Are you unknowingly tossing away thousands of dollars’ worth of perfectly good food every year?
If you’ve ever peered at a ‘best before’ or ‘use-by’ date and wondered whether that yoghurt or loaf of bread is still safe to eat, you’re not alone.
In fact, a new report suggests that confusing food labelling could be costing the average Australian household up to $2,500 a year in unnecessary food waste.
The hidden cost of confusing labels
Let’s face it: nobody likes wasting food. It’s bad for the environment, it’s bad for the hip pocket, and it just feels wrong.
Yet, according to research from RMIT University and End Food Waste Australia, unclear labelling is leading many of us to throw out food that’s still perfectly edible.
Foodbank Australia estimates that Aussies collectively bin a staggering 7.6 million tonnes of food each year—that’s about 312 kilograms per person!
The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water puts the national cost of this waste at a whopping $36.6 billion annually.
So, what’s going wrong? The culprit, it seems, is the humble food label. Those little ‘best before’ and ‘use-by’ dates are meant to keep us safe, but they’re often more confusing than helpful.
RMIT’s Associate Professor Lukas Parker, who led the study, says, ‘Nobody wants to throw away good food. But our labels are completely confusing.’
What’s the difference between ‘best before’ and ‘use-by’?
Let’s clear up a common point of confusion. A ‘use-by’ date is about safety—food shouldn’t be eaten after this date, even if it looks and smells fine.
A ‘best before’ date, on the other hand, is about quality—the food is still safe to eat after this date, but it might not be at its best.
Unfortunately, many people treat both dates the same, leading to mountains of unnecessary waste.
And it’s not just the dates themselves. The study found that people with poor eyesight or for whom English is a second language struggle even more with current labelling.
Add in tiny print, cryptic codes, and inconsistent placement, and it’s no wonder so much food ends up in the bin.
How can we fix it?
The RMIT and End Food Waste Australia team didn’t just point out the problem—they set out to find solutions.
They brought together a diverse group of academics, designers, retailers, food producers, policymakers, and everyday consumers in a series of workshops.
Together, they looked at new label designs, including clearer text cues like ‘do not eat after this date’, colour changes, and even QR codes that link to more information.
The feedback was enlightening. Both industry stakeholders and consumers agreed that labels need to be clear, concise, and visually distinct. But there were differences in priorities.
Manufacturers and retailers worried about food safety, compliance, and the cost of changing labels. Consumers, meanwhile, wanted labels that were easy to understand and helped them reduce waste.
Interestingly, while industry liked the idea of QR codes for providing extra information, most consumers saw them as just another marketing gimmick and rarely used them.
Who’s responsible for food waste?
One of the more surprising findings was the difference in how responsibility for food waste is viewed.
Industry players tended to see it as a consumer problem, focusing on education campaigns rather than changing their own practices.
But with households responsible for 40 per cent of Australia’s total food waste, it’s clear that better labelling could make a real difference.
Of course, any changes to labelling come with a cost—and, as the report notes, those costs are likely to be passed on to consumers. That’s a tough pill to swallow, especially when the aim is to help families save money.
What’s next for food labelling in Australia?
The good news is that change is on the horizon. The research will inform the next phase of the National Date Labelling and Storage Advice Project, which aims to bring supermarkets, food brands, and the government together to co-design and roll out a national framework for food labelling.
It won’t be easy—getting buy-in from the big supermarkets is crucial—but there’s hope. As Dr Parker points out, we’ve seen similar changes with recycling logos and other initiatives.
The project is supported by a range of government and industry bodies, including the End Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre and state-based sustainability agencies.
With so many stakeholders on board, there’s real potential for progress.
What can you do right now?
While we wait for clearer labels, there are steps you can take to reduce food waste at home:
- Learn the difference between ‘best before’ and ‘use-by’ dates.
- Trust your senses—if food looks, smells, and tastes fine after the ‘best before’ date, it’s usually safe to eat.
- Store food properly to extend its life. Many products have storage advice on the label—if you can find it!
- Plan your meals and shop with a list to avoid overbuying.
- Get creative with leftovers—soups, stir-fries, and casseroles are great ways to use up odds and ends.
Have your say!
Have you ever been confused by a food label? Do you find yourself throwing out food ‘just in case’? Or do you have tips for making your groceries go further? We’d love to hear your stories and suggestions in the comments below. Let’s help each other—and our wallets—waste less and save more!
Also read: Why healthy eating may be the best way to reduce food waste
