An article on the study published in the April edition of Deco magazine says it shows “a lot of food is being wasted: more than half of the respondents confessed to throwing away out-of-date food.”
The findings are based on surveys completed by 1,725 consumers.
Deco stressed that perishable goods with the words ‘consumir até’ – or ‘consume by’ – stamped on the packaging should be thrown away after the stipulated date, but products that have the words ‘consumir preferencialmente antes de’ (or ‘consume preferably before’) on them might still be edible even after the date, as long as they have been stored properly.
Meat, fish, cold meats, eggs, fresh milk, cream-filled cakes, fresh cheese and yoghurts are all examples of foods whose validity dates should be respected, while pasta or coffee, for example, could taste or have a texture that is a little different after the ‘consume preferably before’ date, but wouldn’t pose a risk of food poisoning.
Furthermore, Deco found that around two- thirds of respondents did not know the difference between the two distinctions.
A Deco spokesperson told Lusa News Agency that the ‘Consume before’ distinction is a way of imposing a limit date for consumption and applies to perishable products, while the ‘consume preferably before’ is the date of the product’s minimum durability, it was explained.
National legislation differentiates between and defines labelling for the two different types of best-before dates.
According to Deco, not understanding the differences “explains why 40 percent of respondents throw away products whose preferable consumption date has been exceeded. That could mean unnecessary waste.”
The watchdog elaborated that there would be no issue with eating or drinking products after the ‘consume preferably before’ date, as long as the package is still sealed and the product has been kept properly, following the recommended storage advice.
The study further showed that 14 percent of participants in the survey throw food away because they cook too much.
“The majority of cooked meals and soups can be frozen for three months”, Deco advises.
Deco’s study also analysed people’s shopping habits and concluded that seven in every ten respondents opt to shop in a hypermarket, with prices being the factor that most contribute towards the choice, followed by proximity and variety.
Two-thirds of the participants said they frequently use discount coupons and a fifth frequently opts for fast-sell products on promotion for nearing their best-before dates.
Only four percent of participants said they shopped online.
“This could be an interesting option: As well as saving time on travelling and waiting, there is less of a risk of being tempted by new products and novelties that aren’t necessary”, Deco reflected.
Price was the most important factor for those involved in the survey when choosing products, followed by freshness and taste, with environmental concerns only coming in fifth.
Lack of knowledge or suspicion about the meaning of labelling that claims the product is “organic” or “biological” is one of the reason for environmental concerns featuring lower down the list when making shopping choices, as well as a lack of products that advertise those features.
The survey which provided the basis for the study was conducted between September and November last year on a sample of 1,725 consumers aged 25 to 74.