Look, Smell, Taste: Using Your Senses to Reduce Food Waste
Empowering households to cut food waste by trusting their senses over confusing date labels.
Look, Smell, Taste: The Sensory Path to Less Food Waste
Every year, millions of tons of perfectly edible food are discarded from households, with much of this waste stemming from confusion over date labels. The ‘Look, Smell, Taste’ campaign, launched by Too Good To Go, aims to tackle this issue by reminding consumers that their senses are powerful tools in deciding whether food is still good to eat, especially when dealing with products that have passed their ‘Best Before’ date.
By learning to trust what we see, smell, and taste, we can dramatically cut down on unnecessary food waste and make more sustainable choices.
Why Date Label Confusion Leads to Waste
One of the biggest contributors to domestic food waste is the widespread confusion between ‘Best Before’ and ‘Use By’ dates. According to research, up to 10% of Europe’s total food waste results from misunderstanding labels, with millions of people throwing away food that remains healthy, safe, and edible simply because the date on the packaging has passed.
- ‘Best Before’ dates refer to food quality rather than safety. Food can be safely consumed after this date if it looks, smells, and tastes as expected.
- ‘Use By’ dates are about food safety: food should not be consumed after this date, even if its appearance and smell seem normal.
- Many consumers incorrectly believe both dates have equal importance for safety, prompting premature disposal of perfectly edible food.
The campaign’s aim is simple yet powerful: empower people to use their senses—look, smell, and taste—before wasting food, reducing avoidable landfill and supporting global sustainability targets.
Origins and Goals of the ‘Look, Smell, Taste’ Campaign
The impetus for the campaign emerged from Too Good To Go’s research, identifying that nearly half of UK adults are uncertain about what ‘Best Before’ dates truly mean. When surveyed, 39% admitted they do not rely on their senses when evaluating food past its ‘Best Before’ date, opting instead to throw it away. To address this, Too Good To Go collaborated with more than 40 leading food brands to roll out the ‘Look, Smell, Taste, Don’t Waste’ initiative.
- Brands update their packaging, shifting where possible from ‘Use By’ to ‘Best Before’ labels, and include clear pictograms urging consumers to use their senses first.
- Participating companies include household names like Arla, Danone, Nestlé, The Laughing Cow, Savencia, Tropicana, Copella, and many more.
- Clear reminders and visual cues appear on packaging, in-store promotions, and digital channels to reinforce behavior change.
The ultimate goal? Reduce the vast quantities of safe food being wasted and make using the senses part of mainstream consumer behavior.
Trusting Your Senses: The Three-Step Check
The key to the campaign lies in a three-step sensory check:
- Look: Inspect the food visually.
Is there visible mildew, mold, or other signs of spoilage? Is the packaging intact and undamaged? - Smell: Take a whiff.
Does it smell unusual, sour, or pungent when it shouldn’t? A food’s normal aroma is a quick indicator of its freshness and safety. - Taste: Try a small bite.
If it passes the first two steps, does it taste as expected? Any bitterness or odd flavor could mean it’s past its prime.
What others are reading
If a food looks, smells and tastes right, it likely remains safe to eat even past the ‘Best Before’ date. Only when food fails one of these checks should it be discarded.
The Difference Between ‘Use By’ and ‘Best Before’ Dates
| Date Label | Meaning | When to Eat | Is It Safe After? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Before | Indicates optimal quality (flavor, texture) | Until the date shown | Usually, as long as it passes sensory checks |
| Use By | Relates to food safety | Up to and on the date shown | No; food should not be consumed |
Understanding these labels is essential. ‘Best Before’ foods that have been stored correctly are not dangerous after their listed date; however, for ‘Use By’ products (typically meat, fish, and dairy), discard any that have passed this point, regardless of how they look or smell.
The Campaign’s Impact: Brand Participation and Consumer Behavior
Since launching, the campaign has seen an enthusiastic response from both food brands and consumers. Over 40 food and drinks companies now participate, showing a growing recognition across the industry that label confusion and waste are solvable problems.
- Brands add prominent Look-Smell-Taste graphics and wording on their packaging, simplifying the decision and raising awareness.
- Retail spaces and online marketing echo the Look-Smell-Taste mantra, turning it into a memorable, actionable habit for households.
- Major names in dairy, beverages, snacks, and ready-to-eat products lead the charge, with positive feedback from both retailers and consumers.
Jamie Crummie, co-founder of Too Good To Go, notes that while much progress has been made, ongoing outreach and education remain crucial. The campaign’s effects are seen in reduced food waste volumes and shifting consumer mindsets, as evidenced by follow-up research and growing industry support.
Using Look, Smell, Taste at Home
Similarly to professional food handlers, ordinary consumers can prevent tonnes of waste through three simple steps at home:
- Keep food at correct temperatures and sealed when necessary. Proper storage ensures the best possible shelf life.
- Know your food’s appearance and aroma. The more familiar you are, the easier it is to spot signs of spoilage.
- Develop ‘sensory confidence.’ With practice, identifying safe, edible food by look, smell, and taste becomes second nature.
Applying these checks, particularly to bread, dairy, fruits, vegetables, and dry goods—products most often wasted due to label confusion—avoids unnecessary disposal and keeps edible food out of the trash.
Frequently Wasted Foods: How Look, Smell, Taste Helps
- Milk: Among the top household waste items. Past its ‘Best Before’? If it looks normal and doesn’t smell sour, try tasting a drop—it’s often still usable for days.
- Cheese and Yogurt: Hard cheeses often survive well past the date if stored well. Trim away minor surface mold; soft cheeses and yogurts are good as long as neither looks nor smells ‘off.’
- Bread: Taste- and smell-based checks reveal bread’s edibility long after ‘Best Before.’ Only discard if there’s visible mold.
- Fresh Produce: Fruits and vegetables generally spoil visibly or by smell and texture before ever reaching a safety risk.
A little caution and regular checks make a significant impact in slashing household waste.
The Role of Brands and Retailers
Food brands and retailers play a crucial role in educating consumers and streamlining the transition to senses-based checks:
- Updating packaging language and date label types—from ‘Use By’ to ‘Best Before’ where safety permits.
- Displaying the Look, Smell, Taste pictogram and advice on product labels and in promotional materials.
- Running customer awareness campaigns in stores and online.
- Collaborating with anti-food waste organizations to standardize consumer guidance and further reduce confusion.
Industry support amplifies the message and enables wider adoption, normalizing behavior shifts necessary at scale.
The Environmental and Social Benefits of Reducing Food Waste
- Environmental Impact: Food waste generates methane, a potent greenhouse gas, when decomposing in landfills. Reducing waste means less climate impact and more efficient use of land, water, and energy resources.
- Economic Savings: Households save significant money by using food longer and only discarding items that are truly spoiled.
- Food Security: Managing food better means more is available to feed communities rather than ending up in the trash.
Empowering Consumers: Top Tips
- Check labels when purchasing. Seek Best Before rather than Use By dates if possible; you’ll have longer to safely consume the product.
- Store food properly. Follow storage instructions to maximize the time food remains fresh.
- Use all your senses. Visually inspect, smell, and taste—a little habit change can have a dramatic effect.
- Educate others. Share what you learn with friends and family to multiply impact.
- Support participating brands. Look for the Look, Smell, Taste symbol and join the effort.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Can all foods be judged safely using look, smell, and taste?
A: No. While the ‘Look, Smell, Taste’ method is excellent for ‘Best Before’ foods, ‘Use By’ items—especially meat, fish, and some chilled dairy—should never be consumed after the date, regardless of sensory checks. Always follow safety guidance for ‘Use By’ labeled products.
Q: How do I recognize mold or spoilage if I’m unsure?
A: Mold typically appears as white, green, or blue fuzzy spots. If food is slimy, emits a strong off-odor, or shows visual changes (e.g., swelling packaging), it’s unsafe. If in doubt, discard the food.
Q: Are there foods that are generally safe to eat past their date?
A: Many dry goods, baked products, certain cheeses, and hard fruits/vegetables remain edible well after their ‘Best Before’ date if stored correctly and checked using your senses.
Q: Does the campaign address confusion for both use by and best before dates?
A: The focus is on ‘Best Before’ dates because these are about food quality, not safety. The campaign seeks to educate so consumers don’t waste food needlessly and understand the critical safety importance of ‘Use By’ dates.
Conclusion: Making the Most of Your Food
By following the ‘Look, Smell, Taste’ method, households can drastically reduce food waste, save money, and protect the environment. The campaign is a practical call to action for both consumers and brands, transforming the way we think about food safety, quality, and resourcefulness. Adopting these sensory checks helps ensure more food reaches tables—not bins—making every meal a climate-friendly choice.
References
Similar Articles
Read full bio of medha deb
