One major reason is the misunderstanding surrounding best-before dates. Many people assume that food becomes unsafe the moment it passes the date printed on its packaging, but that isn’t necessarily true. In Canada, a best-before date generally indicates how long an unopened product is expected to maintain its freshness, flavour, and nutritional quality under proper storage conditions. It is not automatically a safety deadline. Depending on the product and how it has been stored, some foods may remain perfectly fine to eat afterward. However, stores may remove these items from their shelves to avoid customer complaints or because they believe shoppers won’t purchase them. Consequently, food that could still be enjoyed often ends up in the garbage simply because of a date on its label.<\/span><\/p>\n Appearance also plays a surprisingly large role in food waste. Grocery stores want their shelves to look appealing, and customers tend to choose produce that looks fresh, colourful, and unblemished. A bruised apple, a crooked carrot, or a slightly soft peach might taste just as good as a more attractive alternative, but shoppers may pass over it without a second thought. Stores are then left with products that become increasingly difficult to sell as they approach the end of their shelf life. Some retailers also receive produce that has already been rejected for its appearance before it even reaches the store. Although these fruits and vegetables may be perfectly edible, strict cosmetic standards can prevent them from reaching consumers in the first place.<\/span><\/p>\n Another important factor is the difficulty of predicting how much food customers will buy. Grocery stores need to keep their shelves stocked, but ordering too much can create a serious problem, particularly with perishable products such as dairy, meat, baked goods, and fresh produce. A store might order extra strawberries in anticipation of a busy weekend, only to experience lower sales than expected. By the time employees realize there is a surplus, some of the fruit may be too ripe to sell. Reducing prices or donating unsold products can help, but these options require time, planning, and coordination. Food donations may also be limited by storage capacity, transportation, local regulations, or the availability of organizations able to collect the items. For some businesses, discarding surplus stock becomes the easiest option, even when better alternatives might be possible.<\/span><\/p>\n Ultimately, grocery stores throw away edible food for a combination of practical, financial, and social reasons. Confusing date labels, expectations of perfect-looking produce, and the challenges of managing inventory all contribute to the problem. However, food waste is not inevitable. Stores can offer discounts on products nearing their best-before dates, sell imperfect produce at reduced prices, improve their ordering systems, and partner with food banks or community organizations. Consumers also have a role to play by being more flexible about the appearance of fruits and vegetables and learning what food labels actually mean. Reducing food waste will require effort from both businesses and shoppers, but even small changes can make a meaningful difference. After all, food that is still safe to eat deserves a better fate than ending up in a landfill.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n References<\/b><\/p>\n Environment and Climate Change Canada. (2019). Taking stock: Reducing food loss and waste in Canada. Government of Canada.<\/span> https:\/\/www.canada.ca\/en\/environment-climate-change\/services\/managing-reducing-waste\/food-loss-waste\/taking-stock.html<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/yfspic13-300x224.jpg\")
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