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‘Best Before’ labels scrutinized as food waste concerns grow

‘These dates don’t actually mean that they’re not edible or they’re not still nutritious or tasty’

As awareness grows around the world about the problem of food waste, one culprit in particular is drawing scrutiny: “best before” labels.

Manufacturers have used the labels for decades to estimate peak freshness. Unlike “use by” labels, which are found on perishable foods like meat and dairy, “best before” labels have nothing to do with safety and may encourage consumers to throw away food that’s perfectly fine to eat.

“They

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