A groundbreaking study from Dalhousie University in Halifax has uncovered a costly misunderstanding in Canadian kitchens. The research, published on November 22, 2025, reveals that the average Canadian household is throwing away a staggering $761 worth of food every year, with nearly a third of this waste attributed directly to confusion between 'best before' and expiration dates.
The High Cost of Date Label Confusion
Conducted in partnership with Too Good To Go, an international company dedicated to reducing food waste, the study surveyed Canadians about their understanding of food labels. The findings highlight a significant knowledge gap that is hitting families right in their wallets.
While three-quarters of respondents correctly understood that expiration dates indicate when food is likely no longer safe to consume, confusion remains substantial. Fourteen percent mistakenly believed expiration dates merely indicated the food had passed its peak quality, while another eight percent thought it was simply a recommendation for stores to stop selling the product.
What 'Best Before' Really Means
The confusion deepens with 'best before' labels, which present an even greater misunderstanding among Canadian consumers. Only 70 percent of respondents correctly identified that 'best before' indicates when food has likely passed its optimal quality but may still be safe to eat.
More concerning is that 20 percent of Canadians mistakenly believe 'best before' dates mean the food is no longer safe to consume, leading to unnecessary disposal of perfectly edible items.
Chris MacAulay, vice-president of North America operations for Too Good To Go, emphasized the opportunity for improvement, stating: "If 30 percent of people don't know what best before means, and one in five think that best before is an expiration date, there is so much opportunity to simply improve people's understanding."
The Simple Solution: Look, Smell, Taste
Sylvain Charlebois, director of Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab who worked on the study, offers a straightforward alternative to relying solely on printed dates. "Look, smell, taste," he advises. "Taste goes last. That's basically it."
This approach forms the foundation of the 'look-smell-taste' campaign launched last year by Too Good To Go. The initiative encourages consumers to trust their senses—examining packaging for damage, checking for discolouration, and using smell and taste to determine if food remains edible.
Charlebois does caution that certain foods require more careful handling. "Animal proteins are more risky. You want to be extremely careful with meat and dairy. And as soon as the container is open, as soon as the product is exposed to air, all bets are off."
However, he notes that proper handling can extend food life significantly. "If it's thoroughly cooked you can actually keep it for a long time. You've just extended the conservation cycle for that product if you actually thoroughly cooked it."
The 'don't waste' labels already appearing on products from Canadian companies like Greenhouse and Paz Bakery represent a practical step toward educating consumers and reducing the hundreds of dollars worth of food needlessly discarded each year.
