British supermarket removes use by dates from milk for ‘sniff test’

A supermarket chain has been blasted over its decision to scrap use by dates from milk and ask customers to sniff their milk to check it hasn’t gone off.

UK shoppers have slammed grocery chain Morrisons after it announced a decision to scrap “use by” dates on milk, instead asking customers to use a sniff test to check if it’s gone off.

The supermarket will switch to using “best before” dates on 90 per cent of its own-brand milk packaging from the end of January, The Sun reports.

The date will be the same, but Morrisons is asking customers not to automatically throw milk away and instead check whether it has gone off first.

Best before dates indicate that a product will have a better quality if consumed before that day, but use by means food might not be safe to eat after that point.

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The change will be introduced from the end of January. Picture: Morrisons/PA Wire

Morrisons said the move is intended to reduce food waste, as millions of litres of milk are unnecessarily thrown away each year.

Milk is the third most wasted food and drink product in the UK, after potatoes and bread, with around 280 million litres thrown away annually, according to recycling charity Wrap.

It also estimates 48 million litres of milk waste may be due to customers following “use by” labels.

However, research shows milk is often fine to be used days after that date, the supermarket said.

Milk is the third most wasted food and drink product in the UK. Picture: David Paul Morris/Getty Images/AFP

Customers will be encouraged to smell their milk to check if it has gone bad before throwing it away.

A sour aroma or curdled consistency is a sign the milk has been spoiled.

Shoppers took to Twitter to complain about the decision, with many asking how they can smell the milk while in store.

However, Morrisons said that won’t be necessary because it won’t sell milk that is near the best before date.

One customer said: “So, Morrisons – can we open the bottle in order to sniff it before purchase? Or do we have to go home, sniff it, then bring it back if it’s off?”

Another added: “I can open the milk whilst still in Morrisons to check then I guess?”

Others pointed out that one of the main symptoms of Covid is losing your sense of smell.

“Morrisons to tell customers to “sniff test” for expired milk, in the middle of a pandemic where a major symptom is the sense of smell being negatively affected …” a customer said.

Another said: “Hmm … all right as long as you have a sense of smell.”

Customer will be encouraged to smell their milk to check if it’s gone bad.

Ian Goode, senior milk buyer at Morrisons, said previous generations used the sniff test without a problem.

He said: “Wasted milk means wasted effort by our farmers and unnecessary carbon being released into the atmosphere.

“Good quality well-kept milk has a good few days’ life after normal ‘use by’ dates – and we think it should be consumed, not tipped down the sink.

“So, we’re taking a bold step today and asking customers to decide whether their milk is still good to drink.

“Generations before us have always used the sniff test – and I believe we can too.”

This article originally appeared in The Sun and was reproduced with permission

Originally published as British supermarket removes use by dates from milk for ‘sniff test’