WRAP’s Household Food Management Survey shows a 21% increase in self-reported food waste for the four key food items monitored: bread, milk, potatoes and chicken.
Self-reported waste of the four key products – bread, milk, chicken, and potatoes – has been slowly rising since 2020, which WRAP says is the fourth highest on record since May 2018.
As part of Food Waste Action Week, Love Food Hate Waste has published its annual Household Food Management Survey giving a snapshot of the nation’s behaviours and attitudes towards food.
In June 2024, 21% of the four key products were wasted and 27% of respondents classified as high food wasters.
86% agree that food waste is an important national issue. However, 10% of respondents said they were comfortable wasting food and a further 17% were ambivalent.
On a per capita basis, the latest survey suggests that 27% of UK citizens classify as “higher” food wasters. Certain groups were significantly more likely to be classified as being high food wasters based on certain factors.
33% of 18-34-year-olds and 35-44-year-olds were likely to be higher food wasters. Larger households, those with a size of four people, were also more likely to be classified in this category (36%).
Love Food Hate Waste also found a disparity between people’s perception of their own waste and the reality, with nearly 8 out of 10 interviewees believing they waste less than the average.
Because most fruit and veg is sold packaged, we have to buy what we’re given not what we need, and that means a lot goes to waste.
Jackie Baily, Senior Campaign Manager Love Food Hate Waste, said: “We see fresh produce as the real kitchen victim when it comes to food waste.
“Because most fruit and veg is sold packaged, we have to buy what we’re given not what we need, and that means a lot goes to waste.
“As a result, our bins have a diet that most nutritionists would envy. And we’re a long way from breaking our food waste habit because of this packaging.”
When it comes to buying loose, the survey showed people prefer not having a date label on loose fresh produce and are happy to use judgement alone on when fruit and vegetables are still good to eat far more than a Best Before date.
WRAP says an estimated 60,000 tonnes of food waste could be prevented if all apples, potatoes and bananas were sold loose.
Love food Hate Waste has put forward a range of recommendations to help mitigate against household food waste.
These include:
- making it easier to purchase the right amount of food through better access to loose produce;
- introducing smaller pack sizes at comparable prices and stopping in-store promotions encouraging over-purchasing for perishable foods, such as multibuy offers;
- and enhancing individual citizens’ skills in meal planning and portion estimation.
