For Businesses

Date Labelling Initiative

Confusing date labels are one of the biggest drivers of unnecessary food waste. Our initiative helps businesses communicate freshness more clearly — reducing waste and saving money.

The Problem

Millions of tonnes wasted due to label confusion

Studies across the globe consistently show that consumers cannot tell the difference between “best before” and “use by” dates. The result? Perfectly safe food gets thrown away every day because of a misunderstood label.

In South Africa alone, an estimated 20–30% of household food waste is driven directly by date label misinterpretation. For food businesses, this creates both ethical and reputational challenges.

"Best Before"

Quality, not safety. Food is often fine to eat after this date — it may just not be at peak freshness.

"Use By"

A safety date. Food should not be consumed after this date. This is the label that truly matters.

"Display Until"

A stock management tool for retailers. Not relevant to consumers at all — you can safely ignore it.

What the initiative does

Provides clear, plain-language labelling templates for partner businesses

Trains frontline staff to explain date labels to customers

Integrates with Daily Foodie listings to flag near-expiry items for Surprise Bags

Publishes monthly reports on waste reduction impact for participating businesses

Advocates for clearer national labelling standards in South Africa

Connects participating businesses with a network of like-minded sustainability partners

Join the initiative

Participating businesses receive the Daily Foodie Date Labelling Certification, free staff training materials, and priority placement on our platform.