Are You Wasting £1,000 a Year on Food? How Smarter Shopping Can Save You Money

Families Could Cut Costs by Reducing Food Waste

Cornwall Council is urging residents to rethink their shopping habits after new research revealed that the average family of four throws away around £1,000 worth of food every year. The findings have been released during Food Waste Action Week (March 17th – March 23rd), an annual campaign led by WRAP’s Love Food Hate Waste.

The Shocking Scale of Food Waste

According to WRAP’s analysis, a significant amount of fresh produce ends up in the bin, with:

• 46% of potatoes wasted
• 23% of carrots discarded
• 18% of apples thrown away

A key reason for this waste is overbuying, particularly when purchasing pre-packaged fruit and vegetables. The campaign encourages shoppers to buy loose produce to better control portion sizes and cut down on unnecessary food waste.

Cornwall’s Efforts to Tackle Waste

Since the introduction of weekly food waste collections, households across Cornwall have already recycled more than 11,500 tonnes of food waste. However, Cornwall Council says the best way to tackle the issue is to reduce waste before it happens.

Esther O’Bearagh, Waste and Recycling Community Engagement Team Leader at Cornwall Council, said:

“It’s fantastic that people are now recycling their food waste but reducing the amount of food you throw away in the first place could save you a lot of money. It’s also much better for the environment.

“Planning meals in advance and writing a list before you go shopping can help to reduce waste, and using a food portion calculator ensures you don’t end up with mountains of leftovers.”

Call for Change in Shops and at Home

Jackie Bailey, Senior Campaign Manager at Love Food Hate Waste, highlighted the potential impact of small changes:

“We know buying loose fruit and veg has the potential to significantly cut the amount of food ending up in the bin – now is the time for retailers and shoppers to make that a reality.

“Increasing loose fruit and veg offerings in store will not only reduce hard-to-recycle plastics, it will also enable shoppers to buy closer to their needs, slashing waste and stopping tens of thousands of tonnes of CO2 emissions.”

By making small adjustments – such as choosing loose produce, planning meals, and buying only what’s needed – families across Cornwall could cut down waste and keep more money in their pockets.