Food Waste Action Week, the flagship campaign from Love Food Hate Waste, returns next month from 9–15 March 2026.
Now in its sixth year, the week provides an important moment for citizens, brands, and local authorities to unite around a shared goal: tackling the growing problem of food waste. Since launching in 2021, it has expanded globally and is now celebrated in eight countries - reaching millions of people from London to Sydney.
Building on strong momentum from previous years, the 2026 campaign will shine a light on the scale of household food waste and offer simple, practical ways for people to save food, money, and time. Every year, UK households throw away 4.4 million tonnes of edible food, costing families over £1,000 per year*. And as we saw during the recent Love Food Hate Waste festive food campaign, financial savings can be a powerful motivator for behaviour change.
This year’s Food Waste Action Week also arrives as Simpler Recycling rolls out across England, enabling many households to recycle their unavoidable food waste for the very first time. As a result, the week will also help inspire positive attitudes and boost uptake of local food waste recycling services.
What’s the theme this year?
The 2026 theme – “Make your food go fuuuurther” – has been designed with flexibility at its core, allowing partners and audiences to interpret “further” in ways that matter locally.
Where food waste recycling has been in place for a while, newly available or soon to be introduced, the theme can highlight how recycling turns food scraps into renewable energy or nutrient-rich biofertiliser. In areas without imminent rollout, it can emphasise how simple prevention habits can stretch your food budget, save time in the kitchen, and cut unnecessary waste.
Crucially, the theme places the reward to citizens front and centre. It encourages everyday actions that feel positive and worthwhile instead of another item on the to do list.
Throughout the week, we’ll explore different ways to Make your food go fuuuurther, and local authorities may find it useful to plan campaigns around these daily focal points:
- Monday: For your money
- Tuesday: For your time
- Wednesday: For the planet
- Thursday: For your health
- Friday: For your headspace
What campaign assets will be available?
A full campaign toolkit will be available from w/c 9 February, supporting local authorities and partners to run impactful, consistent activity. The toolkit will include:
- Website banners
- Social media graphics and copy
- Press release templates
- Vehicle livery designs
All assets can be used as provided or adapted with your own branding and local messaging.
We’ll also provide versions with and without food waste recycling call-to-actions, ensuring they’re suitable no matter where you are on your Simpler Recycling journey.
You’ll find the full toolkit on the WRAP resources page once published.
Where can I find out more?
We hosted our first Food Waste Action Week partner webinar on Monday 2 February. If you were unable to make it, then please watch the recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnH9BBeReyQ&feature=youtu.be
The second webinar is taking place on 11 February, and we will walk through the toolkit in detail and guide you on using and adapting the assets.
You can sign up here Webinar Registration - Zoom
For more information on WRAP’s local authority support for household food waste collections, visit Household Food Waste Collections | WRAP - The Waste and Resources Action Programme
For any queries, please get in touch at LA.Support@wrap.ngo.
* Source: WRAP’s UK Food Waste and Food Surplus Key Facts 2025
