New bill tries to dispel consumer confusion about food labels
础听, conducted by the聽Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic, found that 84 percent of consumers throw away food that is close to聽or past the date displayed on the label, and this disposal is often unnecessary. Currently, food date labeling is not federally regulated in the United States.
罢丑别听,聽which was announced on May 18 by聽U.S.听Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME),聽seeks to curtail food waste and dispel consumer confusion by clearly differentiating between labels for foods which have reached peak quality and labels for foods which have become unsafe to consume.鈥淚f we reduce food waste by just 15 percent, we would be able to adequately feed 25 million hungry Americans,鈥澛�.听
The bill develops a nationwide standard and regulatory framework for date labeling, using labeling terminology that is understandable and transparent for consumers. The proposed legislation also enables retailers to sell or donate food that has passed its quality date. Often, the dates on food labels do not accurately reflect the聽actual safety threshold of the聽food聽and can be misleading to consumers.
鈥淚tems at the grocery store are stamped with a jumble of arbitrary food date labels that are not based on safety or science. This dizzying patchwork confuses consumers, results in food waste, and prevents good food from being donated to those who need it most,鈥� Blumenthal聽.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture聽聽that 133 billion pounds of food are聽wasted聽at the retail and consumer levels of the supply chain.听The Food Date Labeling Act draws inspiration and recommendations from research conducted by the Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic, the Food Date Labeling Working Group, the National Consumers League, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future.
Emma is pursuing a master's degree in Agroecology at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. Her thesis research investigates the conceptual relationship between local food policy councils and agroecology social movements.
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