ALDI SÜD consumer information campaign on consumability of milk beyond the “best before date”

Overview

The need: Research has shown that many consumers in Germany still throw away perishable foods such as milk, even when it would still be safe to consume [1]. One reason for this behaviour is that when the product reaches its “best before date”, consumers typically don’t test if the product can still be consumed before throwing it away.

The solution: ALDI SÜD and partners tested the effect of imprinting “Smell me! Try me! I am often good for longer” on fresh milk packaging to encourage customers to check whether the milk could be consumed after the “best before date”.

The benefit: In an accompanying consumer survey, more than 75% of respondents (12% more than before the packaging change) stated that when checking the consumability of milk, they were now more likely to pay attention to external factors such as smell or taste, rather than just the “best-before date”.