A staggering 4.4 million* whole apples are being thrown away untouched every day in the UK, according to the latest figures from “Love Food Hate Waste”, WRAP’s (Waste & Resources Action Programme) campaign to tackle food being wasted in UK homes. The figures show that, in total, households throw away nearly £3 billion worth of perfectly good fruit and vegetables each year.
The top 5 fruit and vegetables which get thrown away whole, without being touched are:
- Apples – 4.4 Million
- Potatoes – 5.1 Million
- Banana - 1.6 Million
- Tomatoes - 2.8 Million
- Oranges - 1.2 Million
Undertaken by WRAP and leading horticultural institute East Malling Research, together with other research partners including Sainsbury’s***, the study also looked at what retailers and the food industry can do to help.
Key findings arising include:
• More than half of all consumers are storing fruit at ambient temperatures but most fruit and vegetables when stored in the fridge will maintain freshness for longer – sometimes by as much as a fortnight.
• For example peppers, carrots & lemons will last for at least a week longer if kept in the fridge.
• The majority of consumers are unaware of the storage benefits of refrigeration.
• Whilst many pre-packaged fruits and vegetables provide storage advice on-pack, little or no advice was being given to consumers by retailers on fruit & vegetables sold loose.
Dr Liz Goodwin, WRAP Chief Executive, comments: “These dramatic figures show that although we are all keen to do the right thing by buying plenty of fruit and vegetables, the benefit is clearly being lost when food gets thrown out untouched”. She adds “The research highlights an opportunity for retailers to give more storage information to their customers whether they are buying loose or pre-packed produce”.
In support of the Love Food Hate Waste Campaign, and as part of the research, Sainsbury’s is trialling new storage guidance to customers both in store and on its website. The findings from the research will be shared with all retailers.
Sainsbury’s head of brand policy and sustainability, Alison Austin, says: “In light of this research Sainsbury’s are advising shoppers to store their loose fruit and vegetables in the fridge. We are tackling the task in two ways: showing shoppers how to keep their food fresh for longer, and then inspiring them to use it in lots of different ways.”
Love Food Hate Waste is providing detailed tips on storing different types of fruit and vegetables, to keep them at their freshest for longer, at www.lovefoodhatewaste.com, along with a new range quick and easy recipes so we can enjoy these foods, not waste them.
Source:
* These figures represent early findings from WRAP research which will provide detailed information about the nature, amount and origin of food waste produced by UK households. This work is nearing completion and will be published in May 2008
** “Helping consumers to store fresh fruit & vegetables in the home, and prevent waste.” This WRAP research will be published at project completion. Summer 2008.
***Also taking part in the project are Mack Multiples Division (a major UK supplier of fresh produce), Reading Scientific Services Ltd (RSSL), and the Food Refrigeration and Process Engineering Research Centre at the University of Bristol.P research will be published at project completion. Summer 2008.
View Original Article from WRAP
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