Date marking and food waste prevention sub-group

As part of the 2015 Circular Economy Action Plan, the Commission has sought to examine ways to improve the use of date marking by actors in the food chain and its understanding by consumers, with the support of the EU Platform on Food Losses and Food Waste and its sub-group on date marking.

Date marking was a regular item on the agenda of the Platform in order to facilitate exchange of information on initiatives implemented in Member States.

At the first meeting of the Platform under its second mandate (2022-2026), it was agreed that a subgroup would continue its activity to support work at EU level in relation to date marking and food waste prevention, as laid down in the Farm to Fork Strategy.

The Strategy foresees the revision of EU rules on date marking in order to prevent food waste linked to misunderstanding and/or misuse of these dates.

The Commission is carrying out an impact assessment (with public and targeted consultations) to support its proposal, as well as consumer research to identify new ways of expressing date marking that meet consumers' information needs whilst minimising food waste. In this context, a targeted consultation related to the revision of EU date marking rules and this consumer research took place with the Platform on 30 November 2021.

More information about the background and tasks of this sub-group can be found in its Terms of reference:

• Mandate: Date marking and food waste prevention sub-group

See the full list of the subgroup members (under the section "Members")

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