Kroger to standardize date labels on store brands

The Kroger Co. plans to standardize date labels for its Our Brands food products, providing simpler, easier-to-understand product quality and safety information as part of its Zero Hunger | Zero Waste social impact commitment.

“Kroger recognizes food waste often takes place in our customers' kitchens simply because product date labels can be confusing, resulting in safe-to-eat food regularly being tossed out,” said Howard Popoola, Kroger’s vice president of corporate food technology and regulatory compliance. “As Kroger works to reduce food waste throughout our business and our communities, we are standardizing and simplifying Our Brands products’ date labels, providing clearer guidance to our customers.”

Earlier this year, Kroger began to transition its Our Brands food products to feature one of the following date labels:

“Use By” is used to represent food safety. If a customer reads “use by” followed by a date, it indicates the deadline for when it is no longer safe to eat.

“Best if Used By” is used to represent food quality. If a customer reads “best if used by” followed by a date, it indicates the deadline for guaranteed freshness but does not affect the product's safety.

The simplified labels will apply to multiple product categories, including dairy, deli, bakery, and fresh and frozen grocery.

Press release