Reducing food waste is vital
Image: The Knowledge Bank
The average British person throws away £450 (€526) worth of freezable essential foods a year – or £35,000 in their lifetime, a new study by UK electrical retailer AO.com has shown. The survey of more than 3,000 respondents revealed that the average consumer spends £85.72 (€100.21) on their weekly grocery shop, before throwing away 10% of the items bought.
Essential groceries such as bread, vegetables and fruit were listed as the most likely items to end up in the bin, as people admitted to struggling to eat food before it goes out of date. Fruit and vegetables for example, were top of the throwing away list, adding up to £5.24 week, or £272.48 per year, and discarded more than once a week. Bread also saw high throw out rates of once a week, or £1.40 a week.
Three out of the top ten items were dairy. Makes sense as most people have some dairy in their fridges. Milk was thrown out 47 times a year on average, every 10 days, for a total of £0.65 per week or £33.80 per year. Yogurt was binned about 41 times a year, or every 12-14 days, and cheese was chucked every two to three weeks, at a cost of £2.08 per week.
The survey did say that Brits are better at using up milk, with the majority throwing this fridge staple out less than once a month, while a third (36%) said they never throw it away at all. No, we go through every drop here at our house.
Commenting on the findings, Sarah Heap, food storage expert at AO.com, said:
“In the wake of the cost-of-living crisis, the findings that Brits are binning the equivalent of a month’s worth of food every year is really shocking – especially when this figure equates to more than the average UK salary in a person’s lifetime.
“However, our study found that many of the essential food items that are ending up in the bin could actually be saved. Technology has its role to play in helping us to live more sustainably, and it’s important people make the most of the way they store foods to prolong shelf life. All the items listed in our survey can be frozen, if prepared in the right way first.”
In light of the findings, AO.com have partnered with influencer Kate Hall, known as The Full Freezer, to help Brits make the most of food storage options and reduce waste in their households.
To access the free expert advice and hacks, visit the AO.com website.
- Suzanne Christiansen, editor, Dairy Industries International.
Keep in touch via email: [email protected]
Twitter: @dairyindustries or LinkedIn: Dairy Industries International magazine
