Buying into waste: The role of consumer food purchasing behaviors, knowledge, attitudes, and opinions concerning food date labels

Food waste is a growing global issue with signifi­cant consequences, including the intensification of food insecurity, the exacerbation of climate change, and environmental degradation. Efforts to address the problem, particularly at the consumer level, have not been effective. This is mainly because consumer food waste and reduction efforts are influenced by multiple interacting and highly con­textual factors, including purchasing behaviors, and consumer opinions, attitudes, and understanding of food date labels, of which there are about 50 in the U.S. There is uncertainty and persistent misunder­standing abound regarding the meaning of food date labels. This requires investigating the causes of the misunderstandings to determine how they can be better addressed. We explored the food pur­chasing attitudes, knowledge, and opinions of U.S. consumers regarding food date labels using quota sampling. Data was collected through a survey completed by 742 respondents. Many U.S. con­sumers still do not understand the difference between best before and use by dates, as well as the primary purpose of best by, use by, and sell by dates. The date labels were conflated with food safety, leading to food waste when a food item passes its best by, sell by, or use by date. The sell by date was mis­understood as implying food quality. The use by date was the most likely to be misunderstood and misrepresented by U.S. consumers. We identified how this confusion could be addressed and how U.S. food retailers can contribute to reducing con­sumer food waste by offering price discounts for individual food items, rather than promotions that encourage the bulk purchasing to receive discounts.