Best-before confusion leads Canadians to toss hundreds of dollars in edible food
According to the report, 30 per cent of Canadians don’t understand the meaning of a best-before label, prompting 4 in 10 people to throw out food past its ‘best before’ date even when it’s still edible.
Canadian households are throwing out an average of $246 worth of edible food each year due to confusion about date labelling, according to a recent report by global social impact company Too Good to Go.
This isn’t just hurting Canadians' wallets: It’s also terrible for the environment.
As much as 75 per cent of food waste ends up in landfills and when that happens, the decomposing food releases methane - a gas that, according to MIT is estimated to be 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 100-year period.
It also contaminates the ground and water with a substance called leachate, which seeps from landfill trash.
Past research suggests that 63 per cent of all Canadian household food waste is avoidable. The new Too Good to Go report finds that roughly 23 per cent of that food waste can be attributed to confusion around ‘best before’ dates. This is a higher number than in the U.S. and all of Europe, at 20 per cent and 10 per cent respectively.
What is the difference between a best before and an expiry date on Canadian food labels?
The best before date on food only refers to how long an unopened product will maintain its freshness and flavour when properly stored, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
‘Best before’ dates are typically required on food that has a shelf life of 90 days or less when properly stored, the CFIA says. It is not the same as an expiry date.
“An expiration date is not the same as a best-before date,” the CFIA website says.
“Expiration dates are required only on certain foods that have strict compositional and nutritional specifications, which might not be met after the expiration date.”
Report findings
According to the study, which was commissioned by Too Good To Go and conducted by Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab:
30 per cent of Canadians don’t understand the meaning of a best-before label, prompting 4 in 10 people to throw out food past its ‘best before’ date even when it’s still edible.
While 73 per cent of people use the look, smell, and taste food to assess edibility after the best before date has passed, 63 per cent rely on the date label to determine if food is safe to eat.
The findings are the results of an online survey conducted by over 950 participants across the country in January 2025.
Too Good to Go recommends taking a 'look-smell-taste' approach to determining food safety in conjunction with best before dates.
The Look-Smell-Taste approach from Too Good to Go. Graphic by The Weather Network.
“Our study shows that, despite improved understanding of date labels, the Best Before date remains the primary factor for consumers in deciding whether food is eaten or discarded — which shouldn’t be the case for products carrying this label” Professor Sylvain Charlebois, Director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University, says in a statement.
“Levels of food waste vary across generations and are influenced by factors such as risk tolerance and environmental values. Educational initiatives like ‘Look-Smell-Taste’ are essential to help consumers move from knowledge to action and reduce avoidable food waste.”
Reducing food waste
The CFIA recommends taking a “reduce, recover, and recycle” approach to limiting food waste.
Tips include:
Planning your meals for the week and only buying ingredients required for those dishes.
When making a shopping list, include how many meals you can get from each item to avoid overbuying.
Remembering that buying in bulk only saves money if you use everything.
Learning how to keep your fruits and veggies fresh longer.
Freeze or preserve produce you won't be able to eat in time.
'Shopping' your refrigerator and pantry before heading to the grocery store.
Take only what you can eat at buffets, potlucks, and social gatherings.
As for recycling, CFIA recommends starting a compost in your backyard or participating in organic waste collection programs.
Header image: File photo via Canva Pro.