This isn’t just a matter of tossing a few expired tins or leftovers; it’s a systemic issue affecting households, retailers, restaurants, and the environment. But the good news? There’s enormous potential to rescue this waste, feed more people, reduce carbon emissions, and save money.
Here’s how we can tackle the problem and turn waste into worth.
1. Tackling Waste at Home: Small Changes, Big Results
Households are the biggest contributors to food waste in the UK, responsible for over 60% of the total. Reasons include poor meal planning, confusion over "best before" dates, and improper storage.
What we can do:
Meal planning & portion control – Creating weekly menus and shopping lists reduces overbuying.
Freezing and preserving – Freezing surplus food or using techniques like pickling and fermenting can extend shelf life.
Understanding food labels – "Use by" indicates safety, while "best before" relates to quality. Knowing the difference prevents safe food from being binned.
Composting – Not all scraps can be eaten, but turning them into compost keeps them out of landfill and helps gardens grow.
2. Retailers Must Rethink the Supply Chain
Supermarkets and suppliers waste tonnes of edible food due to aesthetic standards, overstocking, and logistical inefficiencies.
Solutions include:
Relaxing cosmetic standards – Perfectly good "wonky" fruit and veg should be welcomed, not rejected.
Dynamic pricing – Discounting products nearing expiry to encourage quick sales.
Donating surplus food – Connecting with food banks and charities like FareShare ensures surplus feeds people, not bins.
Smarter forecasting – Using AI and data tools to better predict demand and reduce over-ordering.
3. Restaurants and Hospitality: Cook Smart, Waste Less
Cafés, pubs, hotels and restaurants can lose thousands of pounds per year through over-preparation, over-sized portions and wasteful practices.
Practical approaches:
Smaller portion options – Offering half portions or the option to customise sides helps cut uneaten food.
Menu auditing – Analysing what gets left behind can inform smarter, less wasteful menus.
Staff training – Empowering kitchen and front-of-house teams with waste-reduction strategies.
Food redistribution – Apps like Too Good To Go, Olio and Karma let businesses sell or share surplus meals at discounted prices or for free.
4. Policy and Education: Systemic Support
Reducing food waste isn’t just about individual responsibility—it also requires national coordination and education.
Key actions:
School curriculum updates – Teach young people about food storage, cooking, and waste prevention.
Incentives and penalties – Reward businesses that minimise waste and penalise those who ignore their environmental footprint.
Standardised labelling – Clear, consistent labelling helps avoid consumer confusion.
Support circular economy models – Encourage closed-loop systems where food waste becomes compost, energy, or animal feed.
5. Environmental and Social Impact
Wasting food isn’t just about money. Food waste contributes 25 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually in the UK alone. Meanwhile, millions struggle with food insecurity.
By diverting even a fraction of that £20 billion:
Thousands more could be fed through redistribution schemes.
The UK could drastically reduce its environmental impact.
Families and businesses could save millions collectively.
Last points
Saving £20 billion worth of wasted food isn’t a pipe dream, it’s a realistic and urgent goal. With collaboration from households, businesses, and government, we can shift from a wasteful system to one that values every crumb.
Let’s not just count the cost of food waste! Let’s cut it.
Call to Action:
Join the fight against food waste by downloading a food-sharing app, starting a compost bin, or simply planning your next food shop with intention. Every step counts.