Call for action on smarter food labels to prevent waste
Effective packaging with clear, consistent date labelling and storage advice plays a crucial role in reducing food waste. However, the current systems for storage advice and date labelling in Australia are unclear and contribute significantly to household food waste, according to a new research study released today (11 June) by RMIT University and End Food Waste Australia.
Each year, Australians waste 7.6 million tonnes of food, much of it still safe to eat. The study showed that confusing food labels and inconsistent packaging were key reasons for consumers throwing out some perfectly edible food, which could cost the average household up to $2500 annually.
The lead author of the study, RMIT’s Associate Professor Lukas Parker, said shoppers are “being let down by labels that don’t give them the information they need to make the right call” and he’s calling for a clearer, smarter system.
End Food Waste Australia CEO Tristan Butt said cutting food waste through smarter labels will only happen if government, retailers and food producers work together.
“Clear, consistent date labelling is one of the most cost-effective and scalable ways to reduce household food waste, but it won’t happen without industry-wide collaboration,” he said.
“This single change could prevent nearly a million tonnes of food waste by 2030.
“The UK’s retail sector has already proven this change is possible, without compromising food safety. It’s time we did the same.”
‘Date Labelling and Storage Advice Collective Intelligence Workshops: Position Paper’, co-authored by Lukas Parker, Linda Brennan, Simon Lockrey, Bruno Schivinski, Brian Rodrigo Llagas, Eva L Jenkins and Nhat Tram Phan-Le, is published by RMIT University and End Food Waste Australia.
The report presents findings from seven Collective Intelligence Workshops conducted with Consumer and Stakeholder groups as part of the End Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre (EFW CRC) Project 1.2.4, National Date Labelling and Storage Advice (Phase 1).
Pilot design concepts for date labels and storage advice were one of the main research stimuli for the workshops.
The next phase of this project will bring together supermarkets, food brands and government to co-design, test and roll out a national framework for date labelling and storage advice.
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