Eat tinned food to cut waste, says Waitrose

WAITROSE has told shoppers to eat tinned food once a week to cut down on food waste as it removed “best before” dates on nearly 500 products.

From September, the supermarket will scrap the dates on packaged fruit and vegetables to encourage consumers to use their own judgment about when food has gone off.

The dates on nearly 500 fresh products, including root vegetables and fruits, will be scrapped.

Removing the dates will save the equivalent of seven million shopping baskets of food from the bin, Waitrose claimed.

Alongside the announcement, the upmarket grocer has issued guidance for shoppers to help them reduce food waste.

About 70 per cent of all food wasted in the UK is thrown away at home, the store said, but almost three quarters of this is still good to eat.

Waitrose advised shoppers to factor in “wiggle room” in a weekly meal plan.

“Plan at least one meal a week using tinned or frozen food, so if your plans change and you’re not going to be at home for dinner one evening, you won’t be wasting any fresh ingredients,” it said.

It also advised shoppers to not head to the store on an empty stomach, as “you’re more likely to impulse-buy treats that you don’t need” which could end up in the bin.