WI attacks supermarkets over confusing use-by labels

FROM growing much needed crops during the First World War to making jams and cakes, the WI has always cared about food.

And now the institute has gone to war with supermarkets over confusing ‘eat by’ labels on products that are said to cause huge levels of food waste.

Tins, jars and bottles carry wildly different information on how long the food inside will last once opened. The National Federation of Women’s Institutes (NFWI) is calling on supermarkets and manufacturers to come up with a standard system.

Experts claim extending the period that products can be stored and used by just one day could help prevent an astonishing 250,000 tonnes of food waste a year.

The WI found big brands tend to recommend customers can store and use products for a longer period. Heinz says its tomato ketchup can be kept and used for up to eight weeks after being opened, but for a Waitrose own-label version it tomatoes, the Cirio brand sugis just six weeks. gests people can eat them for

The ‘eat by’ information on a jar three to four days after being of Hellmann’s mayonnaise is three opened, but Co- op’s own brand months, but just one month on advises two days and for a Sainsthe Asda equivalent. bury’s product it’s just one day.

Customers are advised to drink There is a similar pattern for Highland Spring mineral water tinned tuna, tinned fruit, jams, within seven days, but a similar sweetcorn and chutneys. Morrisons Yorkshire water must The Government, the Food be drunk in three days. On tinned Standards Agency and supermar- kets are looking at the food date label system to see if it can be improved to help tackle waste.

Currently, products tend to have a ‘best before’ date as a guide to when the food or drink is likely to be most tasty. The ‘use by’ date is a legal definition designed to protect consumers from eating something that might make them ill.

A WI survey found only 45 per cent of its members understood ‘best before’ dates were an indicator of food quality. More than one in four – 26 per cent – did not know ‘use by’ dates were a marker of food safety. The situation is further complicated by the fact there is no standard for storage periods after a product has been opened.

Marylyn Haines-Evans, chairman for public affairs at the NFWI, said: ‘WI members are some of the more informed members of society about food and cookery, so the fact that they are still confused about food labelling and “onceopened” information is a damning indication that supermarkets must do more to help all consumers reduce their food waste and ultimately save money.

‘We would like supermarkets to extend the amount of time that consumers have to use a product by making all of their ‘ onceopened’ instructions on packaging consistent and reflective of the true open-life of the product, and for all once- opened instructions to be removed on products where food safety is not an issue.’

She added: ‘It’s time for supermarkets to start publishing their food waste figures so they can really be held to account, and stop short- changing consumers on shelf-life information.’

The British Retail Consortium, which speaks for supermarkets, welcomed the WI’s study but would not comment on the confusion about how long food lasts once opened.

It said: ‘It’s great to see the WI highlighting the importance of date labelling. Understanding the difference between a use by and a best before date is the biggest thing we can all do to cut the millions of tonnes of food wasted.’