UK trails in food waste study

The Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission also revealed that nearly 80% of all food waste in Europe was avoidable.

The amount of avoidable consumer food waste clocked up by the average EU citizen was within the range of 45 to 153 kg per capita per year, said the recently published report.

Theoretically, zero avoidable food waste is a possibility for EU consumers

JRC report lead author Davy Vanham

In 2013, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) reported that as much as 50% of all food produced around the world never reached a human stomach owing to a number of issues, ranging from inadequate infrastructure and storage facilities to overly strict sell-by dates, buy-one-get-one free offers and consumers’ tastes for cosmetically perfect food.

Foods most often wasted, according to the recent European study, were fruit, vegetables and cereals because of their “relatively short shelf-life” and comparatively lower price, leading to a tendency for consumers to purchase them in greater quantities.

However, wasted meat contributed more to lost nitrogen and water.

“A small reduction in wasted meat already equates to a large reduction in wasted water and nitrogen resources,” said lead author of the JRC report, Davy Vanham.

“Theoretically, zero avoidable food waste is a possibility for EU consumers,” he said.

“This would not only save a lot of money for the consumers themselves, but also for local authorities, which have to pay for food-waste collection and treatment.”

The six EU member states that participated in the JRC study included the UK, the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Germany and Romania, where consumer patterns are very different. 

The study was conducted by examining data from each country and the UK was named as the most wasteful, while Romania was found to be the most efficient.

But since the UK data was compiled in 2007, a campaign run by the Waste and Resource Action Programme (WRAP) between 2007 and 2010 achieved a 13% fall in household food waste in the UK.

A recent report issued by the Sustainable Consumption Institute at the University of Manchester, found that instrumental to the campaign’s success was shifting the key responsibility for waste reduction from consumers, and distributing it throughout the supply chain.

The resulting collaboration between retailers and manufacturers effected changes such as packaging redesigns and smaller portion sizes that were more compatible with modern consumption patterns, helping to reduce waste.

WRAP has also been instrumental in the creation of the Courtauld Commitment, a voluntary agreement aimed at improving resource efficiency and reducing waste within the UK grocery sector.

Manufacturers and retailers that have signed up to the Courtauld Commitment, have reported an approximate 4.5% reduction of the carbon impacts of packaging, while food waste prevention efforts have led to 80% more food being redistributed.

The anaerobic digestion (AD) industry, which can turn waste food and drink into biofuels, has grown significantly in the UK, according to a study of the sector conducted by WRAP.

During 2013, the number of operational sites increased by 34% to number 117, with an increase in all the types of feedstocks processed.

“However, food and drink waste continues to be the largest proportion of the material processed - with separated solid food accounting for 38% of the feedstocks reported in the survey and liquids 30%,” WRAP said.

The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF), an international network of 400 retailers and manufacturers, issued a Food Waste Resolution in June this year to halve food waste within the retail and manufacturing operations of its members by 2025.

It also aims to help reduce food losses along production and supply chains, and seek more value from the remaining waste.

Paul Polman, chief executive of Unilever and board co-sponsor of the CGF’s sustainability work, said: “It is a tragedy that up to two billion tonnes of food produced around the world is lost or wasted never making it onto a plate.

“At a time of growing food insecurity and climate change, we can’t afford to let this continue. This resolution marks a step change in industry leadership and is an important contribution to the longer term sustainable development agenda.”