Consumer research study to identify new ways of expressing date marking that meet consumers’ information needs whilst minimising food waste

Client: DG SANTE

Duration: 2020 – 2021

Consortium: Open Evidence (leader), BDI, LSE

Methodology: Behavioural Study

Tools: Literature Review, Interviews, Focus Groups, Behavioural Experiments, Neuroscientific Metrics (eye-tracking, facial coding), Surveys, Workshop, Data Analysis

Fieldwork: All MS

Geographical scope: EU27

The need to prevent and reduce food waste, while ensuring the safety of the food and feed chain, is a subject of growing societal, economic, environmental and political interest in the European Union and worldwide. The European Commission recognises that the misunderstanding and misuse of date marking (‘use by’ and ‘best before’ dates) may lead to food waste. This project primary objective is to identify new ways of expressing date marking that increase consumers understanding in order to reduce food waste. The study uses mixed methods, relying on both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.