supermarket waste-anything we can do?

Sequeena

Barneysmom wrote: »

Is it time the system was re-hashed, maybe get rid of best before dates, and just have use-by dates instead?

Though I don't know why they put dates on fruit and veg?

I will have to ask my OH as he knows more about it than I do but I think they have a certain period to sell the fruit in. The longer it's out the less fresh it gets and a lot of it isn't kept in chillers.

They do try their best to mark everything down but a lot of people will pick up a bargain, decide they don't want it and then dump it elsewhere. That really used to anger me as I would be forever finding cooked chickens in the freezer, of course by that time there was no way you could put it back on the counter and resell it so it was a complete waste of good food :mad:

Westywoodpecker

I agree B mum, I love to buy food stuff with yellow stickers on and I certainly don't mind feeding my family with food that's been reduced.

I have food in my fridge now that is past it's sell by date, but is perfectly good to eat if you just use your nose, it's just common sense I think

Sequeena

Another thing is a lot of code checkers etc are lazy. If supermarkets were to sell food gone past its sell by date they would have to check each package individually to see if it's ok to sell. Code checkers don't like to do that. They like to see how many packets of fresh pasta that need reducing and whack out some stickers from the HHT.

Digital09

GoodNewmover wrote: »

Should be given to the homeless. Or those living in poverty who have little to spend on food.

I worked at M&S one xmas, and the 'urban myth' from the staff was that they used to give the leftover food to charity...but that it had become such a minefield of litigation and legalities that they no longer do so. Don't know how true this is.

but if it is true...its a sad world when you risk being sued for doing some good.

nesssie1702

Barneysmom wrote: »

Is it time the system was re-hashed, maybe get rid of best before dates, and just have use-by dates instead?

Though I don't know why they put dates on fruit and veg?

Dates are put on F&V as advisory information - the prepacked stuff has a Display Until and Use By date on it, due to further processing.

Some items with Use By dates - yogurts especially, aren't likely to cause food poisoning, as the lactic acid in them makes the product sourer. I've eaten yogurt months after its UB date and I'm still here to tell the tale!

wembley78_2

Sainsbury's now operate a No Waste To Landfill policy. All food waste is returned to depots where it is converted into fuel to power the depots.

mum2kathryn

Digital09 wrote: »

I worked at M&S one xmas, and the 'urban myth' from the staff was that they used to give the leftover food to charity...but that it had become such a minefield of litigation and legalities that they no longer do so. Don't know how true this is.

but if it is true...its a sad world when you risk being sued for doing some good.

I used to know someone who ran a hostel for homeless people - they used to get food donated from M&S, but there were some conditions they had to agree to - they had to use the food within 24 hours and not freeze any for later use, so sometimes had odd meal combinations....

Teahfc

pret a mange sandwich chain donate all left over sandwiches to the homeless daily.

geordie_joe

wembley78 wrote: »

Sainsbury's now operate a No Waste To Landfill policy.

Not quite true, they have a No Waste To Landfill policy,and hope to have it fully operational by the end of the year.

wembley78 wrote: »

All food waste is returned to depots where it is converted into fuel to power the depots.

Not quite true either. Food waste is returned to the depots, then forwarded to another company that turns it into electricity. That electricity is pumped into the national grid and the chance of it being used to power the depot it came from are less than me winning the lottery 6 weeks in a row.

They did announce, last year, that they hoped to have all food waste turned into electricity by the end of 2009, and by the end of 2010 all waste turned into electricity, but so far have not said how far they got.

Full marks for trying, but the bottom line is their policy is

Looking to the future, our strategy will help us to put in place new targets, aims and ambitions in relation to our operations, products and customers to 2020 and beyond.

More targets, aims and ambitions than doing.

LittleVoice

In answer to my point about bananas and so on not having sell by dates -

jenniewb wrote: »

They don't have them stamped on them but if you look on the side of the container it tells you when it is to be taken off the shelves.

A shop may have such information on containers (though I don't recall all such produce being in containers) but it is not required by law.