New research from not-for-profit organisation, End Food Waste Australia (EFWA), has revealed improvement in behaviours and perceptions around household food waste, six months on from the release of The Great Unwaste campaign.
Three years of research prior to the campaign launch revealed the average household wastes more than double the amount of food than they think, 4.22 kilograms per week, not the perceived 2.03 kilograms.
That equates to Australian households throwing out 2.5 million tonnes of food each year, the equivalent of around 7.7 million meals every single day.
The Great Unwaste aims to reduce this amount by encouraging Australians to think about the small things, little habits that could add together to make a big difference.
EFWA released its new research to coincide with Food Waste Action Week (17 - 23 March), revealing 90 per cent of Australians now agree they have a responsibility to help end food waste.
It also showed a significant shift in Australians' intentions to implement key food waste reduction behaviours, with more people intending to improve the way they plan, stick to their shopping lists and prepare the right amount of food.
BehaviourWorks Australia food waste behavioural expert, Dr Mark Boulet, said the signs are encouraging that The Great Unwaste is helping people to reframe food waste reduction as something achievable rather than overwhelming.
“One of the strongest predictors of behaviour change – intended action – has skyrocketed,” said Boulet.
“By focusing on realistic and flexible solutions, more Australians are seeing the benefits of wasting less and saving more. Small daily changes, as simple as checking who is eating before cooking and following recommended portion sizes, soon turn to habits, leading to long-term change in how we consume and value food.”
Just over three quarters (78 per cent) of respondents said they now intend to incorporate regular ‘leftover nights’ into their weekly meal plans, which only half were doing before, while simple tips such as checking recommended serving sizes saw an increase of almost 25 per cent.
The Great Unwaste campaign director, Mandy Hall, said reducing food waste is a rewarding opportunity for the whole household to be involved in.
“No one likes throwing food, or money, in the bin. The Great Unwaste shows that reducing food waste doesn’t mean sacrificing taste or fun in the kitchen,” said Hall.
“Learning to love your leftovers and prepping your meals for the week are opportunities to get creative, cook smarter, and enjoy food even more!”
With the campaign target looking to reduce household food waste by 20 per cent by 2030, there is still work to be done. With more food waste being generated in households than in any other part of the supply chain (32 per cent), research shows that many households are still struggling with food management. The main barriers to reducing food waste include the perceived time to change habits (42 per cent) and forgetting to plan (17 per cent).
End Food Waste Australia and The Great Unwaste is urging more Australians to join the movement and make a difference. Head online to learn the best ways to unwaste at www.thegreatunwaste.com.au.
