USA: Study finds that consumer confusion over food date labels contributes to food waste
The use of food-date labels, such as «use by» and «best if used by,» is causing consumer confusion and led to the unnecessary disposal of safe-to-eat or donated food, according to the Nov. 2023 Consumer Food Insights (CFI) Report from Purdue University’s Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability.
Currently, with the exception of baby formula, food date labels lack federal regulation and standardization, contributing to the disposal of over half a million tons of still-edible food annually. A proposed act (Food Date Labeling Act) aims to alleviate confusion, potentially saving consumers money and making a substantial impact on reducing the substantial amount of food wasted in the United States, which accounts for more than one-third of annual food production.