South Africans Rethink “Best Before” Amid Rising Costs
Fuel and Food Hikes
Fuel price jumps and higher electricity tariffs have pushed up the price of everyday goods. Families are looking for any way to cut expenses, even buying items that are close to their expiry dates—something they would have avoided before.
Understanding Expiry Dates
A study from the Durban University of Technology showed many households struggle to read “best before” labels, leading to unnecessary waste. In South Africa, food waste after consumption costs about R2.7 billion each year (roughly 0.7 % of GDP), while over a quarter of the population faces hunger regularly.
Guilt and Waste
Research in KwaDukuza township found that 67.9 % of surveyed households feel guilty when they throw food away. Bread, vegetables and salads top the list of discarded items. Respondents said they would waste less if they knew more about the environmental and economic harms of food waste.
Expanding the Marketplace
Still Good, a social enterprise that connects retailers with shoppers, has grown beyond its original “value bags.” Its online Goods Marketplace now offers personal‑care items, cleaning products and even electronics, with discounts up to 60 %. Shoppers pick exactly what they want—candy, batteries, peanut butter, deodorant, trash bags, dish soap or wireless earbuds—saving from a few rand to hundreds on bigger items.
In its first year the platform helped South Africans save almost R6 million while letting retailers recover value from stock that might otherwise have been tossed.
Partnerships and Impact
Still Good works with major chains such as Pick n Pay, Spar and Food Lovers Market, plus independent retailers across Gauteng, KwaZulu‑Natal, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Free State and North West.
Recent weeks have seen the number of available products triple, showing that even middle‑class families are embracing the model—not just to save money, but also to help the environment.
Conclusion
By turning “best‑before” dates into an opportunity rather than a warning, South Africans are cutting living costs, reducing food waste and supporting a more sustainable food system. The shift shows that, when faced with economic pressure, consumers are willing to reconsider what they once considered unacceptable—and in doing so, they help keep edible goods out of landfills.
