The packaging you see on your food items is more than just a way to improve its look and feel. Though this outer cover is helpful in attracting customers to improve sales, it contains plenty of other important information. You will find contents, usage, manufacturer details and information about expiry.
It is the best before details on the food labels that are under scrutiny these days. This information tells people what date the food item is safe to use, and most buyers refrain from using it after that date. Ironically, this date indicates the time before which the product is in crisp condition. However, there are food items that are absolutely safe for consumption even after this date. Hence, the store manager and brands are refraining from putting this information on the label to avoid confusion.
Reasons Why Best Before Food Labels Are Changing
Listed below are some reasons why companies are now avoiding putting the best before labels, changing the trends in the packaging industry.
Avoiding Food Waste
The most significant benefit of this move is to avoid food wastage. When a consumer sees the best-before date on the packaging, it gives him the idea that the product has expired and they should not buy it. However, the concept is something entirely different. The date only says that the food item is fresh until that day, but you can consume it even after that. The consumer avoids buying even those items for which the best-before date is near, leading to a lot of wastage. As per the reports, the food products that get wasted make up for a billion-dollar economic loss.
Consumption Is Safe
Another reason for not putting the best before the information is that it is misleading. The product is safe for consumption, and its nutritional value doesn’t degrade after crossing this date. Hence, there is no harm to consumer health, so the attempt to avoid food wastage is fair. However, it is possible only for a certain category of food items for which safe consumption stands true.
Avoid Losses
Food items getting wasted adds to the financial losses. The manufacturer and the stores have to bear the loss for the food items that get off-shelf only because the consumer doesn’t want to buy it after or when it is nearing its best-before date. The cost for all these wasted products has to get accommodated by the manufacturer and the middleman. Hence, to avoid this loss, not putting this information on food labels is wiser.
These are the primary reasons considering which manufacturers have decided not to put the best-before dates on their food packages. It is a smart move as it is a win-win situation for the manufacturer and the consumer. Moreover, it will help reduce the impact that food wastage causes on the environment. So, if you are also into manufacturing a food item, join the wagon and move towards a profitable and environmentally sustainable business.
