COMCEC
Reducing Food Waste
In the 01CMember Countries
According te Garot (2014], preducts with ‘best-before’ dates are thrown away by consumers
thinking the date is a ‘use-by’ date, and if consumed after the date on the label the food
constitutes a risk to their health. hresh products with ‘use-by’ dates also trigger high food
wastage, as consumers often do not store the food properly leading to a quick deterioration and
it needing to be thrown away.
Date labelling is likely to also influence the volume of product thrown away in the OIC Member
Countries. This is indicated by most householders surveyed stating they frequently check expiry
dates when shopping, and some of the main reasons for discarding food at home are related to
concerns about food no longer being safe to eat (e.g. worries about food poisoning], maintaining
food freshness, and food reaching its expiry date (the latter is the predominant reason given for
all surveyed OIC Member Country respondents].
Poor storage or stock management
A major reason for food waste in households is due to the inadequate use of fridges or cool
storage (FUSIONS, 2014]. Improper food storage and little attention to the instructions stated
on labels (storage conditions vary depending on the climate and the temperature at home] and
inadequate packaging and use of materials affect the healthy preservation of food and reduce
the consumption period (WRAP, 2015; WRAP, 2010; WRAP, 2008]. This is particularly the case
in rural and more deprived regions where domestic refrigerators are more dated and less
efficient and traditional techniques are still the norm for domestic storage of all but the most
perishable products (Themen, 2014].
Optimal storage conditions can significantly extend the edible life of products, often beyond
expiry dates. Airtight containers, for example, easily maintain the quality of dry foods such as
fruits, nuts, rice, pasta, beans and grains over long periods. Over-stocking of food or lack of space
had minimal impact on food waste generation in the surveyed OIC Member Country responses.
Portion control and poor food preparation techniques
According WRAP (2009], 41% of food wasted in households can be attributed to cooking too
large a quantity leading to not all food cooked being eaten. Poor food preparation techniques
can also lead to food waste. This can be due to a lack of knowledge on how to cook food properly
e.g. making the most of leftovers in meals or how to prepare food properly e.g. using as much of
the food as is possible, or cooking so it is edible (HLPE, 2014].
Another dimension of portion control are the portion size options offered by retailers. Large
packs and bulk offers are a major cause of food waste at home (hUSIONS, 2014; European
Commission 2010]. Consumers, particularly those in smaller households, wanting smaller pack-
size options are often forced to buy large packs (HISPACOOP, 2012; WRAP, 2008]. In the UK,
many consumers expressed concerns about pack-size options and formats being too big in
relation to their needs.
Within the surveyed OIC Member Countries, most households expressed that cooking from
scratch (home-cooked meals] was their preferred meal-choice option, with few ordering take­
aways or cooking frozen meals.
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