A recent study involving 2,000 adults revealed that over 50% of adults have unknowingly purchased expired food items from supermarkets. The research indicated that a staggering £11.8 billion worth of food is wasted annually in the UK, with the average person discarding around £17.90 worth of groceries per month, totaling £214.27 per year.
Among the reasons cited for food wastage were food spoiling before consumption, forgetfulness about items in the fridge, and negligence in checking use-by dates. Surprisingly, 51% of consumers admitted to buying products past their sell-by date. Notably, Asda faced a substantial fine of £640,000 for selling outdated food in two Cardiff stores.
A significant 70% of individuals believe that supermarkets should take more proactive measures to address food waste, with many asserting that the issue lies more with the industry than with households. The majority of respondents also support the implementation of clearer labeling to mitigate food wastage.
Furthermore, the study highlighted that 35% of participants would endorse a legal requirement for all food products to include codes linking to updated storage and expiry information. Anne Godfrey, the head of GS1 UK, emphasized the importance of clearer guidance and innovative solutions to assist consumers in making informed choices and reducing waste.
The research also found that a considerable 66% of people discard food due to uncertainty about its safety for consumption. Young adults aged 18 to 24 were the most wasteful, admitting to throwing away £309 worth of food annually. In comparison, individuals aged 25 to 34 discard an average of £409 per year, nearly double the national average, leading to feelings of remorse over the wasted resources.
Moreover, 33% of shoppers advocate for better inventory management and demand forecasting in stores. Nearly half of the respondents expressed a willingness to utilize scannable codes to monitor expiry dates and receive alerts when products are close to their use-by date. Additionally, the introduction of smart QR codes providing freshness information was seen as a way to enhance consumer trust in product quality.
Anne Godfrey further emphasized the benefits of scanning smart QR codes in tracking expiry dates, rotating stock efficiently, and preventing the sale of expired items to consumers, thereby reducing household waste. The potential of next-generation barcodes to offer storage tips, recipe suggestions, and timely alerts on nearing use-by dates was highlighted as a means to encourage informed decision-making by both retailers and households.