So why do we waste food?

Who in their right mind would set out to waste food?  So why does so much of it end up in the dustbin?

A physical survey of domestic food waste by WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme) in 2007 found that on average every household in Britain was throwing away a third of the food that they bought. Some of this was inedible, such as animal bones & egg shells, but not included were drinks and anything else that could be disposed of via the drains.

At the same time, surveys based on questionnaires supplied to households similar to those in the physical study found that they were seriously underestimating what was actually being discarded. The conclusion was that as a Nation we are excessively wasteful and that we are living in denial.

Interestingly, households that have never composted food refuse will waste on average 50% more food than those that have. This is good news as it shows that we are capable of starting to address the problem if we are simply made aware of its scale.

Waste food is the result but what are the causes?

Each household is different and there are combinations of factors that result in a common problem.  However, there are also patterns that distinguish certain groups.

The highest waste levels tend to come from the 18-34 age range who have not yet settled down with families. As well as frequently lacking simple cooking skills their lifestyles are more chaotic, making meal planning more difficult.

Parents with young children give the main reason for their food waste as being fussy eating. As well as wasting food as their children go through ‘ phases’ they will also be shopping for and preparing separate meals for different age groups.

Well educated, affluent, professionals may find themselves shopping for one lifestyle but actually living a different one that features more snacking and takeaways than they would like to envisage.

Shopping desserts can occur in underprivileged areas, sometimes within major cities.  Without their own transport and often with mobility problems, the locals find their shopping opportunities limited to expensive corner shops and budget fast food outlets.

It is the over-65s, many of whom will have memories of rationing during and immediately after the Second World War, who take most care to avoid wasting food. As time passes there will be fewer people who will have had this experience.

Across these groups, the main factor that affects how much food we waste is our ability to manage food as a resource. Some people are lucky to have been taught or to have learned these skills while there are others who have virtually no knowledge at all. These skills include shopping, nutrition, food storage, cooking, portion control and food hygiene.