Food waste: the great British bin-off

In the UK, we throw away millions of tonnes of perfectly edible food every year – and the impact goes far beyond our wallets. Food waste is a major contributor to climate change, fuelling landfill emissions and wasting the resources used to grow, transport and store our food in the first place.

Whether you’re running a busy restaurant kitchen or clearing out the fridge at home, the first step in tackling food waste is being aware of the scale of the problem. And once you see the numbers, you can’t unsee them.

The hard truth

The UK wastes around 10.7 million tonnes of food annually – worth a whopping £19 billion. The majority of that waste – around 60% – comes from households. Farms account for 15%, manufacturers 13%, hospitality and food services 10%, and retail just 2%.

The carbon footprint is equally alarming: UK food waste generates 20 million tonnes of CO₂e each year – equivalent to the emissions of 3.5 million cars.

The top 10 most wasted food and drink items
(that could have been eaten)

1. Fresh potatoes
2. Bread
3. Milk
4. Prepared meals (home-made and ready meals)
5. Carbonated soft drinks
6. Fruit juice and smoothies
7. Pork, ham and bacon
8. Poultry
9. Fresh carrots
10. Processed potatoes

That’s a lot of spuds and sarnies heading for the bin.

What we can do as individuals

You don’t have to become a zero-waste hero overnight – even small changes can make a big difference. Here are some practical steps to cut food waste at home:

1. Plan your meals
   Before heading to the shops, make a meal plan and write a shopping list. Check what’s in your fridge and cupboards – you might already have the ingredients for dinner.
2. Understand food date labels
   – ‘Use by’ means it can be unsafe to eat after this date, but it doesn’t have to be. Use your nose and common sense to make a judgement, rather than treating the date label as gospel.
   – ‘Best before’ refers to quality, not safety, meaning the product will taste best if consumed before the given date. It’s often still perfectly fine after this date if stored correctly.
3. Exercise portion control
   It’s easy to cook too much, especially with pasta, rice or potatoes. Try using tools like a spaghetti measure or simple kitchen scales to get the right amount and avoid unnecessary waste.
4. Love your leftovers
   Get creative! Roast chicken can become curry the next day, veg scraps can go into a tasty soup, and ripe bananas make great pancakes or banana bread.
5. Learn to store food properly
   – Keep bread in a cool cupboard (not in the fridge).
   – Store apples away from bananas to slow ripening.
   – Freeze milk, grated cheese or chopped herbs to make them last longer.
6. Use your freezer wisely
   Your freezer is a game-changer for reducing waste. Freeze fresh herbs in olive oil cubes, batch-cook meals, and portion leftovers for future busy days.
7. Compost if you can
   Peelings, eggshells and coffee grounds don’t belong in the bin. Composting helps reduce methane emissions from landfill and enriches your soil – double win.

What restaurants and catering businesses can do

For hospitality businesses, reducing food waste isn’t just good for the planet – it also saves money and improves efficiency. Here are some practical, proven strategies to help run a smarter kitchen:

1. Conduct a food waste audit
   Track what’s being thrown out and why. Is it spoilage? Over-prep? Leftovers on plates? Knowing the root cause helps you take targeted action.
2. Train your team
   Make sure everyone understands the basics – like FIFO (first in, first out) stock rotation, proper food storage and portion control. Everyone should know how their role affects food waste.
3. Tighten up inventory management
   Use digital tools to monitor stock levels and usage patterns. Order only what you need – especially for perishable goods.
4. Offer flexible portion sizes
   Allow customers to choose small or large portions, especially for sides. This reduces plate waste and offers a more personalised dining experience.
5. Get creative with surplus ingredients
   Turn surplus veg into soups, bread crusts into croutons, or citrus rinds into syrups or even cleaning products. A little creativity goes a long way.
6. Donate edible food
   Consider partnering with charities like FareShare or your local food bank. It’s a simple way to make sure unsold but perfectly edible food goes to those who need it.
7. Recycle food waste responsibly
   Make the most of composting or anaerobic digestion schemes. These turn food waste into compost or renewable energy – a greener, cleaner solution.
8. Talk to your customers
   Weave subtle messages about food waste into your menu or website. Let customers know they can take leftovers home – and make it easy by providing eco-friendly packaging.

Need food waste collection?

If you run a catering business or restaurant and want to boost your sustainability practices while reducing waste costs, we’re here to help.

We offer reliable, compliant and eco-friendly food waste collection services, tailored to your volume, schedule and site. Whether you need a daily service or weekly pickups, we’ll take care of the waste so you can focus on serving great food.

Get in touch today for a free, no-obligation quote. Together, we can reduce waste, lower emissions and serve up a better future.