Globally, the production of food accounts for up to 37% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and requires significant resources including land, energy, and water.
However, up to 40% is wasted[1]. In the UK, 70% of UK food waste (post-farm gate) comes from households, equivalent to a value of over £14 billion a year and 25 million tonnes of GHG emissions[2].
No-one can have failed to notice the current “cost-of-living crisis”, which is making the headlines almost daily. Increasing energy bills, food prices and interest rates mean many UK citizens are now beginning to feel the pinch. It has the potential to impact profoundly on how UK citizens feel about managing the food that comes into their homes – and what they do.
This year, WRAP will conduct additional research on the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on our food management behaviours to include more frequent surveying and additional qualitative research. Key findings will be disseminated promptly and widely, enabling WRAP’s Citizen Food Waste Prevention team and its partners to identify what UK citizens are doing in response to the rising cost of living and to act quickly to support them in their efforts to save money by reducing food waste.
External shocks and behaviour change
Context is a considerable influence in the world of citizen behaviour and major external shocks can bring about notable change. During lockdown we witnessed the sustainable behaviours WRAP’s citizen-facing campaigns have been promoting for years gain more traction[3]. Some actions may have seemed quite small, such as batch cooking or using up leftovers — but if adopted widely (and permanently) these little lifestyle changes could add up to big reductions in food waste and its associated emissions.
WRAP’s regular citizen insights survey found that as we entered pandemic restrictions and driven by lockdown unease (such as avoiding going to the shops as often, concerns about running out of food) almost four in five UK citizens adopted additional food management behaviours. The impact? Self-reported food waste dropped during the first lockdown and remained well below pre-pandemic levels throughout 2020.
Going back further, research conducted by WRAP in 2011 showed that annual UK household food and drink waste fell by 1.1 million tonnes (13%) over a three-year period (2006/7 - 2010) from an estimated 8.3 million to 7.2 million tonnes. The associated reduction in food waste was broadly consistent with decreases in the quantity of food and drink purchased for consumption within the home and was thought to be influenced by rising food prices, falling income levels and adoption of food management behaviours, as well as changes to products and packaging that can help to reduce food waste.
Understanding the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on household food waste
A recent survey by the BBC found that people struggling with the soaring cost of living are changing their household food management behaviours[4]. The research revealed that citizens are cutting back on food: more than half (56%) of the 4,011 people asked had bought fewer groceries and the same proportion had skipped meals.
WRAP wants to understand the impact that the cost-of-living crisis is having on the way UK citizens plan, buy, store, and use food in the home. We aim to develop a deeper understanding of what citizens are doing differently, what is working well for them, what is helping them save money and reduce the amount of food they waste, and understand if the changes citizens are making are impacting on levels of household food waste.
In addition to WRAP’s regular citizen insights survey, undertaken in June and November, we will also conduct two shorter surveys. The first will be in late August with the second in January. To provide greater depth of insight WRAP will also be conducting qualitative research. We will recruit participants from the June survey revisiting them throughout the year to understand and explore in more detail any changes they have made. The research will explore how these changes have helped them to manage their food better and what support they need to make sure any food management behaviours stick.
What will WRAP do with the insights?
These new insights will be used to inform the design of WRAP’s citizen engagement activity throughout 2022/23. The research will enable the Love Food Hate Waste campaign to support citizens to save money by reducing the amount of food they throw away e.g., by signposting them to the tools and resources that people found so useful during 2020 such as the A - Z of Food Storage and Chill the Fridge Out.
[2] WRAP, 2021. Food surplus and waste in the UK – key facts
[3] WRAP, 2021. Returning to normality after Covid19: Food waste attitudes and behaviours in 2021
[4] BBC, 2022. People cut back on food, fuel and clothes as prices rise, BBC survey suggests
