Eye-opening facts about food waste in the UK
In the UK alone, the scale of food waste is staggering with 9.52 tonnes of food being wasted every year, enough to feed over 30 million people.
There are many different causes of food waste, but the leading ones are considered to be:
Shops, supermarkets, or restaurants ordering too many products that don’t sell
Poor education regarding how we should dispose of food waste
Lack of awareness of expiry dates, resulting in food being left to spoil instead of being used
Understanding the magnitude of the problem is the first step towards finding sustainable solutions and below are some essential facts and figures about food waste in the UK.
Household Waste
Annual Waste: UK households waste approximately 6.6 million tonnes of food each year
Cost to Households: This waste translates to an estimated cost of £14 billion annually, or around £700 per family
Edible Food Waste: 70% of this food waste is still edible, indicating that much of it could have been consumed rather than discarded
Retail and Hospitality Sector
Retail Waste: Supermarkets and other retailers contribute to around 1.9 million tonnes of food waste each year
Hospitality Waste: The hospitality and food service industry generates around 1.1 million tonnes of food waste annually
Agricultural Waste
Farm-Level Waste: Approximately 1.6 million tonnes of food is wasted at the farm level, often due to factors such as market standards, weather conditions, and logistical challenges
Environmental Impact
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Carbon Footprint: Food waste in the UK is responsible for 25 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually. This is equivalent to the emissions produced by 10 million cars
Methane Production: When food waste ends up in landfills, it decomposes anaerobically (without oxygen), producing methane, a potent greenhouse gas that is significantly more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere than CO2
Resource Waste
Water and Energy: Wasting food also means wasting the resources used to produce it. This includes significant amounts of water, energy, and labour. The water footprint of food waste in the UK is estimated to be around 5.4 billion cubic meters annually
Social and Economic Impact
Food Poverty
Food Insecurity: Despite the high levels of food waste, food poverty remains a significant issue in the UK
Food Redistribution: Charities and organisations are working hard to bridge this gap and examples of these include: Too Good To Go, Fare Share and The real Junk Food Project
Economic Costs
Business Losses: Food waste not only affects households but also businesses. Retailers and food service providers incur substantial losses due to food waste. This includes the cost of purchasing, handling, and disposing of food that is ultimately not sold or consumed.
Solutions and Initiatives
Government and Policy
Legislation: The UK government has introduced several initiatives and regulations aimed at reducing food waste. The Courtauld Commitment, for instance, is a voluntary agreement that brings together organisations across the food system to make food and drink production and consumption more sustainable
Target Goals: The UK aims to reduce food waste by 20% by 2025
Technological and Innovative Solutions
Smart Packaging: Innovations such as smart packaging that indicates when food is no longer safe to eat can help reduce waste by providing more accurate information than traditional expiry dates
Apps and Platforms: Various apps, like Too Good To Go and Olio, connect consumers with surplus food from retailers and restaurants, helping to ensure that excess food is eaten rather than wasted
Community and Grassroots Movements
In the UK, several community and grassroots movements focus on addressing food waste through a variety of initiatives such as:
Food Sharing: Community fridges and food-sharing platforms encourage local communities to share surplus food
FoodCycle: Combines surplus food, volunteers, and spare kitchen spaces to create nutritious meals for those at risk of food poverty and social isolation
Olio mobile app: Connects neighbours and local businesses to share surplus food, rather than throwing it away. Users can list items they no longer need and arrange for others in their community to pick them up
It’s clear that food waste is a critical issue, but with appropriate action and a combination of strategies we can work towards reducing it and delivering benefits for the environment, economy and society.
Key benefits of Food Waste Recycling for Businesses
Cost savings – Most businesses pay to have their waste collected and taken away and the more waste there is the bigger the cost. Recycling food waste is therefore a smart way for businesses to save money.
Reduction of greenhouse gases - Recycling food waste efficiently using anaerobic digestion stops methane entering the atmosphere and enables it to be reused as a biofuel. Any remaining solid waste or digestate can also be used as a fertiliser on farmlands.
Less bulk for landfills – food waste cannot naturally decompose in the compressed conditions of a landfill and often remains intact. Recycling it reduces the volume of waste sent to landfills.
Environmental benefits – When food waste is recycled it can be transformed into something valuable such as renewable energy or fertiliser for farmland.
Improved reputation and credentials - Recycling your food waste shows you care for the environment and improves your reputation and credentials by positioning you as a responsible business.
How can Cawleys help you with your food waste?
Efficient food waste recycling can offer significant environmental and financial benefits for businesses, from cost savings and improved brand image to positively contributing to the environment.
Cawleys and our team of experts can support you to reduce your food waste. We’ll guide you through the process and support you in creating an efficient food waste recycling strategy that suits your business and integrates sustainable practices seamlessly into your daily operations.
For a more in-depth conversation with our team and to get started on a food waste recycling plan now get in touch today!