- Food waste experts surveyed 3,000 Britons about their weekly shopping
- The average Brit spends £85.72, 10 percent of which ends up in the bin
Food waste is a major problem in the UK, with Britons throwing away 9.5 million tonnes of produce each year.
Not only is food waste incredibly wasteful, it can also contribute to climate change as it releases huge amounts of methane gas as it breaks down.
Despite this, new research from AO.com has found that the average Brit throws away £450 worth of freezable food every year.
Over its lifetime, that’s a staggering £35,000!
‘In the wake of the cost of living crisis, it’s shocking that Britons are throwing away the equivalent of a month’s worth of food every year, especially when you consider that this is more than the average British salary in a lifetime,’ said Sarah Heap, food storage expert at AO.com.
A new survey by AO.com has revealed that the average Brit throws away £450 worth of freezable food every year
Food waste is a major problem in the UK, with Britons throwing away 9.5 million tonnes of produce each year.
| Item | Average number of times per year in the trash | Costs per year |
|---|---|---|
| Fruit and vegetables | 53 | €272.48 |
| Bread | 51 | €72.80 |
| Milk | 47 | €33.80 |
| Meat and fish | 43 | €249.60 |
| Yogurt | 41 | €43.16 |
| Potatoes | 38 | €46.28 |
| stock | 37 | €13.00 |
| Cheese | 36 | €108.42 |
| Eggs | 36 | €64.48 |
| Spices | 36 | €65.00 |
For the research, AO.com asked 3,000 Britons about their weekly shopping.
The results showed that the average Brit spends £85.72, 10 percent of which ends up in the bin.
While many foods can be frozen to extend their shelf life.
“A lot of the essential food items that end up in the bin could actually be saved,” Ms Heap explains.
‘By portioning out these foods at the start of the week and stocking the freezer, Brits can save money and reduce their food waste.’
It is no surprise that fruit and vegetables top the list of most commonly thrown away items, with the average UK household throwing them away 53 times a year.
This is followed by bread (51 times a year), milk (47 times a year) and meat and fish (43 times a year).
Yogurt ranks fifth among the most commonly thrown away products (41 times per year), followed by potatoes (38 times per year) and broth (37 times per year).
The research found that the average household in the UK throws away cheese, eggs and herbs 37 times a year.
AO.com hopes the findings will encourage Britons to freeze food that is approaching its use-by date.
“It is important that people store their food in the best possible way to extend its shelf life,” adds Ms Heap.
AO.com hopes the findings will encourage Britons to consider freezing food that is approaching its use-by date
‘For example, all the products mentioned in our study can be frozen, such as bread, cheese, stock and potatoes, if they are first prepared correctly.’
According to Wrap (Waste and Resources Action Programme), there are several things your household can do to reduce food waste.
Consider using a portion planner and replacing fresh products with frozen products, which have a much longer shelf life.
“By reducing food waste, the average UK household could save £500 a year and contribute positively to the UK’s waste reduction targets,” Wrap said.