Look-Smell-Taste Date Labeling Initiative
TRUST YOUR SENSES, REDUCE FOOD WASTE
Most 'Best By' and 'Best Before' dates are about peak quality, not safety. Food past those dates is often still perfectly fine to eat if it has been stored correctly and passes a quick sense check: does it look right, smell right, and taste right? In the US, misreading date labels causes 20% of consumer food waste, which is why Too Good To Go launched the Look-Smell-Taste initiative.
How does it work?
20% of the United States' food waste is
DUE TO CONSUMERS' MISUNDERSTANDING OF DATE LABELS
What do the different date labels mean?
In the United States, manufacturers use a variety of labels such as 'Best By' or 'Enjoy By' to show how long food will have the best taste. These dates are about peak quality. In many cases, food can still be safely consumed after the date, if unopened and stored correctly.
Only the 'Use By' date on infant formula is about food safety, and should not be used after that date.
We launched our Look-Smell-Taste initiative to encourage people to trust their senses when assessing Best Before products, avoiding unnecessary food waste at home.
Source: FDA, 2024.
15 COUNTRIESin which the initiative is live
550 ACTIVEPartner Brands
6 BILLIONProduct Packs with the Label annually
JOIN OVER 550 BRANDS NUDGING CONSUMERS TO LOOK SMELL TASTE
trust your senses
It’s time for a sense check
With the Look-Smell-Taste initiative, we aim to reduce unnecessary waste in households. Our Look-Smell-Taste label is a gentle reminder to trust your senses: if a Best Before-labeled food has been stored correctly, and looks, smells, and tastes okay, then it’s perfectly safe to consume.
TRY IT NOW
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