More than half of adults have unknowingly bought out of date food at a supermarket, according to a recent study. The research, which surveyed 2,000 adults, found that around £11.8 billion worth of food is thrown away in the UK each year.

On average, each person discards £17.90 worth of groceries per month, equating to an annual waste of £214.27. Half of those surveyed admitted that their food often spoils before they have a chance to use it, while others either forget about items in their fridge or fail to check use-by dates.

Alarmingly, 51% confessed to having unknowingly bought food items at the supermarket that were already past their sell-by date. Back in July, Asda was slapped with a hefty £640,000 fine for selling out-of-date food at two of its Cardiff branches.

Over 70% believe supermarkets should be doing more to reduce food waste, with a third arguing that the industry's problem is larger than that of households.

Consequently, 75% think clearer labelling would aid in reducing this waste. Furthermore, 35% would back a legal requirement for all food products to include these codes linking to up-to-date storage and expiry advice.

Anne Godfrey, chief executive at GS1 UK, which powers QR codes already being trialled by Tesco to improve date accuracy, cut waste and enhance food safety for consumers, stated: "These findings highlight the need for clearer guidance and more solutions to help people make better informed decisions, and recent supermarket fines prove just how crucial accurate stock management and clear labelling are.

"UK retailers must step forward and adopt smarter solutions that empower consumers to waste less and make better-informed choices."

The study also unveiled that 66% of individuals confess to binning food because they weren't certain if it was safe to consume. With those aged between 18 to 24 most guilty, as 83% are guilty of doing so, amounting to £309 in wasted food each year.

Meanwhile, those aged 25 to 34 throw away an average of £409 a year - nearly double the national average. However, it often leaves many feeling remorseful about their waste of both food and money.

Shoppers are calling for improved inventory and demand forecasting in stores. Almost half would willing use scannable codes to monitor expiry dates and receive app alerts when products in their fridge were nearing their use-by date.

Four out of ten said this would enhance their trust in a product's freshness if they could scan a smart QR code that provided this information.

Anne Godfrey, chief executive of GS1 UK, commented: "Scanning smart QR codes can help retailers track expiry dates, rotate stock, and discount items nearing their best-before date - stopping out-of-date items being sold to consumers at the point of sale and reducing household waste.

"The next generation of barcodes can empower both retailers and households to make smarter choices. They have the potential to provide clear storage tips, recipes for leftovers, and alerts when items are nearing their use-by date."