TÜGİS Calls for Greater Food Label Literacy
The Turkish Food Industry Employers’ Association (TÜGİS) has called on consumers to read food labels more consciously, drawing attention to the confusion around date-related expressions on packaging.
TÜGİS emphasized that public awareness around food safety and sustainable consumption must be strengthened. In particular, the association underlined that “Expiry Date” and “Best Before Date” should not be confused.
According to TÜGİS Chairman Kaan Sidar, understanding this difference correctly is critical for both consumer health and the reduction of food waste.
Reading Labels Correctly Helps Reduce Food Waste
Kaan Sidar stated that food waste is not only an economic issue, but also has environmental and social dimensions.
He noted that food reaches the table after passing through many stages, from agricultural production and factory processing to laboratory controls and energy use. Therefore, throwing away food that is still suitable for consumption creates a serious loss of resources.
According to Sidar, one of the most effective ways to fight food waste is to improve consumers’ ability to read labels correctly and understand the difference between quality criteria and food safety risks.
Difference Between Expiry Date and Best Before Date
TÜGİS summarizes the two commonly confused concepts as follows:
Label Expression | Meaning | Key Point |
|---|---|---|
Expiry Date | Indicates a critical limit for food safety. | After this date, the product may pose a health risk. |
Best Before Date | Indicates the period during which the product best preserves its taste, aroma, texture, and quality. | Some packaged dry foods stored under proper conditions may still be suitable for consumption after this date. |
Sidar emphasized that particular care should be taken with meat, dairy products, and products that must be kept in the cold chain, where the expiry date is especially critical.
He noted that the “Best Before Date” mostly refers to quality characteristics, and that certain packaged dry foods may remain consumable after this date if they have been stored properly.
In such cases, the product must have been kept under the right storage conditions, its packaging must be intact, and there must be no signs of spoilage.
“Best Before Date Refers to the Product’s Consumable Quality”
Kaan Sidar underlined the importance of interpreting date labels correctly:
“For certain product groups, the ‘Expiry Date’ is considered a critical threshold in terms of food safety, and exceeding this date may pose a health risk. Especially for meat, dairy products, and products that must be stored in the cold chain, the consumption date should be followed carefully.”
Sidar explained that the “Best Before Date” has a different meaning:
The ‘Best Before Date’ mostly refers to the period during which food maintains its taste, aroma, texture, and similar quality characteristics at an ideal level. Some packaged dry foods stored under proper conditions may retain their consumable quality even after this date.
Food Safety and Waste Prevention Should Be Addressed Together
TÜGİS emphasized that food safety and the fight against food waste should be considered together.
Sidar stated that awareness campaigns on product labels are carried out in many countries, with the dual aim of protecting public health and reducing preventable waste.
He also noted that Türkiye’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry carries out public information activities with great care. Sidar said:
As TÜGİS, we find these practices that support consumers in reading product labels more consciously extremely valuable.
TÜGİS Shares Conscious Consumption Recommendations
TÜGİS highlighted several key points that consumers should consider for safer and more conscious food consumption:
Date information on product packaging should be read carefully.
The difference between Expiry Date and Best Before Date should be understood.
Foods should be stored under the recommended conditions.
Products with damaged packaging should not be preferred.
Products showing signs of spoilage in appearance, taste, or smell should not be consumed.
The distinction between quality loss and food safety risk should be made correctly.
Sidar emphasized that products that can be safely consumed should not be wasted unnecessarily, adding that every food product reaches consumers through the use of water, energy, agricultural labor, and economic resources.
About TÜGİS
TÜGİS, one of Türkiye’s first employers’ associations, is also a founding member of the Turkish Confederation of Employer Associations (TİSK).
With leading food producers among its members, TÜGİS has been carrying out pioneering work for more than half a century to support the development of the Turkish food industry and strengthen its competitiveness in international markets.
Since beginning its activities in 1961, TÜGİS has continued to contribute to social dialogue, labor peace, and the development of the food industry as an innovative civil society organization.
