Asda ditches best before dates on 250 fruit & veg products

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Asda Best Before Date IMG1

Source: Asda

From 1 September, the supermarket is removing dates from items including citrus fruits, potatoes, cauliflowers and carrots

Asda is to ditch best before dates on nearly 250 fruit & veg products, as it becomes the latest retailer to join what has been described as a food waste “revolution”.

It said from 1 September dates would be removed from a raft of items, including citrus fruits, potatoes, cauliflowers and carrots, across all its UK stores.

Asda’s move follows a similar step by Waitrose earlier this month, with Lidl, M&S and Ocado having also scrapped best before dates on many fruit & veg products.

The supermarket said it was acting on the latest evidence from Wrap, showing the average family throws away £60 worth of food and drink each month.

It said it wanted to reduce food waste in the home and save customers money as they faced the cost of living crisis.

The dates will be replaced by a new code that will be used by store staff maintain quality and freshness.

Asda said it would also provide additional guidance online and on packaging to help customers to understand how to best store and prepare fresh food, as well as handy hints and tips on how to reduce food waste.

Earlier this month, Wrap CEO Marcus Gover told The Grocer the clock was ticking on best before dates, claiming there was a “revolution” happening in stores that would prevent vast quantities of household food going to waste.

“Reducing food waste in our business and in customers’ homes is a priority and we are always looking at different ways to achieve this,” said Andy Cockshaw, head of technical at Asda IPL.

“Reducing food waste in our business and in customers’ homes is a priority and we are always looking at different ways to achieve this. We know for customers this has become more important than ever in the current climate as many families are struggling with the cost of living crisis and are looking to make savings wherever they can.”

Wrap director of collaboration and change Catherine David added: “We are delighted by this development from Asda to help tackle food waste in our homes.

“Our research has shown that date labels on fruit & veg are unnecessary – getting rid of them can prevent the equivalent of seven million shopping baskets’ worth from our household bins.”