The Truth About Food Waste in the UK
The Truth About Food Waste in the UK
Although the amount of food waste produced by UK households is declining, we're still sending some 4.5 million tonnes of edible food to landfill, according to figures from WRAP. A recent survey by HelloFresh reveals why we're wasting so much food and which regions are the worst culprits.
Although the amount of food waste produced by UK households is declining, we're still sending some 4.5 million tonnes of edible food to landfill, according to figures from WRAP. A recent survey by HelloFresh reveals why we're wasting so much food and which regions are the worst culprits.
Why Do Brits Waste So Much Food?
Our survey found that Brits are wasting food largely because they simply don't know how much they need. Overestimating portion sizes is the main cause of food waste for 41% of Brits, while 32% said they were guilty of buying more ingredients than they need. Almost a third complained that ingredients are packaged in too large portions, which is causing them to waste more food.
Londoners produce the most food waste in the UK
45% of Londoners said their main source of food waste was leftover meals, followed by 39% who throw away fruit and vegetables and 34% who dispose of out-of-date bread. More than half of people in London say they overestimate their portion sizes, while 43% blamed their food waste on the pack size.
29% of Londoners admitted that they have had to throw away completed meals because they had made a mistake with the recipe.
Percentage of Brits Who Would Spend More Money To Reduce Food Waste
East Anglia Creates The Lowest Amount of Food Waste
While Londoners may produce the most, our survey found that East Anglia produced the lowest amount of food waste. Over 50% of people in the region said they didn't generally waste food. The East Midlands was in second place at 43%, suggesting that the east of England has the best attitude to reducing food waste. Residents in these regions are half as likely to waste leftovers as those in London.