In research conducted this month by Square One's Marking Solutions company, it was found that 85% of respondents used the “sell by” and “best before” dates on food produce to help them save money in this difficult economic time.
By selecting the freshest ingredients from the stores, and then using these dates to establish which food should be eaten first in their households, 85% of South African families are able to save money on their monthly grocery bills and reduce their household waste.
A 98% response rate on this research indicates there is a real strength of feeling among ordinary South Africans when it comes to issues around food marking. In fact, 100% of respondents said they paid attention to these labels while shopping now.
Eighty-eight percent of all respondents said that they read and adhered to the markings on food all or most of the time. The balance of 12% was only prepared to wait a couple of days after the marked expiry date on the food before disposing of it.
As people become more and more health conscious, 67% of respondents indicated they also use the markings to benefit the health of their families and themselves, by ensuring the food doesn't go off and to check the places of origin.
Almost everyone would like to see a bit more food marking available, with 48% of respondents wanting to see more sugar, fat and kilojoule markings on the front of packs, as is common in the supermarkets in the UK.
More contentiously, 15% of people would like to see health warnings on food, similar to those available on cigarette packs, particularly warning people about foods that are likely to cause allergic reactions or those that are unsuitable to eat during pregnancy.
Ted Michel, executive director of the Marking Solutions division of Square One, says: “People are relying on the marking and labelling on foods more and more every year. It has become almost impossible to complete a grocery shop these days without the markings. And as technology becomes increasingly developed and flexible, we will see a host of new applications to benefit the consumer and the grocery budget.”
As the first company to print expiry dates on individual eggs in South Africa, Marking Solutions expects to see more pressure emerging to label produce with legislative compliance and health warnings in the coming years.
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