According to new research from Aldi, over half (52%) of British people admit to feeling ashamed about how much food waste they generate, with estimates indicating that the average UK household discards up to £520 worth of food every year.
Aldi surveyed over 2,000 British shoppers during the course of its research to identify the level of food waste produced in the UK each year, which found that at least nine pieces of fruit and vegetable are binned by a UK household each week, totaling 468 pieces a year.
The results also showed that 53% of those surveyed throw out food which has never even been touched, with 56% claiming to completely forget about the food they have purchased during the week while over half (52%) believe they waste up to £10 every week on misused food.
In terms of the kind of food that’s wasted, bananas were revealed to be the worst offenders, with the average household throwing away an average of 114 bananas every year, according to Aldi.
This was followed by 99 potatoes, 94 carrots, 88 oranges, 88 bags of salad, 83 onions, 73 punnets of strawberries and 73 cauliflowers while almost one quarter (24%) of respondents only consume half a bag of salad before discarding it.
46% of Aldi’s 2,000 survey respondents believe that the way in which they store food contributes to the amount they throw away each week, while 57% admitted they are not confident in the storage means required to prevent premature food decay.
Aldi has solicited the help of food waste expert and author, Kate Hall, to inform shoppers how best to counter their food waste.
“Food waste is a major issue for many households across the UK, wasting both our time and money. However, there are many small changes we can make that can have a big positive impact.
“By storing our produce differently or adopting a few simple habits, we can significantly reduce food waste, save money, and make sure we actually eat the food we’ve worked hard to pay for,” Hall said.
Her top tips include:
- Keep it cold – If your fridge is warmer than 5°C, your food won’t last as long as it could;
- Check your drawers – Thin-skinned, high-moisture foods like salad leaves should be stored in high-humidity drawers, while thicker-skinned produce like apples should be stored in low-humidity drawers;
- Pop your potatoes in the fridge – Potatoes are best stored in the fridge which can help them last over three times longer. If you don’t have enough fridge space, keep them in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area like the garage and away from onions;
- Give your salad leaves a helping hand – Help your bagged salad last longer by placing a sheet of kitchen paper into the container they are stored in to absorb any excess moisture;
- Beware of Ethylene Gas – Certain fruits and vegetables like bananas, apples and tomatoes emit high levels of ethylene gas (a natural gas that’s produced as fruit ripens), which can cause other produce to ripen and ruin faster;
- Don’t bin your bananas – If your bananas are already ripe and you don’t want them to ripen any more, refrigerate or freeze them;
- Check your berries – Avoid washing berries until they are ready for consumption – excess moisture can breed microscopic spores, which can spread quickly;
- Don’t pre-prep produce – To help your fruit and vegetables last as long as possible, keep the wrapping intact until ready for consumption;
- Water vegetables – If vegetables appear to deformed, trim the ends and submerge them in cold water to rehydrate them;
- Take it back – Aldi allows customers to return fresh fruit and vegetables for a full refund if they are not satisfied with their purchase as part of their Fresh Guarantee policy.
Managing director of buying at Aldi UK, Julie Ashfield, said: “If customers aren’t satisfied with their purchase, they are welcome to return fresh fruit and vegetables for a full refund.
“We hope shoppers find Kate’s tips helpful and by following her advice, spot a difference in the longevity of their fruit and veg,” Ashfield said.
