convenient, meaning it is an ideal packaging option for a wide selection of products, such as confectionery, chocolate, teabags and dry snacks. They are also available in various shapes and sizes, making them the perfect packaging solution for a diverse range of products. Plastic pouches are also designed to protect products from moisture, light and oxygen, all of which can lead to the product spoiling.
Another benefit of plastic pouches is their ability to reduce food and plastic waste. They are designed to be resealable, which helps to extend shelf life by keeping products fresher for longer. Plastic pouches are perfect for products that are not commonly consumed all at once, such as snacks, nuts, or pet treats—the fact that the packaging is resealable helps to reduce food waste.
The Food and Packaging Waste Problem
The paper and plastic waste problem isn’t limited to plastic pouches—best-before dates also contribute heavily. Many consumers misinterpret best-before dates to mean the product shouldn’t be consumed after the best-before date. They actually mean that the food will start to decline in quality but is still consumable.
Commercial food and packaging waste is also a big issue in the UK. Supermarkets throw away food that exceeds its expiry date to avoid legal problems, leading to colossal amounts of food and packaging waste. Plastic packaging accounts for around 70 per cent of plastic waste in the UK, and supermarkets are contributing to the plastic throwaway culture. However, steps are being taken to address the ever-growing issue of excessive food and packaging waste. Several food organizations in the UK are getting involved in the Courtauld Commitment 2030, a voluntary agreement that facilitates collaborative action across the UK food chain to deliver reductions in food and packaging waste. Supermarkets, food producers, manufacturers and food service companies have committed to milestones defined by the Food Waste Reduction Roadmap, developed by WRAP and IGD, to tackle the food waste problem in the UK.
The main benefits of the initiative include encouraging businesses to measure and report confidently, helping food businesses take targeted action to reduce food waste in their operations and supply chain, and encouraging consumers to reduce food waste at home. WRAP, the organisation that set up the agreement, is keen to help retailers and hospitality businesses and their supply chains improve resource efficiency, in an effort to reduce waste and redistribute safe-to-eat food to those in need.
Some food organisations in the UK are transforming words into action. For example, several supermarkets have scrapped use-by dates in an effort to reduce food waste. Waitrose and Marks and Spencer have removed use-by dates from hundreds of their products, Morrisons has scrapped use-by dates on its own-brand milk, and the Co-op has removed use-by dates on its own-brand yoghurts. Use-by dates will be replaced with best-before dates, which suggest that the products are safe to consume, even if they’re not as fresh. However, supermarkets could go further by helping consumers understand best-before dates, which will result in less food waste.
Final Thoughts
The issue of food waste is one that affects us all. It must be acknowledged that progress has been made in the UK, but problems remain. Households and businesses still create 9.5 million tonnes of food waste each year, with an estimated value of £19 billion. The widespread misunderstanding of best-before dates contributes to the unnecessary waste of safe-to-eat food, which has a huge environmental impact, leading to more paper and plastic waste. However, consumers can reduce their environmental impact by purchasing products in plastic pouches, as they are commonly recyclable or made from recycled materials. Similarly, brands should prioritise recyclable and reusable packaging, such as plastic pouches, because they are eco-friendly and allow consumers to keep products fresher for longer.
However, best-before dates are not an indication of when a product is unsafe to consume but when the quality starts to reduce. This misunderstanding has a significant impact on the environment, contributing to the rise of food, paper and packaging waste. In this article, we explore how best-before dates contribute to the rise in paper and packaging waste, as well as how plastic pouches help to reduce food and plastic waste.
What Makes Plastic Pouches So Popular?
Plastic pouches are a packaging option that has become increasingly popular in recent years. But what makes them so popular? Plastic pouches are lightweight, durable and convenient, meaning it is an ideal packaging option for a wide selection of products, such as confectionery, chocolate, teabags and dry snacks. They are also available in various shapes and sizes, making them the perfect packaging solution for a diverse range of products. Plastic pouches are also designed to protect products from moisture, light and oxygen, all of which can lead to the product spoiling.
Another benefit of plastic pouches is their ability to reduce food and plastic waste. They are designed to be resealable, which helps to extend shelf life by keeping products fresher for longer. Plastic pouches are perfect for products that are not commonly consumed all at once, such as snacks, nuts, or pet treats—the fact that the packaging is resealable helps to reduce food waste.
The Food and Packaging Waste Problem
The paper and plastic waste problem isn’t limited to plastic pouches—best-before dates also contribute heavily. Many consumers misinterpret best-before dates to mean the product shouldn’t be consumed after the best-before date. They actually mean that the food will start to decline in quality but is still consumable.
Commercial food and packaging waste is also a big issue in the UK. Supermarkets throw away food that exceeds its expiry date to avoid legal problems, leading to colossal amounts of food and packaging waste. Plastic packaging accounts for around 70 per cent of plastic waste in the UK, and supermarkets are contributing to the plastic throwaway culture. However, steps are being taken to address the ever-growing issue of excessive food and packaging waste. Several food organizations in the UK are getting involved in the Courtauld Commitment 2030, a voluntary agreement that facilitates collaborative action across the UK food chain to deliver reductions in food and packaging waste. Supermarkets, food producers, manufacturers and food service companies have committed to milestones defined by the Food Waste Reduction Roadmap, developed by WRAP and IGD, to tackle the food waste problem in the UK.
The main benefits of the initiative include encouraging businesses to measure and report confidently, helping food businesses take targeted action to reduce food waste in their operations and supply chain, and encouraging consumers to reduce food waste at home. WRAP, the organisation that set up the agreement, is keen to help retailers and hospitality businesses and their supply chains improve resource efficiency, in an effort to reduce waste and redistribute safe-to-eat food to those in need.
Some food organisations in the UK are transforming words into action. For example, several supermarkets have scrapped use-by dates in an effort to reduce food waste. Waitrose and Marks and Spencer have removed use-by dates from hundreds of their products, Morrisons has scrapped use-by dates on its own-brand milk, and the Co-op has removed use-by dates on its own-brand yoghurts. Use-by dates will be replaced with best-before dates, which suggest that the products are safe to consume, even if they’re not as fresh. However, supermarkets could go further by helping consumers understand best-before dates, which will result in less food waste.
Final Thoughts
The issue of food waste is one that affects us all. It must be acknowledged that progress has been made in the UK, but problems remain. Households and businesses still create 9.5 million tonnes of food waste each year, with an estimated value of £19 billion. The widespread misunderstanding of best-before dates contributes to the unnecessary waste of safe-to-eat food, which has a huge environmental impact, leading to more paper and plastic waste. However, consumers can reduce their environmental impact by purchasing products in plastic pouches, as they are commonly recyclable or made from recycled materials. Similarly, brands should prioritise recyclable and reusable packaging, such as plastic pouches, because they are eco-friendly and allow consumers to keep products fresher for longer.
