Overseas top-fruit suppliers are appealing to UK supermarkets to scrap date labelling on apples, in turn reducing costs and fines.
Several companies in South Africa have voiced concerns that the move “lacks common sense” and claim consumers do not look at date labels on apples.
Fines incurred for produce which arrives in the UK with dates which have become incorrect are being sent back down the supply chain.
Frederick Odendaal, producer services manager at co-operative Ceres Fruit Growers which markets its fruit through Tru-Cape Fruit Marketing, said date labelling was a “waste of quality fruit” and was simply a stock-control exercise.
He said: “We are spending a lot of money on date coding. It’s three weeks by ship to the UK and if there’s a backlog on fruit they already have supplies. The retailers are adding costs and we often have to divert the fruit into other markets if there’s, say, wind in the harbour and it holds up shipping.”
The big four retailers - excluding Asda which originally did date label its apples but does not now - include date coding on polybag packaging.
Fruitways chairman Alastair Moodie said: “The more you push these kind of costs back down the supply chain to the suppliers then you can have these kind of luxuries.”
Much has been made of date labelling in the UK where the issue has been tied in to problems with food waste. Former DEFRA secretary Hilary Benn called for packaging to make it clear when food is and isn’t safe to eat.
English Apples & Pears chief executive Adrian Barlow backed date labelling on top-fruit, arguing it could damage long-term sales if eating quality was put at risk.
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