New research shows how, by using their fridges and freezers better, stores could make a huge impact. In addition, the retail industry can help consumers manage their frozen goods in the home and workplace more efficiently.

WRAP is issuing new guidance for food and white goods retailers and manufacturers to support consumers. These are:

  • to increase the use of the ‘snowflake’ logo on fresh and refrigerated food indicating that the food can be frozen
  • to move away from ‘freeze on day of purchase’ labelling where appropriate
  • to increase the availability and visibility of fridge thermometers, cool bags, freezer labels and pens and storage containers in-store
  • to include tips on the importance of good temperature control to help keep food at its best.

The research looked at ways consumers buy and store chilled and frozen foods. It suggests there is still a lot of confusion, and this leads to significant food waste. For example, although most people know what their fridge temperature should be, they lack the means to check and adjust this.

Only 25% of stores already stock thermometers.

Similarly, although journey times from store to home have increased, only a  tiny number of consumers are using cool bags for transporting chilled and frozen food.

Richard Swannell, Director of Retail at WRAP, said it would really help consumers if the industry got behind the recommendations as a means of reducing food waste.

“Reducing food waste will save us all money - £480 per year for a typical household. There are some quick and simple initiatives the food industry can take to help us do this.

“Consumers want to be confident about how best to store food and what can be frozen, when and for how long."

The food industry has already undertaken a number of initiatives to address food waste which occurs because consumers are unsure of the best ways to store food with M&S, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Birds Eye leading the way.

“Much more can still be done, which is why I’d encourage all retailers and manufacturers to talk to us about how they can implement these changes that can really make a difference,” he added.  

WRAP is working closely with the FSA (Food Standards Agency) and the white goods industry to ensure the safety of food is protected during the drive to reduce the amount of unnecessary food waste.

Kaarin Goodburn Secretary General of the Chilled Food Association, who has advised WRAP in this area, said: “The FSA recommends that fridge temperatures are between 0ºC and 5ºC.  We believe that fridge temperature dials should clearly indicate which setting is the coldest and we recommend using a well-designed fridge thermometer to check the fridge is not too warm."

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