The British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF) is supporting and championing the WRAP Food Waste Action Week taking place from 6 – 12 March, with the objective of illustrating how simple behaviours to reduce food waste can save time and money whilst also protecting the environment.
Households in the UK throw away approximately 4.5 million tonnes of edible food each year, with 25% of this waste due to cooking, preparing or serving too much. If households were to cut out food waste of this nature, UK families could save a total of £3.5 billion each year.
Rupert Ashby, chief executive of the BFFF, commented: “During the cost of living crisis, it is amazing to think that households could save so much money by making sure that they are not wasting food. Frozen food presents a solution to this problem, as the long shelf-life means that frozen food doesn’t go off in the back of the fridge and portions can be easily controlled, as you can cook what you need when you need it and save the rest for another day.”
Food waste also harms the environment. Incredibly, up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions are estimated to be caused by food waste. If food waste were a country, it would be the third biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, behind the United States and China.
Ashby added: “We all care deeply about our planet, so it makes no sense that we waste so much food which ultimately ends up decomposing and releasing harmful gasses into the atmosphere.
“Often, fresh and chilled foods go off and are thrown away in the supply chain, before consumers even have the chance to purchase them. Frozen food doesn’t have this problem as produce is frozen within hours of being picked or prepared, and by turning the temperature down ‘nature’s pause button’ means that the freshness, taste and nutritional value is locked into frozen food.”
This year’s Food Waste Action Week will focus on the theme of ‘Win. Don’t bin’ and will demonstrate the true value of food, to help us save money and fight the climate crisis.
