Gregg Wallace joins Food Waste Action Week to tackle freezer disasters
The second annual Food Waste Action Week begins today, fronted by television presenter Gregg Wallace.
The aim is to raise people’s awareness of the huge impact of household food waste on climate change and share practical advice, savvy behaviours and tips on how we can all easily reduce it.
Particular attention is being paid to the ‘UFOs’ that get stuck in our freezer and never find their way onto our plates.
Wallace says: “No one hates seeing good food go to waste more than I do, and often it’s simple changes in how we store food that make the biggest difference. That’s why I’m delighted to support this year’s Food Waste Action Week and Love Food Hate Waste.”
“The fact is, we are all responsible for the vast majority of food waste that happens in the UK - 70% - so we really need to be part of the solution for the sake of the planet.”
“And with food prices going up and other pressures on disposable income, the savings you’ll make to the family budget by wasting less food are significant.”
Love Food Hate Waste, the brand behind this initiative, runs an annual survey of UK citizens.
This highlighted that 81% are concerned about climate change, but only 32% see a clear link with food waste.
It also flagged the public’s relationship with its freezers, with 35% of people saying their freezer is “sometimes a total disaster and [it’s] extremely hard to work out what’s in there.”
19% have thrown away something frozen in the past two weeks because it had laid dormant for too long.
Sarah Clayton, Love Food Hate Waste, says: “Getting to grips with freezing and defrosting are big factors in preventing food from going to waste at home.”
“At a time of rising food prices alongside huge public concern about climate change, tackling food waste at home is one way we can all make a difference and save money.”
“For the average family with children, the cost of binning food can be more than £700 per year. So, Food Waste Action Week is all about avoiding those UFOs and being savvy in how we store but then use our food.”
Love Food Hate Waste is also asking the public to share their own Unidentified Frozen Objects on social media, using the hashtag #FoodWasteActionWeek.
Food Waste Action Week will signpost people to information and resources on the Love Food Hate Waste website to help tackle a range of common food waste issues.
And for the first time, partners around the globe are involved.
Support for the campaign will come from 12 countries including Canada, USA, Australia, South Africa, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Mauritius, Indonesia, Jordan, The Netherlands and New Zealand.
Love Food Hate Waste also has the support of some of the UK’s largest retailers and food brands, who have provided financial donations , including Aldi, Danone, Dunbia, KFC, IHG Hotels and Resorts, Ocado, OLIO and Sodexo.
