This section looks at the number of single units of mixed foods that are thrown away whole or unused. Where these foods have been thrown away in whole packets or bags, the number of single units has been calculated according to the total weight of the waste. This analysis provides an estimate of the number of single mixed foods items that are thrown away whole that could have been eaten if they had been better stored or managed. Items of food waste thrown away whole but which make up only part of a whole pack (such as four onion bhajis in a packet that originally held six) are included in this analysis. The estimated weight, cost and number of mixed food items thrown away whole each year by UK households are provided in the table below.
Table 120 The annual weight (tonnes), cost (£ million) and number of units of mixed foods thrown away whole each year in the UK
Units Weight Cost
Type of mixed food
Total (million) Total (tonnes) Total (£ million)
Meat meals (whole unopened) 120 14,900 £60
Sausage rolls 100 6700 £20
Pies/pasties (whole unopened) 40 6300 £30
Pasta meals (whole unopened) 10 5900 £20
Sandwiches 30 5100 £20
Pizzas 20 4300 £20
Vegetable meals (whole unopened) 10 2800 £10
Samosas 40 2300 £20
Snacks 50 2300 £20
Kebabs 40 2000 £10
Fish meals (whole unopened) 10 1900 £10
Pork pies 30 1500 £10
Scotch eggs 40 1500 £10
Soup <10 1500 <£10
Onion bhajis 40 1100 <£10
Rice meals (whole unopened) <10 200 <£10
Other 20 500 <£10
The food we waste
132
5.14
Summary of chapter
Nearly a quarter of the food that could have been eaten if it had been stored or managed better that is thrown away by UK households is in a whole, unopened or untouched state. This food waste makes up more than 970,000 tonnes of waste every year in the UK and includes whole packets or bags of unopened foods as well as single units of food items (except those that are not normally purchased individually such as grapes and bread slices).
The food type most commonly disposed of whole and unopened is fruit; fruits make up a third of all food waste disposed of whole. A fifth of the avoidable food waste thrown away whole consists of vegetables. Every year UK households throw away 4.8 billion individual pieces and 90 million full bags of fruit and vegetables.
The weight of the fresh fruits, vegetables and salads thrown away whole (including items that are not normally purchased as single units) within the UK each year is nearly 940,000 tonnes. Nearly 40% of this avoidable food waste consists of whole individual apples and potatoes (1.6 and 1.9 billion respectively in number).
A significant number of bakery items are thrown away unused or untouched. Whole bread loaves and rolls together make up more than 80,000 tonnes of food waste. In numbers of units, 775 million bread rolls and nearly 70 million whole loaves of bread are thrown away each year in the UK. Although not purchased as a single unit, 2.6 billion slices of bread are thrown away each year in the UK, making up nearly 120,000 tonnes in weight. Of the meat and fish items that are thrown away as whole units, sausages are the most commonly thrown away. Every year in the UK, 440 million uneaten sausages are thrown away. UK households also throw away 360 million slices of ham and 200 million rashers of bacon each year. These three foods account for more than 32,000 tonnes of avoidable food waste and cost £140 million each year.
The amount of unopened yoghurts and yoghurt drinks that are thrown away is also significant. Each year, UK households dispose of more than 52,000 tonnes of unopened yoghurts and yoghurt drinks. This is the equivalent of more than 480 million pots of yoghurt and yoghurt drinks. Every year, UK households throw away 240 million unused or uneaten eggs which weigh more than 14,000 tonnes.
120 million meat-based meals are thrown away whole every year, weighing nearly 15,000 tonnes. UK households also dispose of 100 million uneaten sausage rolls and 40 million pies and pasties with a combined annual weight of 13,000 tonnes.
The food we waste
133
all food w aste w eight
in pack 27.9% not in pack 72.1%
all food w aste cost
in pack 33.6% not in pack 66.4%
avoidable food w aste w eight not in pack 55.9% in pack 44.1%
avoidable food w aste cost in pack 46.1% not in pack 53.9%
6
The weight and cost of food waste
thrown away still in date
6.1
Introduction
This chapter provides information on the weight and financial cost of the food waste thrown away still in date. Although we know that there is a misunderstanding of food dates amongst consumers, we don’t know how this translates in terms of good food wasted.
There are several methodological factors that affect the reliability of the analysis presented in this chapter and it is important to be clear about this from the outset.
1. Only food that was found in the waste still in its packaging could be included in this assessment and around seven tenths of food is thrown away unpackaged; the first part of this chapter looks at this in more depth. 2. The method used does not enable us to know when food that is in its original packaging was placed into the
bin by the householder; the analysis carried out on food dates takes the collection as the date of disposal, although clearly food may have been in the bin for much longer.
3. We have not been able to take account of foods that have been frozen for some time and then disposed; these will be regarded as ‘out of date’ for this analysis.
4. Foods that have instructions along the lines of ‘once opened eat within three days’ would be classified as ‘in date’ if the ‘best before’ date had not passed but the item had been opened for more than the recommended time because the method does not enable us to distinguish this.
5. At the UK level the findings have been scaled up so they apply to all waste, not just waste found packaged and dated during the waste analysis. This approach assumes that food thrown away in packaging is similar in terms of shelf life to food thrown away not in packaging.
Although there are some aspects of the method that are likely to lead to overestimation (point 4 above, for example), overall the approach used will underestimate amounts of food thrown away in date, so the figures presented in this chapter should be read as minimum amounts.