According to the recommendations of the State Food and Veterinary Office, such food could be sold for up to 45 days. An exception is made for bread, which can be sold for up to 2 days.
"Food that has passed its minimum use-by date but is still good and safe to eat can be sold for longer. Selling food that is safe for consumers would reduce losses for traders and producers and lower food prices. This would allow consumers to buy more food at a discount. It would also reduce food waste and discards, which currently amount to more than 50,000 tonnes per year," said Aušrinė Armonaitė, Minister of the Economy and Innovation.
The revised EIMIN will allow consumers to buy cheaper food that is still fit and safe to eat, thus contributing to the significant problem of food waste.
"In Lithuania, we throw away almost 400,000 tonnes of food waste every year. Up to a sixth of this comes from the retail sector. Allowing the sale of food with a 'best before' date would reduce the amount of food waste generated in the retail sector," says Ieva Valeškaitė, Deputy Minister of the Economy and Innovation.
Under the updated procedure, sellers can only sell such food if it is packaged in the original manufacturer's packaging, which is undamaged.
The consumer must also be properly and clearly informed that the food has passed its use-by date, without obscuring the manufacturer's use-by date and other mandatory labelling information. Such food must be displayed in a separate or clearly labelled place at the point of sale.
In addition, a consumer who has purchased a defective food product will be given the opportunity to return it in accordance with the general procedure laid down in the Civil Code.
These changes apply to long-life foods (cereals, pasta, coffee, tea, oil, etc.), which are still safe and edible after their expiry date.
Sellers may determine the time limit for the sale of such products, taking into account the requirements and time limits set out in the guidelines issued by the State Food and Veterinary Office. The seller should assess the individual characteristics of the food and the realistic possibility for the consumer to consume it safely.
The new amendments would also allow the establishment of speciality shops, which are particularly popular in countries concerned with sustainability. Such products could also be sold online.
We hope that this will raise people's awareness by encouraging them to take a closer look at the differences between 'best before' and 'use by' labels and not to throw away good food they have at home.
