On May 11, 2016, the Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic, National Consumers League, and Johns Hopkins University Center for Livable Future released their findings from a national survey on consumer perception of date labels in the report Consumer Perceptions of Date Labels: National Survey. The survey aimed to understand the extent to which consumers are confused about date labels, whether they throw away food after the date passes, perceptions about whether labels are federally regulated, and which labels most clearly communicate quality and safety, for purposes of standardizing the language.
Below is media coverage of the report and survey:
- Agri-Pulse, May 11, 2016: Survey: ‘Best by’ dates confuse consumers, may contribute to food waste
- CityLab (from The Atlantic), May 11, 2016: Everyone Is Super Confused About Food Labels
- Center for a Livable Future, May 12, 2016: Survey Says – Confusion about Food Date Labels
- Whole Foods Magazine, May 20, 2016: Survey Shows Date Labels Contribute to Food Waste