in order to prevent food waste. Specifically, the terms “use by…” and “best before…” are generally not distinguished by consumers. The dates given next to these formulas are treated as cut-off dates after which the products are no longer suitable for consumption.
“Best before…”, “use by…” – the expert explains the difference
– Consumers often misinterpret this information. The phrase “use by…” is related to the safety of perishable foods such as dairy products, meat or fish. On the other hand, the phrase “best before…” is used in the case of more durable products, e.g. loose products, such as groats or pasta, which are suitable for consumption after the indicated date – explained Michał Herde, president of the Warsaw branch of the Consumer Federation, on the radio.
The expert mentioned that there is a proposal to completely abandon the use-by date of certain products. ‘This solution is not without its drawbacks, as consumers may throw away edible products if they do not know their best-before date,’ said Herde.
The president of FK referred to a Belgian study, which shows that 84 percent. of consumers there would like the dates to be legible and always placed in the same place on the packaging. It was also proposed that information on nutritional values or the expiry date should be placed not on the back, but on the front of the package.
The EU wants to introduce changes by the end of 2023. Expert: You have to give the producers time
As Michał Herde added, the introduction of other terms is also being considered, suggesting that a given product may be fully valuable after the date of minimum durability, e.g. “it may be good longer”. – The problem is finding the right phrase. We received several dozen proposals for consultation, both verbal and graphic. It will be necessary to choose the best markings, no decisions have been made in this regard yet – said the guest of Tok FM.
The expert noted that although the EC would like to introduce changes by the end of 2023, producers must have time to adapt to the new requirements. – It seems that the date of the turn of the current and next year would be more rational – he assessed.
Source: Gazeta
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