The food safety watchdog has warned consumers against eating food past its use-by date or switching off their fridge and freezer to save money.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA), whose remit covers England, Northern Ireland and Wales, said people were taking risks because of financial pressures caused by rising energy bills and the cost of living crisis.
A survey for the group found 32% of respondents had eaten food past its use-by date at least once in the past month because they could not afford to buy more, while 18% had turned off a fridge or freezer to reduce their bills.
This year a number of UK supermarkets have removed the more lenient best-before labels from many products as part of efforts to reduce waste but the FSA says use-by dates should still be followed.
A best-before date signals when the quality of a product will begin to decline, while a use-by date marks the point after which it could be unsafe to eat.
The survey also found 40% of consumers were worried about being able to afford food in the next month, while 30% had skipped meals or eaten smaller ones.
The FSA chief executive, Emily Miles, said: “We know many people are worried about food affordability right now and our evidence shows that people are finding ways to save money where they can.
“It’s not a good idea to turn off the fridge or eat food past its use-by date as these things can lead to a higher risk of you becoming ill with food poisoning. Your fridge is a useful appliance that not only keeps your food safe but can help cut down what you end up throwing out.
“Keeping your fridge cold enough, 5C or below, will prevent bacteria from multiplying on your food and make it last as long as it can.”
She added that people could consult the FSA website if they needed advice on storing food safely.
Jackie Bailey, the campaigns manager for Love Food Hate Waste, said estimates suggested the average UK family with children could save £730 a year – £61 a month – by cutting out food waste.
“Storing our food correctly at home in the fridge or in the freezer means it stays safe and lasts longer, which helps to stop good food from going to waste, saving us money,” she said.
