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To mark the UN International Day of Awareness of #FoodLoss and hashtag#Waste on 29 September, we wish to call attention to the startling figures that 60% of the UK's food waste comes from #households, costing £17 billion each year and releasing 18 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. (Source: WRAP report, 2023).
To meet UN Sustainable Development Goal Target 12.3 and halve global per capita food waste by 2030, this begs the question: Is there enough awareness of this problem in the UK?
We analysed discussions within the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rurals (EFRA) Committee from 2014 to 2024 to understand evolving challenges in the UK food system. Mentions of “food” and “waste” peaked in 2017 but have sharply declined since. Why?
This surge was mainly driven by the Food Waste in England Inquiry by the EFRA Committee which examined the economic, social, and environmental impacts of food waste, asking critical questions about government intervention and policies, food redistribution practices and data transparency. The inquiry also discussed the effectiveness of existing voluntary agreements like the Courtauld Commitment and campaigns like Love Food Hate Waste.
Although the Select Committee has not conducted any further inquiries on food waste in recent years, these campaigns have continued to operate actively.
Is raising awareness enough?
90% of people are aware that food waste is a national issue, but only 67% agree that they are making an effort to reduce it. Additionally, 25% of people are indifferent to not using all the food they buy. (Source: UK Household Food Waste Tracking Survey for Autumn 2023, byAggelina D. and Mark Roberts from WRAP).
Real change requires action. How can we help people move from “knowing” to “doing”?
To close this gap, we need to dive deeper into consumer motivations and barriers—to understand why people, despite awareness, still struggle to act. By gaining insights into consumer behaviour patterns, businesses and governments can introduce mechanisms to encourage positive change.
Think Better World seeks to do just that, by bringing food system stakeholders together using #BigData analytics to understand how people really think and behave around food system sustainability challenges. Using BigData analytics, Think Better World can study patterns in how consumers think and act on food waste. This insight helps align stakeholders—retailers, policymakers, and others—towards smart, actionable solutions that can drive lasting change.
What steps have you taken to reduce food waste in your household? What more could be done at a community or national level to address this issue? Share your thoughts below!
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