A label with the potential to reduce food waste by tens of thousands of tonnes a year has seen a “worrying” drop in use from supermarkets, according to a new report.
Climate change experts Wrap have urged the industry to get behind the Little Blue Fridge logo, which was introduced in 2017 as a key weapon against food waste.
Backed by the FSA and Defra the logo was intended to save tens of millions of pounds-worth of household food going to waste every year.
However, a report by Wrap today revealed use of the label had fallen in every suitable category, except ready meals, in the space of a two-year period.
Use of the label, recommended to be used on packs alongside the wording ‘Store in the fridge below 5C’, is intended to show how such methods can add three days to the life of many foods, with fresh fruit in particular a huge source of food waste.
However, today’s report shows that use of the logo had fallen from 17% of products in meat to just 8%, and from 10% to 8% in dairy. The figure also fell from 17% to 15% on fresh produce, which contributes the most to food waste.
“Worryingly, the removal of the ‘Little Blue Fridge’ has happened across all categories except ready meals,” says the report.
“The icon is crucial for fresh produce as it is an easy-to-see prompt to put products bought at ambient temperatures into the fridge. Wrap’s separate research, published earlier this year, found that doing so can significantly prolong the life of many fresh produce items, with apples shown to stay fresh for more than two months longer in a fridge at the right temperature – compared to in a fruit bowl.”
Today’s report, to coincide with COP 27, says industry action on food labelling has been helping consumers avoid food waste, but urged companies to go further, saying it could save 350,000 tonnes of waste a year if Wrap’s best practice guidance on labels was fully implemented.
The report analysed actions across the top 11 food retailers in the UK since the last survey in 2019.
It found many of the UK’s largest retailers had begun removing best before dates from uncut fresh produce in line with Wrap’s 2019 Best Practice Guidance, giving consumers more time to use products.
There had been a noticeable increase in yoghurt and milk with a best before date applied instead of a use by, the report found, although most yoghurts and milk on the market still carry a use by date, contrary to the guidance.
In contrast to the Little Blue Fridge, Wrap said freezing and defrosting advice had seen many improvements, with the increased use of the snowflake icon indicating freezing options on bread, meat, and poultry items, soaring from 40% of items in 2019 to 63% of products.
Defrosting advice on products had risen from 27% in 2019 to 67% in 2021.
Catherine David, director of collaboration and change at Wrap, said: “With cost of living and food prices rising, it’s never been more important to help people avoid costly food waste, which for many families can top £730 a year.
“How food is sold and labelled can have a huge influence in helping people better manage food at home. Excellent progress has been made in some areas while there is still lots of work to be done elsewhere. The last few years have been unprecedented for businesses, but it is crucial that we see more high-impact changes implemented.”
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