Some 47% of Irish households throw out food every week, according to research commissioned by Aldi Ireland.
Bread is the most commonly discarded item (62%), while fresh vegetables (55%), fresh fruit (52%), dairy (31%) and meat (27%) make up the top items wasted in household kitchens.
The analysis, conducted by Coyne Research, also found that 65% of consumers are uncomfortable with the amount of food their household throws out.
The findings were published by Aldi as part of its ‘Food for Good’ campaign, in partnership with FoodCloud. The campaign works to ensure voluntary and community groups across the country have access to food to support those who need it most.
To date, the retailer says it has donated 2.5m meals to FoodCloud, preventing the waste of over 1,000,000kg of food.
Food waste
According to the study, food being past its use-by date is the most common reason it is thrown out (48%), followed by people simply not getting around to using it (43%).
Over one third (35%) say they disposed of food because it was past the best before date, while nearly one in five (18%) said they simply bought too much.
However, despite these figures, almost half (49%) of survey respondents said that they are actively taking steps to reduce their food waste by cooking and preparing the food before it goes off to avoid wasting it.
FoodCloud
Partnering with FoodCloud for the fifth year, the collaborative ‘Food for Good’ campaign will run from Friday 14 October to Monday 24 October.
Aldi shoppers can buy and donate non-perishable food items at one of the ‘Food for Good’ drop-off points across the retailer’s 153 stores nationwide. Aldi says that all donated food will be collected and donated to local charities by FoodCloud.
Almost half (49%) of survey respondents said that they are actively taking steps to reduce their food waste.
Aldi group managing director Niall O’Connor said: “We know that food waste is still a problem and we are delighted to work with FoodCloud again this year to highlight this important issue and the essential service that FoodCloud provides.
“By making small changes to how we plan and prepare meals at home, we can all help reduce food waste, which, in turn, will have a bigger impact on the environment and wider society.”
FoodCloud co-founder and partnerships director Aoibheann O’Brien described the Aldi-commissioned research as confirming that “food waste is a huge problem within Irish households”, but highlighted that “reassuringly, people are becoming more aware of it in their homes”.
Read more
Food waste awareness day - Minister highlights collective actions
Supermarket discounts driving consumers to waste food
Some 47% of Irish households throw out food every week, according to research commissioned by Aldi Ireland.
Bread is the most commonly discarded item (62%), while fresh vegetables (55%), fresh fruit (52%), dairy (31%) and meat (27%) make up the top items wasted in household kitchens.
The analysis, conducted by Coyne Research, also found that 65% of consumers are uncomfortable with the amount of food their household throws out.
The findings were published by Aldi as part of its ‘Food for Good’ campaign, in partnership with FoodCloud. The campaign works to ensure voluntary and community groups across the country have access to food to support those who need it most.
To date, the retailer says it has donated 2.5m meals to FoodCloud, preventing the waste of over 1,000,000kg of food.
Food waste
According to the study, food being past its use-by date is the most common reason it is thrown out (48%), followed by people simply not getting around to using it (43%).
Over one third (35%) say they disposed of food because it was past the best before date, while nearly one in five (18%) said they simply bought too much.
However, despite these figures, almost half (49%) of survey respondents said that they are actively taking steps to reduce their food waste by cooking and preparing the food before it goes off to avoid wasting it.
FoodCloud
Partnering with FoodCloud for the fifth year, the collaborative ‘Food for Good’ campaign will run from Friday 14 October to Monday 24 October.
Aldi shoppers can buy and donate non-perishable food items at one of the ‘Food for Good’ drop-off points across the retailer’s 153 stores nationwide. Aldi says that all donated food will be collected and donated to local charities by FoodCloud.
Almost half (49%) of survey respondents said that they are actively taking steps to reduce their food waste.
Aldi group managing director Niall O’Connor said: “We know that food waste is still a problem and we are delighted to work with FoodCloud again this year to highlight this important issue and the essential service that FoodCloud provides.
“By making small changes to how we plan and prepare meals at home, we can all help reduce food waste, which, in turn, will have a bigger impact on the environment and wider society.”
FoodCloud co-founder and partnerships director Aoibheann O’Brien described the Aldi-commissioned research as confirming that “food waste is a huge problem within Irish households”, but highlighted that “reassuringly, people are becoming more aware of it in their homes”.
Read more
Food waste awareness day - Minister highlights collective actions
Supermarket discounts driving consumers to waste food
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: