Tools- of Changes

Rising Food Costs Support Food Waste Reduction

A survey of 5,000 individuals in Australia, Canada, the U.K., and U.S., found that concerns about the increasing cost of living are leading consumers to cut their spending and can be tapped to reduce residential food waste.

This study surveyed 5,000 individuals in the United Kingdom (1,000), United States (2,000), Canada (1,000), and Australia (1,000) about at-home food behaviours amidst a global cost of living crisis. The main findings are as follows.

• Concerns about the increasing cost of living are leading consumers to cut their spending
• 86% had taken some kind of action to reduce their bills
• 95% had taken action to save money on food bills
• 86% said that reducing food waste was a great way to save money
• 63% said it was more difficult to save on food bills than other household bills (70% of parents)
• 45% said that they were wasting the same amount of food as the year before
• 53% underestimated how much money they could save by being more resourceful with their food
• 47-59% asked for assistance reducing their food waste
• Key barriers included: getting bored of having the same meals (26%), struggling to cook or consume food before it expires (19%), lack of creativity when it comes to cooking (17%) and difficulty planning meals in advance (16%)