Initial findings from the Bristol Waste Company’s food waste trial “Slim My Waste – Feed My Face” has shown high levels of engagement and extremely encouraging results, including an 87 percent increase in food waste collected.
The project was run in October last year in Hartcliffe, a part of Bristol ranked amongst the most deprived 10% areas in England. The findings also show that comparing the month before the trial with the month after, there has been a nine percent increase in people using their brown food caddies, as well as a 10 percent decrease of general waste in black wheelie bins.
This highly visual campaign aimed to divert food waste from residents’ black refuse bins and to encourage them to use their brown food waste caddies. This food waste goes to generate energy for the city of Bristol.
Nearly 1,000 new food caddies were given out by the team during the campaign. 10.5 tonnes of food waste was collected in the month before the trial compared to 19.6 tonnes collected in the month after the trial, demonstrating an 87 percent increase.
Tracey Morgan, Managing Director of Bristol Waste said: “We are very encouraged by the findings of our ‘Slim My Waste’ campaign. We will continue to monitor activity in the area but results clearly indicate a sizeable uplift of food waste collected at the kerbside. This might mean rolling elements of ‘Slim My Waste’ out in other parts of the city.”
Bristol Waste selected this area of Bristol to test the idea that by playfully putting the refuse bins on a ‘no food diet’ (Slim My Waste) and getting residents to engage with their caddies, by personalising them with stickers (Feed My Face), it would bring more awareness about the issue of food waste.
Putting a very visible ‘Slim My Waste’ tape measure around all the wheelie bins created quite an impact in the area and initial findings from the campaign indicate it to be having a positive impact.
As well as stickering, the Slim My Waste – Feed My Face campaign used social media, presence in a local supermarket, household leaflet drops and educational workshops and assemblies in the local school.