Grocery manufacturers and retailers have collaborated to incorporate standard wording on packaging, as part of a new industry-wide effort to reduce consumer confusion about product date labels.

More than ten different date labels currently feature on packages such as Sell By, Use By, Expires On, Best Before, Better if Used By or Best By, resulting in confused consumers discarding a safe or usable product after the indicated date.

Retailer trade associations Food Marketing Institute (FMI) and the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) have joined a new initiative for common phrasing, which streamlines the various date labels on packaging to two standard phrases, Best if Used By and Use By.

"We want to encourage a consistent vocabulary so that our customers clearly understand they are purchasing products that are of the highest quality and safety possible."

Best if Used By describes product quality, wher the product may not taste or perform as expected but is safe to use or consume, while Use By applies to the few products that are highly perishable and/or have a food safety concern over time and such products should be consumed by or disposed of after the specified date.

FMI president and CEO Leslie Sarasin said: “The shopper remains the most critical audience in our industry, and as the associations representing major food brands and retailers, we want to encourage a consistent vocabulary so that our customers clearly understand they are purchasing products that are of the highest quality and safety possible.

“While we all need nourishment, both retailers and manufacturers also want consumers to have the best experience possible in their stores and consuming their products.”

Retailers and manufacturers have been encouraged to immediately begin phasing in the common wording with widespread adoption expected by next year.