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By Canadian Press

Ottawa urged to look into best before date system in bid to reduce grocery waste

Jul 4, 2023 | 11:22 AM

There are calls for Canada to look into best before dates and whether they worsen food waste and food insecurity.

A report on grocery affordability from a House of Commons committee on agriculture and agri-food includes the CEO of Second Harvest Canada pointing to misconceptions about the dates.

Lori Nikkel is quoted saying people treat them like expiry dates, when in fact they are just as they state; the date before which a food is at its freshest.

The committee suggests the federal government investigate “how the elimination of ‘best-before’ dates on foods would impact Canadians.”

Kate Parizeau, a professor at the University of Guelph who studies food waste, says she supports the call particularly when it comes to foods that don’t go bad quickly.

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Best before dates are required for foods that are expected to go bad within 90 days, such as eggs and milk.

But Parizeau says other foods often include best before dates on their packaging, which can lead people to believe prematurely they are not safe.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 4, 2023.

The Canadian Press