The UK hospitality and food service sector throws away a staggering £3.2bn worth of food per year which equates to around 18 percent of food purchased going straight into the bin.
Food waste can be generated across a business and can occur anywhere from purchasing, storage and preparation, through to leftovers on customers’ plates. This is a problem not just for their bottom line, but also for the planet. For every gram of edible food that ends up in the bin there is an economic, social and environmental cost.
The Guardians of Grub Cost Saving Skills Course has been built to help businesses understand where their wasted food is coming from, give them the practical skills and knowledge needed to stop food waste eating into their profits, and to help them take positive steps towards reducing the environmental impact of food waste as we all act against climate change. By throwing away less food, businesses save money on purchasing and waste disposal costs. Every piece of food we throw away has an impact on our environment and contributes to climate change. The impacts embedded in that wasted food are the greenhouse gases created through its production, because it’s not just the food itself we’re wasting, it’s the resources that go into growing, cultivating, transporting, preparing and cooking it that are wasted too. If food waste was a country, it would be the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases after China and the US!
Food waste is made up of both edible and inedible foods. While a small amount of food waste is unavoidable, 75 percent of the food that ends up in the bin could have been eaten, so that’s where the biggest changes can be made. Understanding where food waste comes from is the first step to reducing it. Once a business can identify where the food waste is coming from it can work to tackle those hotspots, helping to keep profit margins healthy, and feed people not bins!
To find out how, and for lots of tips and tools on how you can cut food waste from your business, visit guardiansofgrub.com.
We are encouraging businesses across North Lincolnshire to sign up to the Every Can Counts campaign. You will receive a free starter pack to inform, engage and motivate people in your business to recycle their cans.
Please contact us for your starter pack – wastemanagement@northlincs.gov.uk or 01724 297848
If you need further advice, send us an email or pick up the phone and speak to one of our commercial waste advisors who will be happy to help.
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