Half of food thrown away in the UK still edible

Isobel Lawrance 23rd Mar 2023 No Comments

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Half of food thrown away still edible, experts say

New research has revealed families spend a fifth of their weekly food shop on snacks. This is around £1,225 per year. This is despite almost half admitting to having the means to make snacks at home in the fridge already.

This leads to food waste, with every household wasting a whole month’s worth of food every year, totalling approximately £409. This uneaten food could be repurposed into cost-effective meals and snacks.

READ: Discussing food waste with UK Harvest

That’s why Jacob’s are launching its new Less Waste More Taste Snackademy, which aims to teach families how they can reduce food waste and save money. Being more resourceful with the food in the fridge and cupboards and being mindful of the waste thrown away, can save you hundreds of pounds per year.

With 20% of parents admitting they would never think to look in the fridge and use up food already in there when they feel a bit peckish, the money thrown down the drain annually soon tots up.

Why do people throw away good food?

Within the new research, just under half (47%) of UK parents admitted to throwing away food that is still edible or can be eaten safely. Despite 53% feeling guilty about doing this, it is still something that occurs in millions of households across the UK every single day.

Many suggest their reasons for doing this are as follows; 41% say they throw items away if the packet has been open too long, 33% say they have bought too much food when shopping and 25% don’t know what to do with leftover food they may have.

READ: Prevent food waste and save money

Of those who throw away food that is still edible, 44% regularly bin leftovers from previous meals. Additionally, 37% say they struggle to eat the fresh fruit and vegetables they buy before they go bad.

Many people also suggested they get stuck in a ‘snack rut’. Over half (53%) of parents feel they fall into this rut, purchasing the same snacks every single week. 32% of parents say they do this as they feel their family members are fussy with their food choices.

Jacobs has partnered with food waste charity FareShare, the UK’s largest food waste and food poverty charity, to redistribute the equivalent of 40,000 meals. This collaboration will help fight hunger across the charity’s network of 9,500 charities and community organisations.

Food waste disruptor, Martyn Odell, The Lagom Chef said:

“The recipes I’ve created all showcase how, with just a humble cracker, you can quickly knock up fresh and delicious snacks using food you already have at home. One of the best ways to fight food waste is to be more resourceful with the food you have, the Jacob’s Snackademy snacks are a great way to use up all those little bits and bobs leftover in your fridge that you may not know what to do with and so often throw away.”

Kate Stokes, Senior Brand Manager, Jacob’s said:

“At Jacob’s, we’re on a mission to help families achieve Less Waste and deliver More Taste by showing how they can turn food which would otherwise go to waste, into delicious snacks. The Less Waste, More Taste Snackademy is just one way in which we’re helping families to bring more taste to their daily snacks and supports our partnership with FareShare to redistribute the equivalent of 40,000 meals to help fight hunger.”