Food manufacturers have been urged to stop using unnecessary printed labels featuring use by dates, after claims that retailers are becoming swamped by them.

A report by the Local Better Regulation Office (LBRO) has found that the average supermarket currently has around 50,000 products with use by dates, even though best before could have been used instead.

Since shops can be prosecuted for selling things that are past their use by date, this is costing £110 million a year in checks, a price that could be getting passed on to shoppers.

The LBRO also claimed this over-cautious approach is contributing to the £600 million of food waste that Britain produces annually.

Business Minister Mark Prisk has now been urged to instruct manufacturers to only utilise use by dates when foods are highly perishable or will eventually become dangerous to eat.

Back in April 2011, environment secretary Caroline Spelman announced the coalition is looking into removing peelable labels featuring best before dates in a bid to reduce food waste.

Denny Bros Ltd, 06 July 2011