One in three people report they throw away the equivalent of one shopping bag of food per week, costing families approximately £780 per year.
This International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, Hellmann’s and climate action NGO WRAP have come together to release a new global study on the latest food waste behaviours.
The study suggests nearly half of respondents throw away as much food or more than they did this time last year, revealing an opportunity for people to save further by reducing waste in their homes.
For 1 in 3 people, the amount of food they waste is equivalent to putting one shopping bag of food in the bin each week.
Food waste in the home is now costing families £780 per year on average, but almost half of the study respondents underestimated the cost of their food waste.
The study also suggests respondents wanted to be more resourceful with their food, but they often don’t know where to start; 37% of people in the UK were unsure where to find helpful information when it comes to reducing food waste and a further one in five (20%) struggle to know where to start with finding a recipe for their leftovers.
Hellmann’s Fridge Night
One-third of all food produced for human consumption globally is lost or wasted, contributing as much as 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions – and 70% of food waste in the UK happens at homes.
Richard Swannell, International Director at WRAP, said: “With this research we set out to uncover whether amidst the rising cost pressures for households, are people placing greater value on food and wasting less? Or is our waste just costing us more? According to our research, 85% of people report that their food bills have increased, however, people are still wasting the same amount of food (or more) than last year.
“After years of research, we understand that the barriers to reducing food waste are complex. However, easy, practical shifts in the home can make a big impact – not only to our wallets, but also to the planet.”
To help people use their leftovers, Hellmann’s has announced the UK launch of a family-friendly, free digital app, Hellmann’s Fridge Night, which is designed to help the nation reduce food waste and save money each week.
After years of research, we understand that the barriers to reducing food waste are complex. However, easy, practical shifts in the home can make a big impact – not only to our wallets, but also to the planet.
Through the Hellmann’s Fridge Night app, and over the course of a four-week in-app programme, presenter, Chef and TV personality Liam Charles will act as the host and guide users on a journey to help them reduce their food waste and spread their money further.
Each week, Liam Charles dishes up new challenges, including new flexible recipes that people can adapt to use up the ingredients they have leftover.
By keeping track of their food waste, in combination with using the Fridge Night tools, families can reduce their food waste by up to 33%, the report states.
Liam Charles, Hellmann’s Fridge Night app Host, says: “I am always in the kitchen, and can be guilty of some food waste and not making the most of my leftovers. Working with Hellmann’s to launch the Fridge Night App has been a fun and inspiring project to work on – and has made me really consider how I use food and where I can reduce my waste.
“More than anything, we all know the feeling of looking in your fridge and not knowing where to start. With the help of the Fridge Night App you can turn your leftover ingredients into a delicious, balanced meal – and save food, time and money while doing it. Since working with Hellmann’s, I’ve managed to reduce my food waste and I hope that through the app we can inspire more people to do the same.”
