Aldi is following in the footsteps of other major supermarkets, including Asda, Tesco, and Marks and Spencer, as the budget retailer has decided to remove best before dates from tens of its products. The move will be implemented by the end of the year.
This is in a bid to help tackle food waste as shoppers will be more inclined to keep their products for longer.
By the end of the year, Aldi, which moved from South Parade to larger premises on Trent Road earlier this year, hopes to remove best before dates from around 60 fresh fruit and veg products, including apples, pears, citrus fruits, potatoes, carrots, and onions.
The move forms part of Aldi’s commitment to reduce food waste by 20 percent by 2025 and halve it by 2030.
As part of its food waste reduction programme, the supermarket has partnered with Neighbourly to donate 700,000 meals during the summer holidays.
It has also partnered with surplus food app Too Good To Go in some branches, which sees products that are approaching their use-by date put into ‘Magic Bags’, which customers can buy for just £3.30 each via the Too Good To Go app, before collecting them in store.
The Too Good To Go app works with many companies, supermarkets, and shops to help reduce food waste.
Liz Fox, Corporate Responsibility Director at Aldi UK, said: “One of the reasons we are the UK’s cheapest supermarket is because we cut down on waste wherever we see it.
“And by getting rid of these dates on packaging, we can help customers get even better value by reducing the amount of food that goes to waste at home.
“This latest step, together with our partnerships with Neighbourly and Too Good To Go, is all part of our efforts to provide affordable, sustainable and responsible products for all our customers.”
Aldi’s announcement follows Asda’s plans to also remove best before dates from products in a bid to tackle food waste, as well as to help customers make the most of their food shop, saving them money in the long run.
A best before date is placed on a product as a precaution – for people who take the date literally, the removal of it will help them keep their food for longer.
According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), the best before date is about quality, not safety. The food will usually be safe to eat after this date, but may not be at its best.
For example, the flavour and texture may not be as good. Peter Quigley, Deputy Director of Regulatory Services at FSA, explained this further, saying: “We know many people are concerned about food affordability and food waste and we welcome initiatives by businesses to tackle these issues.
“A best-before date is about quality which means the food will be safe to eat after this date, even if it may not be at its best. Business should display use-by dates for food like meat products and ready to eat salads which could be unsafe if left for too long.
“To help cut waste, we work with food manufacturers on product storage instructions, best-before and use-by dates.”
As Aldi gets ready to remove best before dates from around 60 products, Asda is taking it one step further: 250 of its products will be affected by the new policy.
Best before dates will be removed from citrus fruits, potatoes, carrots, and cauliflower.
The dates will be replaced by a new code which will be used by store staff to ensure quality and freshness, Asda said.
The retailer will also provide guidance online and on packaging to help customers store and prepare fresh food. There will be information
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.