Brits throw out £245 worth of fruit a year because they didn’t eat it in time, according to research.
According to the findings by Discarded Spirits, over half of Brits (56%) throw out fruit, with a further third (35%) admitting they chuck out fruit “all the time”.
In fact, fruit is the number one food item which is left to rot in fridges and bowls across the UK, according to a whopping 36% of the nation, with bananas (57%) and punnets of strawberries (42%) the most likely candidates to be binned.
Other fruits that get wasted are apples (30%), boxes of raspberries (19 %), bags of oranges (19 %) and pears (18 %).
Our ambition is to challenge people to reverse needless waste by thinking about how they can live more sustainably; including what they drink.
Six in ten Britons admit they have chosen to throw out things like slightly bruised apples or soggy strawberries – even though they knew they were still good to eat.
When it comes to why this is such a regular occurrence, over a fifth of Brits (22%) say they always try to buy fruit in a well-meant bid to be healthy – but end up throwing out the contents of their fruit bowl.
The research found that over the course of a year, the average British household will throw out 110 bananas, 336 blueberries – the equivalent of approximately five punnets – 101 apples and 48 pieces of melon.
Households are also set to throw out 22 punnets of strawberries, 82 lemons and 86 oranges over the course of the next year. With 37 % of Brits forgoing any composting or food waste systems and putting it straight in the bin.
Brits also chuck out 101 tangerines, 86 peaches, 62 pieces of mango and 96 kiwi fruits.
Reverse needless waste
The research of 2,000 Britons also reveals that almost a third of the nation (30%) insist there are certain types of fruit – like pears and kiwis – which only seem to be good for about an hour before going off, and subsequently get thrown out.
And it seems that fruit is generally forgotten about, with three in ten Brits (29%) confessing they’ll take a piece of fruit from the fruit bowl, only to find the other side has gone completely rotten.
44% even insist that fruit is going off quicker these days, perhaps due to shorter shelf life.
However, the research suggests that some Britons will try their best to use up fruit past its best, such as making a smoothie (3%), baking a crumble (27%), making jam (15%) or even adding it to a healthy salad (14%).
This research indicates despite having the best intentions, Brits are guilty of throwing away fruit, from bananas to apples to strawberries.
Salad bowls across the UK are also looking sparse, as the research reveals cucumbers (24%), tomatoes (20%) and the millennial favourite, the avocado (12 %) are likely to be thrown out.
27% of the Britons polled say they would order a cocktail which was made with sustainable ingredients, with 18 % agreeing it’s worth paying more for a sustainably sourced alcoholic drink.
Calum Fraser, Discarded UK Ambassador, comments: “This research indicates despite having the best intentions, Brits are guilty of throwing away fruit, from bananas to apples to strawberries.
“At Discarded, we are passionate about showing how ‘everyday’ waste, like banana peels, can be given a beautiful second life with a little creative imagination.
“Our ambition is to challenge people to reverse needless waste by thinking about how they can live more sustainably; including what they drink. We’re proud to develop award-winning spirits that not only taste great but give back to the planet too.”
