Co-op to ditch use-by dates on its yoghurt to cut waste

The Co-op is replacing use-by dates with best-before dates on its pots of yoghurt. In British homes 42,000 tonnes of yoghurt are thrown away each year. Photograph: Co-op/PA

The Co-op is removing use-by dates from its own-brand yoghurt in an attempt to address the problem of millions of pots that are still safe to eat being wasted each year.

Instead, starting next month, the Co-op’s own yoghurts will carry a best-before date, with shoppers encouraged to “use their judgment” to gauge if they are edible. About 42,000 tonnes of yoghurt – £100m worth – is thrown away in British homes each year because it is out of date, according to the food waste charity Wrap. Half are dumped in unopened packs.