Research commissioned by pladis via OnePoll found the average British adult tosses away more than £400 of food annually – despite the increasing costs of food.
A poll of 2,000 adults found 67% have purchased food items, well aware they will end up throwing some of it away or not even come close to using it.
Twenty-nine percent blame this practice on being ‘forced’ to buy pack sizes that are larger than they need, while 37% know they won’t use the entire product before its expiry date.
The study found fresh produce was the main culprit, including bags of salad, cucumbers and fruit like blueberries, grapes, apples and oranges. Cream is also a big waster, with only a fraction of the product actually used. Veg like carrots and potatoes are regularly binned, too.
Twenty-eight percent admit to tossing out food on a weekly basis.
The research also found 30% of parents believe they waste more food now than they did while single, with 47% blaming it on offspring who are picky-eaters. Another 28% admit to not being quick enough to catch the food that little ones typically fling to the floor.
But 43% of adults believe they need to be more resourceful with food now due to the cost of living and how expensive everything is getting.
Even more shocking is the fact that in the UK in April 2020, 7.3 million British adults and 2.6 million children experienced food insecurity, not knowing where their next meal would come from, according to Food Foundation.
Less waste and more taste
To bring this unpleasant reality into sharp focus, pladis has installed 4.5-metre-high fridge on London’s Southbank, filled with oversized plastic models of the most commonly wasted foods.
