Improper labelling of manufacturing and expiry dates of food: a legal and regulatory study of food quality and food waste in Bangladesh
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Maintaining the safety and quality of manufactured food is an important concern for producers, government and consumers in Bangladesh. The nutritional value of food gradually reduces over time, until it finally becomes unsafe to consume and may cause harm to health. Then again, consumers throw out a large amount of manufactured food after the expiry date, believing it is not safe to consume. Thus, proper labelling of manufacturing and expiry dates of food on packet can protect both the safety and quality of food and save a large amount of food from being wasted. The legislators of Bangladesh do not prescribe any rules or regulations for food producers, which obliges manufacturers to use scientific methods for identifying expiry dates. Moreover, food producers, importers and suppliers use unspecific and confusing terms to indicate the manufacturing and expiry dates of food. This study finds that the date labelling of manufactured food issue in Bangladesh is inadequately regulated, triggering confusion among consumers, manufacturers, sales staff and regulatory authorities. Regulatory loopholes in date labelling contribute to food waste and threaten public health. These issues warrant the enacting of a comprehensive law establishing an effective regulatory body to oversee date labelling of manufactured and processed food.