Better Use of Refrigerators and Freezers
New Campaign to Promote Better Use of Refrigerators and Freezers
Europe's largest frozen food company is partnering with a group of others to form a coalition that will soon launch a brand-new campaign to promote better use of refrigerators and freezers in Europe. Iglo Group is the main driving force behind the iFreeze campaign that gets under way very soon. This latest campaign follows on the heels of a previous Iglo campaign known as Forever Food Together. We believe the campaign is not just good for residential consumers, it is also appropriate to commercial entities that would utilise chiller and freezer trailer hire.
Iglo officials have said that the campaign is partly in response to data that shows individual Europeans throw away an average of £260 worth of food every year. Some of it is thrown away because too much has been prepared for a single meal. Others throw food away because it has reached its expiration date or because they are confused by the 'best-before' labelling.
It would stand to reason that high rates of food waste among residential consumers would also translate to the food service industry. Iglo believes that a campaign that makes a concerted effort to educate consumers about the realities of food spoilage could be helpful in encouraging them to make better use of refrigeration and freezing in order to preserve food. The same philosophy is applicable to the commercial sector.
For example, because a food product has reached its 'best-before' date does not automatically lead to spoilage. It is not uncommon for food to be wasted because of confusion in this area. Furthermore, many foods can be preserved well beyond their 'best-before' date through freezing. That is where freezer trailer hire comes in handy.
Decoding Expiration Labels: Making Informed Decisions About Food Storage and Waste
The confusion surrounding 'best-before' dates versus 'use-by' dates is a primary driver of unnecessary food waste, and this confusion extends equally to commercial food operations as it does to residential consumers. Understanding the critical difference between these labels empowers both restaurants and catering companies to make informed decisions about food storage and preservation, ultimately reducing waste and protecting profitability. A 'use-by' date indicates food safety and legality – items past this date should not be served to customers under any circumstances, regardless of appearance or smell. However, a 'best-before' date is an indicator of quality, not safety. Food past its best-before date may not be at peak freshness, but it is often perfectly safe for consumption and can be preserved for extended periods through proper freezing.
This distinction becomes particularly valuable for commercial operations managing substantial inventory. A restaurant or catering company that incorrectly interprets a best-before date as a hard deadline will discard significant quantities of perfectly usable food unnecessarily. The iFreeze campaign's emphasis on educating consumers about these differences directly applies to commercial kitchens as well. Staff training on proper date interpretation can eliminate tens of thousands of pounds in annual waste for large operations. Furthermore, understanding that food can be frozen well beyond its best-before date transforms how commercial kitchens approach inventory management. Products approaching their best-before dates do not need to be discarded – they can be frozen, preserving them for weeks or months longer. This is precisely why freezer trailer hire becomes such a cost-effective tool for commercial operators. When you have access to substantial freezer capacity through professional freezer trailers, you can preserve stock that would otherwise be wasted, capture better purchasing opportunities by buying in bulk when prices are favourable, and reduce the financial impact of unsold inventory. Training your team to properly interpret expiration dates and understand freezer preservation capabilities transforms them from waste creators into waste prevention champions.
Summer Busy Season
Spring is here in Europe. That means restaurants and catering companies are gearing up for the busy summer season that will involve weddings, corporate events, family gatherings and a number of important outdoor festivals. Those who plan to participate in these events would do well to consider freezer hire to minimise spoilage. Freezer hire is the best way to keep food products safer and fresh in case not everything planned for a single event is used up. It also allows vendors to stock up on products that do very well frozen.
Inventory Optimisation During Peak Season: Balancing Stock Levels with Waste Prevention
Summer represents peak revenue season for restaurants, caterers, and event food vendors, but it also presents the paradoxical challenge of managing inventory to minimise spoilage whilst maintaining adequate stock to meet customer demand. Over-ordering results in waste and lost profit margins. Under-ordering results in missed revenue opportunities and disappointed customers. Professional freezer trailer hire provides the capacity flexibility that allows commercial operators to navigate this challenge effectively without sacrificing financial performance.
The most financially successful catering businesses and restaurants adopt a dynamic inventory strategy during peak season, using freezer trailer hire to create buffer capacity that allows them to be responsive without being wasteful. Rather than committing to fixed inventory levels based on predicted demand, they maintain a core level of fresh stock whilst using freezer capacity to preserve perishable items that can be quickly deployed if additional orders materialise. This approach aligns perfectly with the iFreeze campaign's core message: better use of refrigeration and freezing to prevent waste. When a wedding booking is cancelled last-minute or expected guest numbers change dramatically, having access to freezer capacity allows a caterer to preserve prepared elements rather than discard them, maintaining profitability despite unexpected schedule changes. Additionally, many food vendors discover that purchasing ingredients and prepared components during quieter weekdays – when supplier pricing may be more favourable – and freezing them for use during busy weekends significantly improves profit margins. The seasonal nature of summer food service means that the ability to flexibly expand and contract cold storage capacity directly correlates with the ability to optimise purchasing, reduce spoilage, and maximise profitability. Commercial operations that book freezer trailer capacity early, as we recommend, position themselves to execute this dynamic inventory strategy effectively, whereas those forced into last-minute scrambling often default to less economical approaches that waste both food and money.
Arranging for freezer hire is as simple as picking up the phone and calling Icecool Trailers. We are specialists in freezer trailer hire, having been in the business for more than 20 years. One call to our cold storage specialists is all you need to secure the units you will require this summer. We offer both trailer and walk-in freezers in multiple sizes.
It is important that companies start making plans now. Failing to anticipate for the busy summer season could mean waiting too long to arrange your hire and, unfortunately, the resulting lack of supply that comes with it. Do not take a chance that refrigerated or freezer trailers will be available when you need them – contact Icecool Trailers to schedule your hire immediately. That is the best way to guarantee you will have the units you need.
Sources:
1.Sustainable Brands – http://www.sustainablebrands.com/news_and_views/
