ShareUK younger shoppers neglect their freezers
Freezers across the UK are ‘neglected’, ‘under-used’ and ‘under-appreciated’, with younger shoppers dubbing them ‘graveyards’ for food that is soon to go off, according to the latest consumer research from IGD ShopperVista.
Freezers across the UK are ‘neglected’, ‘under-used’ and ‘under-appreciated’, with younger shoppers dubbing them ‘graveyards’ for food that is soon to go off, according to the latest consumer research from IGD ShopperVista.
18-34-year-olds are twice as likely to agree that they don’t like eating food that is stored in the freezer than over-35s (18% versus 8%), with many instead using it as a space to save meat that is soon to go past its use-by date and to store unwanted food gifts from relatives. Some also consider the freezer to be an “insurance policy”: a place to make last resort meals from.
A lack of space and skills in food storage are key issues that younger shoppers face when managing household food waste, with 18-34s rating themselves less proficient at organising and storing food than those aged over 35.
The study was undertaken as part of research and training charity IGD’s new ‘Working on Waste’ campaign. Working in collaboration with WRAP, the campaign aims to help the food and grocery industry – which employs 3.6m people – educate employees on how to minimise food waste at home. Employees are being offered advice on portion planning, making the most of leftover food, utilising their freezer and education on best-before and use-by dates. Working on Waste hopes this education will drive awareness and engagement to take learnings beyond the workplace, into households.
According to Joanne Denney-Finch, chief executive of IGD, “a lot of progress has been made already by companies across the industry to help consumers reduce household food waste. However, seven million tonnes of food and drink is still being thrown away by UK homes every year, costing consumers 15,7bn € – so there’s more work to be done.”
18-34-year-olds are twice as likely to agree that they don’t like eating food that is stored in the freezer than over-35s (18% versus 8%), with many instead using it as a space to save meat that is soon to go past its use-by date and to store unwanted food gifts from relatives. Some also consider the freezer to be an “insurance policy”: a place to make last resort meals from.
A lack of space and skills in food storage are key issues that younger shoppers face when managing household food waste, with 18-34s rating themselves less proficient at organising and storing food than those aged over 35.
The study was undertaken as part of research and training charity IGD’s new ‘Working on Waste’ campaign. Working in collaboration with WRAP, the campaign aims to help the food and grocery industry – which employs 3.6m people – educate employees on how to minimise food waste at home. Employees are being offered advice on portion planning, making the most of leftover food, utilising their freezer and education on best-before and use-by dates. Working on Waste hopes this education will drive awareness and engagement to take learnings beyond the workplace, into households.
According to Joanne Denney-Finch, chief executive of IGD, “a lot of progress has been made already by companies across the industry to help consumers reduce household food waste. However, seven million tonnes of food and drink is still being thrown away by UK homes every year, costing consumers 15,7bn € – so there’s more work to be done.”