27th April was Stop Food Waste Day. As you can tell from the title, it is a day dedicated to the move to ensure no food goes to waste. When you look into the day, the first line on their about page is “…about educating and igniting change”. That is a message we can get behind, and as a leading provider of recycling for businesses, we know how reducing food waste through recycling and planning can improve the world.

Firstly, recycling is important from a future proofing point of view. The world is only going to become more environmentally friendly, and as measures are put in place for businesses, we must evolve.

As part of the United Nations’ sustainability goals, the UK Government has set in stone their commitment to reducing food waste by 2030.

  • 17.7% of food and drink purchased by households are wasted
  • 1 in 6 meals in the hospitality industry are wasted
  • Hospitality and the food service (catering) is responsible for 1.85m tonnes, food manufacturing 1m tonnes and retail, 0.25m tonnes.
  • The U.K. food waste roadmap – 45 businesses signed up, with 17% reduction in waste in 2019.
  • One third of all food produced across the globe is wasted.
  • UK’s total food waste could feed upwards of 30 million people a year.
  • It is estimated that 40% of U.K food waste comes from businesses.
  • Everyday the U.K. throws away 20m slices of bread, 5.2m glasses of milk and 4.4m potatoes.
  • By recycling food waste, businesses can save 47%
  • Switch your current recycling supplier to Direct365, and save up to 30%.

What can your business do about food waste?

There are varying degrees of impact your business can have, and it all depends on what exactly your business does and how big it is. A large restaurant serving hundreds of guests a week will be able to have a larger impact on their food waste than a small 3 person office space. Yet everyone can do more.

Firstly, ensure you are recycling your food. This can be from lunches, restaurant meals or general clearing of communal facilities. Food waste recycling is cheap and easy. That is something that Direct365 can organise, with great prices and consistent servicing.

Offering employees ways of reducing waste is another easy step. This includes:

  • Providing storage areas for long-date food.
  • Providing fridge and freezer space, allowing for food to be easily kept for longer.
  • Giving people cooking options such as microwave and oven options.
  • Encouraging better eating habits, including using up veg and other short dated items.

It may seem obvious, but many workplaces don’t provide great break areas. Offering extensive facilities extensive facilities encourages staff to take more time away from their work at break times but also allows them to use different foods that would otherwise go to waste.

If you aren’t convinced that your waste systems are good enough, then we can help. Become one of thousands of businesses that use Direct365 to control their waste management services. For more information, complete the form below.

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