Food Statistics 2013

Attached is a link to an interesting, but in some respects dismaying report. I'm sure that GC members are not amongst those who throw away £££'s worth of perfectly edible food each year, but your observations and comments would be welcome - who knows I might even forward them to DEFRA

Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa.../315418/foodpocketbook-2013update-29may14.pdf

a-a

 

Wow Alex , more statistics than you can shake a stick at there. Now that report took some compiling , but it is very easy reading . Some very interesting facts on food wastage, main reason being oversized portions.

 

Which is why we have so many oversized people!!

 

It was interesting to see that alcohol production accounted for the biggest slice of the pie in GVA terms. And of course the government is coincidentally on a mission to push prices up. Makes perfect sense from a marketing perspective. Identify your most lucrative sector, and make it even more lucrative.

 

Don't waste stuff here, been known to eat stuff years out of date, even daing back to the 60's man

 

Well, that's going to take a bit of time to read (and assess).

Based on your opening ...

... are you referring specifically to food waste?

 

Except ... alcohol (per se) isn't simply about revenue. It is also about the impact (value/expense) excessive consumption has upon society and tax expenditure (as well you know).

 

Does make you wonder why so much is thrown away.
Personally, I'm grateful that I was taught how to use food both by my mother and good old Home Economics!
I do wonder how much of it is down to a) not knowing quite what to do with it before it reaches the point of no return; b) not knowing quite how to store it and c) not really having time when juggling demanding work schedules with home/family demands. Maybe a touch of all three?

 

Agree!! Supermarkets are geared to make you spend and it works!! The bigger the supermarket the more you are likely to 'stock up', the further out of town it is again you will 'stock up' while you're there. Special offers make it even more tempting to take 2 instead of 1, Christmas time in the local Tesco/Morrisons where I used to live, was an absolute nightmare especially as a lot of the alcohol was on offer as well, seriously I used to feel unwell going in there!!
Here in Hay, SO different, just local shops, small Co-op, but they have everything I could possibly need, if you go to Hereford all the BIG stores are there but not me!! I don't even use my freezer anymore, not worth running it just for my small amounts.

 

In my experience, BOGOF's don't usually apply to "fresh" foods ... they are more geared towards high fat, high sugar, "snack" foods (and often carry quite a long "use by" date).
Yet again, I feel that can be put down to lack of education on home economics (the *how* to run a home: budgeting, meal planning) and probably down to people simply not feeling they have the time to do those very basic tasks - most likely believing they are time consuming when, in fact, if they noted down what they ate each day for one month they would actually have the next months meal plan already to hand!

Yet again an "item" that has a long shelf life Or, could have.

Ahh: greed has much to answer for ... especially if self restraint is out of the window. (Just to put things into perspective - I don't always exercise self restraint, so I'm not being pious )

 

Lets cut to the chase here ( not a clue what that means but it sounds really good )
I can understand catering firms and retail having a quite high percentage of waste. But does anyone on here waste 20% of their food purchase ? We throw a few stale crusts out to the birds . Peelings and the odd over ripe piece of fruit go into the green bin . Does anyone on here regularly discard food by sell by date or over purchase ?