78% of UK adults would buy fresh fruit and vegetables loose if they were sold that way, according to a new survey by Love Food Hate Waste.
Released on Food Waste Action Week (17 March – 23 March), the survey found that less than half said they would be likely to buy their usual fruit and veg in plastic packaging, such as plastic trays/boxes/cartons (46%) and plastic bags/sacks (47%).
Commenting on the findings, Jackie Bailey, Senior Campaign Manager at Love Food Hate Waste, said: “Buying loose fruit and veg has the potential to significantly cut the amount of food ending up in the bin and we have the evidence that it is what consumers want – now is the time for retailers and shoppers to make that a reality.”
When survey respondents were asked about the fresh fruit or vegetables they buy most often 56% preferred loose compared to 39% who preferred packaged.
77% said they would be likely to buy fruit and veg packaged in paper bags or sacks, which was the second most popular answer followed by cardboard trays/boxes and cartons (75%).
The only packaging format with a lower preference score than plastic was wooden crates (43%).
Love Food Hate Waste is a campaign aiming to reduce the amount of food waste launched by the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) in 2007.
As part of Food Waste Action Week, WRAP has called for a consultation on a packaging ban on 21 fruit and veg items, including apples, bananas, and peppers.
WRAP says selling these 21 items only loose could potentially save 100,000 tonnes of edible fruit and vegetables from being wasted annually in people’s homes, as well as saving 13,000 tonnes of plastic film.
Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh said: “Farmers work tirelessly to put food on our nation’s tables – so it is absurd that households are throwing away £1,000 a year in food that could have been eaten.
“Food Waste Action Week is vital for raising awareness and encouraging people to only buy the fruit and veg they need, use what they buy, save money, and slash food waste.”
Last week, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) launched the new £15 million Tackling Food Surplus at the Farm Gate scheme.
Applicants can apply for grants starting from £20,000 by outlining how they intend to form relationships with farmers to access surplus food, and how they would seek to increase their capacity to redistribute this food to communities.
