Tesco scraps best before dates on fruit and veg lines as supermarket aims to cut food waste
Tesco will remove the best before dates on apples, oranges and dozens of other fruit and vegetables in its latest attempt to help reduce food waste, the company announced today.
The store is set to scrap dates on 116 fresh produce products, a move it claimed 69 per cent of customers would support.
It wants to help buyers keep good food for longer, in an effort to reduce waste.
Earlier this year the chain announced it had done the same for 70 fruit and vegetable lines following research showing most Brits do not understand the meaning of ‘best before’ labels.
It comes after 27 of Tesco’s biggest suppliers published their food waste data for the first time last week.
Tesco is over 70 per cent of the way towards its target to ensure no food from its stores and distribution centres goes to waste if it is safe for human consumption, the company said.
Head of food waste reduction Mark Little said: "Removing best before dates is our way of making it easier for customers to reduce food waste at home and save money in the process.
“It’s simply not right that food goes to waste and we’re going to do everything we can to help.”
A spokesperson said Tesco will still reduce the price of food which is closer to expiry. The company will train its staff to spot and label food for reduction.
Labelling will stay the same on meat, dairy and fish.