The Co-op is to replace "use-by" dates with "best before" on its own-brand yogurts in an attempt to cut down on waste.
High-street supermarket giant Co-op has announced it will be taking a huge step towards reducing the amount of food they throw away. Claiming it to be an industry first, they said "best before" dates will replace "use-by" on all of its own-brand yogurts, reports Wales Online.
Waste reduction charity Wrap said 6 million people in the UK eat yogurt every day but over half is wasted as it is not consumed in time. Nick Cornwell, of the Co-op, said: “Yogurt can be safe to eat if stored unopened in a fridge after the date mark shown, so we have made the move to best-before dates to help reduce food waste.
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"The acidity of yogurt acts as a natural defence and we’d encourage shoppers to use their judgment on the quality of their yogurt if it is past the best-before date. Data from Wrap has suggested that 70 per cent 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.
"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."
Catherine David, of Wrap, said: “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. 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.”
