A new report from WRAP shows 48% of people say portion size is the main reason they leave food on their plate when eating out – with on average almost 15% of main courses left uneaten.
WRAP’s report, conducted in July 2022, provides new insights into customer behaviours and attitudes to food waste when dining out. It found that on average, people eat out 5.2 times per month – down from 5.6 times in March 2020, immediately before the first lockdown.
Cost of living was cited as the main reason for the drop, impacting both how often respondents eat out and what they order. But despite eating out less often, people are seemingly wasting more food when they do eat out, compared to two years ago.
22% of people said that the portion size of one or more of the dishes at their most recent sit-down meal was “too much” – up from 17% in March 2020. 63% of people said they were concerned about wasting food when they eat out, with the main worry being the waste of money.
45% of those questioned said they eat out less and 32% said they order fewer takeaways. People are also adapting their behaviours when they do eat out, with 20% ordering fewer or cheaper drink options, 16% opting for less food or fewer dishes and 14% choosing more cost-effective options from the menu.
By contrast, 32% say their eating out habits have not changed, with these tending to be 18–44-year-olds, people with children and those with higher incomes.
There are several simple changes and tactics that can be adopted by businesses to ensure that we are feeding people and not bins.
Catherine David, Director of Business Collaboration and Change at WRAP, commented: “While most food waste happens in our homes, plate waste when eating out is still significant, and there are ways that businesses and their customers can prevent this.
“A key challenge our research highlights is that while customers are concerned about food waste, large portions can be linked with their perception of value for money.
“But many are looking for more choice on portion size or better understanding of what is included in their dish, and there are several simple changes and tactics that can be adopted by businesses to ensure that we are feeding people and not bins.”
The top binned foods from WRAP’s research across all types of food venues were:
- Chips/potatoes – 25%
- Salads/coleslaw – 15%
- Vegetables – 12%
- Meat/fish, breads and sauces/condiments – 11%
- Rice – 9%
- Pasta – 6%
53% of respondents said they would find it useful to have clear information about side dishes and garnishes (including the choice to have something different or not at all), followed by more choices on portion sizes (51%). 45% would find it useful to be allowed to take leftovers home.
Venues have already taken huge strides in their operations to reduce waste and continually look for ways to get better.
Commenting on the report, Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive at UKHospitality, said: “Reducing food waste is a key objective of hospitality’s 2040 net zero goal, with a target to halve waste in the next seven years.
“Venues have already taken huge strides in their operations to reduce waste and continually look for ways to get better, so this new toolkit from Guardians of Grub will be a valuable addition to our net zero journey.”
