COMCEC
Reducing Food Waste
In the 01CMember Countries
5.1.1. D a te la b e ls
One ef the biggest contributors te household feed waste is the cenfusien around date labels. The
use ef feed labels te check expiry dates, and feed reaching its expiry date are significant concerns
te be addressed in order te reduce feed waste in the OIC Member Country households.
Households clearly use expiry dates as an important mechanism for purchasing feed (see Table
21), and feed reaching its expiry date is one ef the main reasons feed is thrown away at heme
(see Table 22). If there is cenfusien about date labels, and they are being used widely within
heusehelds te make decisiens, then this cenfusien needs te be addressed.
Table 21: Frequency of checking expiry dates when purchasing food
Country Frequency of checking expiry dates % of answers
Always 20
Often 25
Afghanistan Sometimes 20
Rarely 25
Never 10
Always 40
Often 20
Benin Sometimes 10
Rarely 5
Never 25
Always 65
Often 13
Cameroon Sometimes 16
Rarely 4
Never 1
Always 23
Often 17
Saudi Arabia Sometimes 42
Rarely 16
Never 3
Always 40
Often 10
Senegal Sometimes 25
Rarely 15
Never 10
Always 75
Often 19
Turkey Sometimes 5
Rarely 1
Never
Always 65
Often 15
Uzbekistan Sometimes 5
Rarely 10
Never 5
Source: Field survey results: Cameroon, SaudiArabia & Turkey: 100 household and 100food service establishments;
Afghanistan, Benin, Senegal and Uzbekistan: 20 household and 20 food service establishments.
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