Around 75% of UK shoppers throw away fresh produce each week, according to new research from food-technology company It's Fresh!
A survey commissioned by the company reveals that 18- to 24-year-olds are the worst offenders, with 92% saying that they dispose of fresh food regularly.
Overall, 83% of respondents said that the reason they throw away produce is because it has gone off before they've had a chance to eat it.
According to the survey, London is the most wasteful region in the UK, with 28% of people throwing away more than 10% of the fruit and vegetables they buy each week.
Waste Woes
Over half (51%) of respondents said that they feel guilty when wasting food, while 44% said that they were frustrated.
“The research clearly shows people are deeply guilt-ridden and frustrated by the food they’re forced to throw away, and this waste is mainly down to food not being used in time," said Simon Lee, co-founder of It’s Fresh!
“Wasting food wastes everything that has gone into getting the produce to the consumer, and more needs to be done to help people reduce what they throw away. This would deliver better value for everyone, as we could eat all that we buy,” continued Lee.
It's Fresh! has developed a sheet-like filter that can extend the shelf life of fresh produce by up to four days. It has been introduced in UK supermarkets such as Morrisons, Waitrose and M&S.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Sarah Harford. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
