A version of this page was the CASaV’s March 2025 Climate Column in The Darlington and Stockton Times – this page contains links to the references which back up the statements made in the column.
Food, glorious food! It’s essential for our survival – we eat for growth, energy and wellbeing – and can also be a pleasure and eating out an entertainment – who doesn’t love the D&S restaurant column? Home cooking is cited as a hobby and interest by over half of us. But this comes with a responsibility – food waste is a major contributor to climate change, accounting for 8–10% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. That’s five times the amount of emissions from aviation and costs the global economy $1 trillion annually.
UN – Environmental burden of food loss and waste.
Although food waste comes from businesses like supermarkets and restaurants, home food waste accounts for over 60% of the total with the average UK household throwing away nearly 2kg of food daily, amounting to 6.4 million tonnes of waste in 2021–2022. As well as creating 18 million tonnes of greenhouse gases, this waste costs each household on average £500 annually. This unacceptable amount means that our valuable agricultural land is also being wasted along with water, energy and the time and efforts of our farmers.
Food waste facts and statistics
Causes of food waste include buying more than we need, often driven by BOGOF promotions, not storing food properly and not eating food before it goes bad. Also shoppers reject 20% of edible produce because of the way it looks.
Food Waste in the UK – Research Briefing – House of Commons Library
Fare Share – Hunger and Food Waste
What can be done? Nationally LoveFoodHateWaste aims to help people reduce food waste and protect our the planet. It runs an annual food waste reduction campaign, this year from 17–23 March, focusing on buying more loose fresh produce (without packaging) as evidence shows that when we buy this way we are less likely to overbuy and often if the loose produce is stored unwrapped without plastic etc it keeps longer. Research shows that if all apples, bananas and potatoes were sold loose 60,000 tonnes of waste could be prevented. Several supermarket chains have pledged to support the campaign by reducing their packaging and offering more loose produce, whilst our local high street greengrocers, markets and farm shops typically sell produce loose or with minimal packaging.
North Yorkshire Rotters (NYC) enable our community to reduce waste through advice and equipment for better storage and managing portion sizes.
North Yorkshire Rotters – Love Food Hate Waste Zone
Alternatively, you can reduce waste by growing your own produce. Evidence shows that when you grow your own, you waste less because you value the produce more as you have invested time and effort in growing it. Home growers are also likely to use imperfect or blemished produce, often discarded by commercial businesses.
Zero Waste Week – Reduce food waste by growing food
If you grow your own you waste less – research from the University of Sheffield
Look out for free seed giveaways this spring at local libraries and community centres and seed swap events like the Swainby Repair Cafe on March 15th. https://casav.uk/repaircafe
Outside of the home, charitable food redistributors provide vulnerable people with nutritious and edible food from shops and businesses that might otherwise have gone to waste when near ‘Use by’ dates.
This includes the Coop Foodshare where locally Climate Action Stokesley and Villages Food group volunteers collect on average £250 worth of surplus food every night from supermarkets and redistribute to locals in need.
Climate Action Stokesley and Villages 