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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Morrisons - to think this might backfire?

160 replies

Magicpaintbrush · 09/01/2022 20:59

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-59928650
Morrisons are planning to remove the 'use by' date on their milk to prevent food waste, the idea being that people sniff it before they use it instead. I think reducing food waste is brilliant but ... AIBU to think that quite a lot of people will chuck milk out even sooner without 'use by' guidance as they won't know if it's still ok to use. And if, as the article suggests, milk is often fine for a few days after the use by date, why don't they just extend the use by date instead then Confused? I also think it will lead some people to chuck it on the 'best before' date if that's the only date on the label, thus wasting even more. I don't personally think I would trust a sniff test, I wouldn't feel confident about it. I think this new policy might lead to more waste not less, and would put me off buying it. Or is it just me?

OP posts:
Kite22 · 09/01/2022 21:16

I can't get worked up about it. It is hardly news.
There are people who will still throw it out.
There are people who have no clue about the difference between BBE and a 'use by'
There are people who will take no notice of either and use their common sense (after all, it is pretty obvious when milk has gone off).

YABU to think there will be 'backfiring'

dementedpixie · 09/01/2022 21:18

@SolasAnla

I want a use by/ best before date when I am buying the milk to know that I am not picking up the last of the 3 day old cartons not put out in time. Once it gets home it helps to have the date to pull the old cartons first so if they were going to do that I would not be buying milk from them.
They still have a date It will say best before that date instead of use by
oviraptor21 · 09/01/2022 21:18

It's just you.
Most people use common sense with a best before date but a use by date is a bit more 'demanding'. Not that I have ever bothered with them as far as dairy is concerned. Regularly use milk and cream up to two weeks past use by.

dementedpixie · 09/01/2022 21:18

@ACCx

I would need the date 100%
There will be a date
gamerchick · 09/01/2022 21:19

I dont even look at dates on milk in the first place.

MarchingOnTogether · 09/01/2022 21:20

I'm glad I read the comments, I saw this headline earlier and I thought they were just removing the date which seemed bizarre to me, how would you know you weren't buying one that had been sat there for weeks???
But swapping use by for best before is a bit of a non story really, can't see it changing many people's habits...

Theredjellybean · 09/01/2022 21:20

Never look at the date on any food.

pussycatunpickingcrossesagain · 09/01/2022 21:22

Tesco are just as bad, they don't put a date on their veg...which is why some manky carrots bought on Friday have ended up in the bin today, and why I don't normally buy fresh stuff from there.

I think I read that Morrisons will put a "best before" date rather than "use by" which sounds like a massive vanity project to me.

LowlandLucky · 09/01/2022 21:26

As a big adult i can tell all by myself when milk, chicken or other food stuff is off. Maybe that's because i grew up without BBF OR USE BY and when we just had common sense

AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair · 09/01/2022 21:26

@pussycatunpickingcrossesagain

Tesco are just as bad, they don't put a date on their veg...which is why some manky carrots bought on Friday have ended up in the bin today, and why I don't normally buy fresh stuff from there.

I think I read that Morrisons will put a "best before" date rather than "use by" which sounds like a massive vanity project to me.

I shop at tesco and the veg at my local branches has dates on. Do some branche have different packaging?

Did you choose to buy many carrots or were they picked by an online shopping picker

FourteenSixteenTwentyTwo · 09/01/2022 21:31

@pussycatunpickingcrossesagain

Tesco are just as bad, they don't put a date on their veg...which is why some manky carrots bought on Friday have ended up in the bin today, and why I don't normally buy fresh stuff from there.

I think I read that Morrisons will put a "best before" date rather than "use by" which sounds like a massive vanity project to me.

What would you do if going to a greengrocers? Wouldn’t you just look for decent ones? Or do you actively avoid all shops/ markets that don’t have dates?
User65412 · 09/01/2022 21:31

It will be a 'best before date' instead.

Meaning still useable after but many people will still probably chuck it.

Very misleading headline!

Blackmagicqueen · 09/01/2022 21:33

It floats on top of your cup of tea when it's starting to go off 🤢

ivykaty44 · 09/01/2022 21:36

milk from the milkman is the same, no dates just sniff

daisyjgrey · 09/01/2022 21:36

Mine is delivered by a milkman in glass bottles, I have silicone lid things that I put on as soon as I open them so theres no date. Just sniff it.

3scape · 09/01/2022 21:36

Depends on the milk.

Blackmagicqueen · 09/01/2022 21:36

'Tesco are just as bad, they don't put a date on their veg...which is why some manky carrots bought on Friday have ended up in the bin today,"

Mouldy fruit/veg really should be removed by the supermarket, noticed mouldy oranges etc in afew large superstores.

Puffinhead · 09/01/2022 21:37

@SolasAnla

I want a use by/ best before date when I am buying the milk to know that I am not picking up the last of the 3 day old cartons not put out in time. Once it gets home it helps to have the date to pull the old cartons first so if they were going to do that I would not be buying milk from them.
I check this too - go for the longest dates.
Mochudubh · 09/01/2022 21:37

I always buy the milk with the latest date I can find on the shelf, then never refer to it again.

Puffinhead · 09/01/2022 21:38

But a best before date would be fine.

TrenchArse · 09/01/2022 21:38

If milk is off then don’t drink it. Have we really become so stupid that we can’t tell when milk has gone off? The absolute state of us 😂

elelel · 09/01/2022 21:41

I don't differentiate between use by and best before anyway. I use things before the date.

Sparklingbrook · 09/01/2022 21:42

I think it's a good idea, although some people will still chuck it out after the Best Before date most likely even if it's fine. Hmm
I buy Waitrose skimmed and I'm regularly using it a week after the date on it. I agree that you can tell if it's not right.

Shodan · 09/01/2022 21:45

When people are loosing their sense of smell with covid it’s not ideal is it

If you've lost your sense of smell it's highly unlikely you'll have a great sense of taste, so it doesn't matter if the milk's a bit sour.

And if the milk is really off, you'll be able to see it when you pour it.

dementedpixie · 09/01/2022 21:47

Or you could look at the best before date as a guide