The Problem

A staggering 40% of food produced in the U.S. goes uneaten every year.

Food waste is an expensive problem. Each year, $444 billion, or roughly 2% of GDP is wasted on food that will never be eaten. Yet, there is an acute need for food in the US. One in 10 households were food insecure in 2021, meaning they did not have enough food to ensure an active, healthy lifestyle for all members of the household. Just 30% of currently wasted food could feed every food-insecure American their total diet annually.

Wasted food has serious environmental consequences.

Twenty-five percent of America’s freshwater and 350 million barrels of oil are wasted on food that will be thrown out in the U.S. every year. Twenty-five percent of all landfill volume is food waste, which leads to greenhouse gas emissions equal to that of 32.6 million vehicles.

How Do Food Date Labels Play a Role?

U.S. date labels are a free-for-all, much like the Wild West. In just one survey of its own suppliers, Walmart found 47 different varieties of date labels in use. With the exception of infant formula, no federal legislation or regulations on date labels exist and state laws vary from state-to-state.

Contrary to the belief of many consumers, date labels are generally not related to food safety. Confusion over date labels is a major contributor to food waste in the U.S.

In several states, food cannot be donated if it is past the date label, even if the date is related to freshness and the food is still safe, wholesome, and edible. This leads to unnecessary food waste which could have directly gone to those most in need.