Co-op to end use by dates on own-brand yogurts
It's part of a bid to reduce food waste
Last updated 22nd Apr 2022
The Co-op stores has announced they will scrap the “use-by” date labelling on its own-brand yogurts. The supermarket giant with over 2,000 stores in the UK, said the measure would reduce food waste.
In what the Co-op calls an industry first, the supermarket chain said they will replace the “use-by” guidance with “best before” dates on its range of own-brand yogurts.
Research by the anti-waste charity Wrap, showed around six million people in the UK eat yogurt every day. However, the charity also said around half of yogurts are thrown away unopened, mainly due to not being used in time.
Nick Cornwell, of the Co-op, said: "Yogurt can be safe to eat if stored unopened in a fridge after the date mark shown, so we have made the move to best-before dates to help reduce food waste.
"The acidity of yogurt acts as a natural defence and we'd encourage shoppers to use their judgment on the quality of their yogurt if it is past the best-before date.
"Data from Wrap has suggested that 70% of food waste happens within the home setting. It's our ambition to help our members and customers to make small changes that will collectively make a big impact and combat unnecessary food waste.
"Controlling food waste is not only beneficial for managing household budgets, it also has an environmental benefit and will ultimately help reduce carbon emissions.
"We encourage more retailers and brands to review their on-pack guidance and make the switch to best-before dates for yogurts."
Catherine David, of Wrap, said: "We're delighted to see Co-op making this change to its entire yogurt range, as we know that the date label on yogurt is a fundamental reason that it is wasted at home.
"Wasting food feeds climate change and costs money. Applying a best-before date helps give people the confidence to use their judgment to eat beyond a best-before date and use more of the yogurt they buy - protecting the planet and their pockets."