MOST of us are probably guilty of throwing perfectly edible food away because the label tells us to.

Rules over 'best before' have relaxed but more often than not it is up to the consumer applying a little common sense.

From the appearance, taste or smell of food you can make your own judgment whether or not to eat it.

Launched in December, the Shipley Food Project, was set up to raise awareness and also to increase people's confidence and help to reduce the amount of food we continue to waste.

Through a range of initiatives, including The Saltaire Canteen - Bradford's first pay-as-you-feel cafe inspired by The Real Food Project - a network demonstrating how waste food can be used to create perfectly edible meals - consumers are learning that the food label is just an indication and doesn't necessarily mean the produce is destined for the bin and, subsequently, landfill.

Considering the amount of waste food, and the need to reduce it, the pioneering new report 'Reducing food waste by extending product life (content/reducing-food-waste-extending-product-life) - WRAP has assessed the amount of product life available to consumers on shelf, and reviewed how product life codes such as 'Use-by' and 'Best-before' dates are currently set by retailers, brands and food manufacturers.

The study examined a range of popular foods where there are typically relatively high levels of waste. It estimates the potential overall tonnage and financial savings by scaling-up data from these products to all food groceries. WRAP's findings give an indication of the significant potential benefits available to industry and consumers.

WRAP identified opportunities to make simple and safe changes throughout the supply chain and pass on more product life to consumers.

The report sets out five recommendations demonstrating how and where adjustments in the supply chain (manufacture, logistics and retail) could increase product life for the consumer, and highlights opportunities to challenge how product life is currently set, and 'Open life' determined. The recommendations don't compromise product safety or quality in any way, and do not require any changes to existing packaging or product formulations.

Dr Richard Swannell, director of sustainable food systems at WRAP, says: "The findings in our report are a real opportunity for industry. By implementing these simple recommendations, food manufacturers and retailers can make a big difference in the battle against food waste, without even having to change products and packaging. We estimate that shoppers could save upwards of £500m, and businesses could save £100m in waste prevention alone."

Duncan Milwain, director of the Shipley Food Project, says: "The report is welcome. What it does do is show the scale of the problem we have."

He says while they are only modest changes they should go some way to help reduce the amount of food waste. "The problem is a lot of people have lost confidence with food. They don't understand food."

Duncan says buying his meat and fish from the butcher and fishmonger and his vegetables from the market without labels he has to use his own judgment and is now hoping to encourage others to do the same.

"People have to re-claim the ability to have the confidence and make this decision and assessment themselves. That is where all this change is moving towards, or will move towards, and that is what we are trying to do with the Shipley Food Project, to get people to think a little bit more and give them a little bit more confidence with how they approach food."

Over the last three weeks The Saltaire Canteen, based in Victoria Road, Saltaire, has made use of almost two tonnes of waste food.

As well as serving customers, food is also used within the food bank set up recently at Shipley Baptist Church, and through cook and eat sessions being held within the community.

Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium: says: "Cutting food waste is one of the primary challenges for sustainability and WRAP’s report highlights interesting opportunities for reducing food waste by focusing on product life. As the case studies demonstrate, progress is already being and made each retailer is working with its suppliers and customers to tackle waste which allows for flexibility in what they are all doing. As signatories to the Courtauld Commitment on reducing food and packaging waste, grocery retailers will be working with WRAP to explore options for implementing some of the report’s recommendations within their business.

"Retailers and manufacturers apply rigorous shelf life assessments to verify product life with safety and quality a key concern. BRC members have made concerted efforts to review and adjust the life of product with respect to reducing food waste. Given the wide variety of consumers and habits, the shelf life currently applied gives us the assurance that these products will be used by the majority whilst still at optimal freshness."