Best-before but cheaper-after, as more Southern Co-op stores start to sell out-of-date food at a discount

An initial trial of 13 stores selling discounted food past the best-before dates has proved successful so the group has decided to add nearly 100 more shops to the scheme.

The reason it is possible is that best before dates are used because of quality, not safety, so there are no health risks in selling food after those dates.

The scheme is also a boost for the environment, as it keeps more products in the human food chain and reduces the amount of food sent to landfills.

Simon Eastwood, chief operating officer for retail at the Southern Co-op, said: “Customer feedback from the trials of this scheme has been largely positive with many of the products being snapped up as soon as they get reduced.

“There are a large number of products that are still good enough to eat past their best-before date – many of us are already familiar with this in our home environment so this just takes it one step further.

“The first stage in the fight against food waste is to make sure there aren’t products reaching their best-before date.

“But if they do, we will now be reducing them to 20p to try and keep them in the food chain and improve sustainability.”

The initial trial by the group found that the majority of the products sold within a day of being reduced.

Between April and September 2021, there were 16,862 items processed at the 20p price point across 11 of the 13 stores.

The Co-operative Food stores which are included in the Reducing our Foodprint initiative are based across Berkshire, Devon, Dorset, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire, Kent, Somerset, Surrey and Wiltshire.

Fresh products will be sold up to two days after their best- before date and ambient products will be sold up to seven days after.

Examples of products included in the reduction initiative include tinned fruit and veg, dried pasta and rice, confectionery, condiments, sugar and sweeteners, coffee, tea and jams as well as chilled products such as soft fruit and fruit juices.

The Food Standards Agency advises that products past their best-before date are safe to consume but may not be at the optimum quality intended by the producer.

Southern Co-op is working towards targets to cut direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions from the business by 2030, supported by a climate action plan and an investment of £5.8m.