Lidl rolls out major change to popular foods in stores across the UK

Lidl will swap 'use by' dates for 'best before' dates on its own brand yoghurt and fresh milk ranges.

The updated milk packaging can already be seen in some stores in England and Wales, with the changes to yoghurt expected from early 2024.

Milk and yoghurt that are stored correctly do not need to be thrown away if they don't smell bad or appear lumpy.

Swapping to 'best before' dates will encourage shoppers to check the product to see if it is safe to eat rather than going by a 'use by' date.

'Best before' dates suggest how long a food lasts before it loses quality, but does not mean it is unsafe to eat.

Head of buying at Lidl GB Richard Inglis said: “At Lidl, we know that a lot of perfectly good milk and yoghurt is being thrown away because of ‘use by’ dates.

"It therefore makes total sense to us to make the switch to ‘best before’ so that shoppers can use their own judgement on whether their milk or yoghurt is good to consume.

"We’ve got a long record of making positive changes to reduce food waste, and this latest step builds on our commitment to helping households tackle food waste at home.”

This follows other schemes the retailer has to cut back on food waste.

This includes Lidl's 'Too Good to Waste' boxes that sell surplus fruits and vegetables for only £1.50.

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Lidl has introduced a scheme to cut back on clothing waste.

Lidl shoppers can get its new Christmas jumper for just £2 in a supermarket first scheme.

It partnered with the fashion rental app By Rotation so the jumper can be rented for £2 a day.

A Lidl spokesperson said: “Our iconic Christmas jumper is already a great price at £7.99, leading to it flying off shelves in previous years.

“The new rental service provides another opportunity for fans to get their hands on our coveted collection past and present, as well as three very special bespoke designs, making festive fashion more accessible for those on a budget this year.”