Two million turkeys, 74 million mince pies and 100 million brussels sprouts will have ended up in the bin this Christmas.
The waste, a tenfold increase from 2015, has been attributed to a number of factors – from supermarkets displaying Christmas food earlier each year, to consumers overstocking because of concerns over food shortages.
Much has also been wasted this Christmas and last due to shifting Covid rules, causing last-minute cancellations.
One in seven of us admit to buying too much food and then having to throw it away, while more than four in 10 say meal portions are too large, leading to food being wasted. More than a third are unaware of the scale of their waste.
The amount of food wasted each year is worth from £14-£19 billion – with the average UK family chucking out more than 400 meals.
Most of it ends up in landfill sites or incinerators, responsible for 8% of greenhouse gases, although 20% is recycled. But perfectly edible food doesn’t need to end up in the bin.
As New Year’s Eve parties and other festive plans hang in the balance, if you find yourself with too much use food waste apps which help local people in need.
It’s really easy to do. Just download the OLIO app, list any food items in the “free” area, and share with people in your neighbourhood.
App users can then request items and collect them from an agreed pick-up point. You can also get in touch with the Trussell Trust (trusselltrust.org) to find your nearest foodbank for any non-perishable items.
Local WhatsApp groups, which started in the pandemic as neighbourhoods pulled together, offer another way to swap and share items.
Environmental charity Hubbub has also set up a network of over 200 community fridges around the country where excess food is collected and shared (hubbub.org.uk/the-community-fridge), to help spread the Christmas spirit of giving to others.
