Restaurants produce 21 tons of food waste a year, nearly fives times as much per meal as the average UK household, according to the Sustainable Restaurants Association (SRA).
Research done by the SRA shows the average restaurant accrues around 0.48kg of food waste per diner per meal. Every UK household on average produce around 0.1kg of food waste per meal according to WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme).
“Many restaurants are taking this issue seriously, embracing good kitchen practices, offering smaller portions and encouraging diners to take home leftovers. But wasting half a kilo per diner is unacceptable for business, the environment and customers. The industry as a whole must do more,” said Mark Linehan, managing director of the SRA.
The SRA has put forth an initiative called Too Good To Waste, which tackles the food waste problem by creating eco-friendly doggie boxes for restaurants to give to diners for their excess food, encouraging them to take home leftover food to eat later, instead of wasting it. According to SRA, nearly half of diners have never asked for a doggie box.
In addition, the SRA is working with Unilever Food Solutions to find the restaurant with the best food waste strategy and share best practices. The winner will be named at the Sustainable Restaurant Awards on February 4.
Separately, Unilever recently completed the first stage of its Sustain Ability Challenge, working with families in the UK to identify ways to reduce food waste in the home. Research estimates the average family throws away £680 worthy of food each year.
The global food industry is currently experiencing its third bout of food inflation in five years because of poor agricultural harvests in the US, Russia and South America. Analysts predict the average basket of food prices will rise by 15 percent by June 2013. The hike in food prices is raising concerns about food security and its political and social repercussions; however, a growing body of evidence suggests tackling food waste could help resolve many of the sustainability challenges faced by the food industry.
Tackling Food Waste is a focal theme of the 3rd North American edition of the Sustainable Foods Summit, taking place in San Francisco on January 22-23.
@Bart_King is a freelance writer and communications consultant.
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Bart King is the founder and principal at New Growth Communications. He specializes in helping sustainability leaders develop thought leadership content and strategy
Published Jan 22, 2013 7am EST / 4am PST / 12pm GMT / 1pm CET