The ‘use by’ dates of food packaging are just estimates of how long a product will last. The rate at which food deteriorates is affected by multiple factors – such as temperature and environment – so it is impossible to accurately predict. This means that a majority of the food we throw away in the UK is still good to eat – the expiry dates are just too cautious. Each year, this costs the average UK household £470 in wasted food and creates seven million tons of food, drink, plastic and other packaging consumables that must be disposed of.

For retailers, products that reach their expiry dates on shelves create more costs – firstly for the items to be removed from display, and secondly for waste management companies to dispose of them.

To be effective, a freshness indicator should be simple, practical, easily understood, and accurate – a combination that has been difficult to achieve.

Mimica Touch is a simple way to tell you if your food is still fresh. A label is fixed onto the packaging of the product itself and it becomes bumpy when food has expired. The consumer is able to quickly tell if their food is still fit for consumption – extending the life of the food and reducing waste.  The design makes it easy to tell when food has expired, even for those with visual or cognitive impairments.

There are two types of Mimica labels.  The ‘closed life’ label sticks directly onto the food packaging. As each label is bespoke to the foodstuff it is attached to, it provides accurate information and confidence for the customers. The second ‘open life’ label which sits within the lid of a food/liquid container. Once the seal has been broken, the label deteriorates at the same speed as the liquid/food contained within. 

Mimica’s technology is not unique to specific foods, and could be customized to any perishable item.  The technology is being tested and piloted with major companies in the juice, dairy and meat sectors. 

The value is clear: if shelf life for products could be extended by 2 days while the food is still safe to consume, retailers could cut waste by up to 50% (As field-tested by leading global retailers on perishable products, 2011/12). 

Beyond food, there’s opportunities in other areas including cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.  Nearly half of all vaccines administered in the world have lost their efficacy by the time they’re injected due to poor temperature management. 

Mimica raised £1.35m in seed round investment and is pursuing opportunities to scale.  By pioneering a more informed supply chain all the way from producer to consumer, Mimica can help end unnecessary waste through better intelligence.