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Do best before dates matter?

  • 24 June 2019
  • 4 replies
  • 677 views
Nataly
Rank
Hi everyone,

As I'm sure you've heard supermarkets are considering scrapping best before dates.

It's mostly been on fruit and veg so far in shops like M&S and Tesco, do you think it should go further and be scrapped on other items such as tinned foods and dry pasta?
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Do best before dates matter?

4 replies

Bev
Userlevel 7
Badge +8
Yeah and sometimes, like today in fact, you buy good quality foods with good dates, and still end up throwing away 😡😡😡😡😡, even when storing correctly. I had a pack of Warburton toasted muffins, BB 26th June 2019, and by this morning, they had two lots of blue mound growing 🤮👎👎👎👎. Annoying. Birds enjoyed!
Enjoy the simple things in life
Nataly
Rank
@Lenny well that is a good point! ;)) nothing better than a Sunday afternoon shop when you can get most things massively discounted.
@Strutt G a longer date is definitely something that could be considered 🆙 apparently, the key difference is this; a best before date = food will be fine after this date but, like you said, maybe deteriorated flavour/texture. But, if it says a 'use by' date then you really have to stick to it as it's there for safety reasons (e.g. likely that bacteria will be present).

But considering that's the case, it's really not made very clear. Making the difference clearer could be an easy way to start reducing food waste I think?
Lenny
Badge +2
I hope the best before dates stay. That way I can pick up a bargain now and again.
Strutt G
Userlevel 7
Badge +9
Logic tells me yes, but its not just the supermarkets it would apply to all food outlets and then you could end up with unsold products that would not cause you harm but could of deteriorated in flavour etc. Some kind of quality standard needs to be retained, maybe a longer date

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