Best Before Concept
Every year in the Hong Kong over 155 million of food, which has passed its “best before” date but would still be perfectly good to eat, is thrown away. GreenPrice specialise in surplus and short-dated stock, allowing us to pass on huge savings to our customers.
Get to Know Our Food Label
To eat or not to eat. "Best before" dates are there to give you clues regarding freshness, taste and texture. If stored properly, pre-packaged food is still safe for consumption beyond those set dates.
| Product past | Best before date | Use by date |
| Definition | Product is no longer at its optimal quality | Product is no longer safe for consumption |
| Example | Snacks, sauce, dried and tinned food | Salads, fish and meat products |
| Health risk | No | Yes |
| Taste change | Depends on the period passed best before | Unsatisfactory |
| Illegal selling* | No | Yes |
| In GreenPrice? | Yes | No |
*According to Food and Drugs Regulation 132W
What the Experts Say…
Friends of the Earth (HK)
Hong Kong Baptist University, who was commissioned by FoE(HK), tested over 80 unopened and intact food products that have expired for several months to seven years. Results showed that microbial presences in all samples were at satisfactory or within acceptable levels, demonstrating that “best before” dates may not mean the “Dead end” of a food! Link>>>
Centre for Food Safety, HKSAR
“Best before” dates relate to food quality for example taste, texture, aroma and appearance. If the food is stored properly, it can reasonably be expected to retain its specific properties up to and including the specified date. Link>>>
Dr. Ka-Sing LEUNG - Adjunct Associate Professor of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology at PolyU Hong Kong
Products passed “use by date” should be disposed. Products passed “best before date” may be subjected to a decline in nutrition but it’s unrelated to the safety of consumption. Link>>>
Simon Rimmer - BBC Food Fighters Host
Do not eat anything after its “use by” date, however you can safely eat food after its “best before” date. I think we definitely waste too much food in this country. Supermarket selling short-dated food is a good and safe business. Link>>>
We Share the Same Belief
Approved Food United Kingdom
Established in 2009, the company retails products that are near or past their best before date online. It is the UK's largest online retailer for short dated and residual stock.
WeFood Denmark
Wefood, which sells expired food at prices 30 to 50 per cent lower than they would normally cost, has enjoyed such tremendous popularity in Copenhagen that it has established a second location in a trendy neighbourhood called Nørrebro.
SirPlus Germany
SirPlus is a store and online platform selling surplus, salvaged food that is sorted out elsewhere because of being too small, too crooked, too old or just different.