08 May 2008


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Household food waste tops £10bn a year

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UK households needlessly waste more than £10bn-worth of food every year, according to new research from WRAP, the Waste & Resources Action Programme.

Food waste. Photo: bigstockphoto.com

The figure is £2bn higher than previous estimates, says WRAP.

An average household throws out £420 of good food a year, and an average family with children £610.

More than half the good food thrown out is bought and left unused.

Thrown away each day are:

• 1.3 million unopened yogurt pots
• 5,500 whole chickens
• 440,000 ready meals

More than £1bn-worth of wasted food is still within its sell-by date.

WRAP chief executive Liz Goodwin described the findings as “shocking”.

She said: “Food waste has a significant environmental impact. This research confirms that it is an issue for us all, whether as consumers, retailers, local or central Government.

“I believe it will spark a major debate about the way food is packaged, sold, stored at home, cooked and then collected when it is thrown out.”

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