Ocado is set to scrap its best before labels on some fruit and vegetables in a bid to tackle food waste, expecting to save thousands of tons of edible food from being thrown away.
Instead the online grocer will urge its customers to use their judgement as to when something is still good to eat.
The online grocer will launch the initiative on Tuesday (15 March) for items in its fresh produce range including apples, pears and citrus fruits.
“We have removed the best before date – an indicator of freshness – from a number of our Ocado Own Range produce,” a spokesman said to The Daily Mail.
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“This is to help fight food waste and to encourage our customers to make their own decision as to when a food item is past its best.”
The retailers also signed up to The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) Courtauld Commitment 2025, an agreement to cut waste in the grocery sector.
WRAP chief executive Marcus Gover added: “WRAP research showed that getting rid of best before dates on fresh fruit and veg can help reduce the amount of food we throw away from our homes by a staggering 50,000 tons a year, so we fully support Ocado’s move.”
“We’re delighted to have worked with them to take this important step and are looking forward to more supermarkets joining them and binning best before dates on fresh uncut produce.”
The news comes after Southern Co-op revealed plans to sell more food that has gone past its “best before” date, stating that many products are still “good enough to eat” once the date has passed.
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