60% of households dispose edible food before holiday

Fresh fruit and vegetables, dairy products, bread and leftovers are among the foods most likely to be wasted ahead of a trip. Pic: Pexels

Too Good To Go research reveals holidays are driving a surge in unnecessary household food waste during the summer months

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Many consumers admitting they throw away perfectly edible food before leaving home fo0r their summer holidays rather than finding ways to use or preserve it, new research from Too Good To Go shows.

Six in ten households (60%) admit they have thrown away food unnecessarily before going on holiday.

This suggests that many people are discarding food that could otherwise have been eaten, frozen, or shared before they travel.

More than half (52%) of people say they waste more food during the summer than at any other time of year, making it the season when unnecessary food waste is at its highest.

Holidays appear to be a major driver of this trend, with 42% of respondents saying being away is the biggest reason they waste more food during the summer months.

Fresh fruit and vegetables, dairy products, bread and leftovers are among the foods most likely to be wasted ahead of a trip, as households rush to empty fridges before departure.

While many people worry about food spoiling while they’re away, simple planning can significantly reduce the amount that ends up in the bin, the data indicated.

‘Rethink routines’

The findings point to an opportunity for households to rethink their pre-holiday routines.

Planning meals around ingredients already at home, avoiding unnecessary supermarket trips in the days before travelling, and making use of the freezer can all help reduce waste while saving money.

Commenting on the findings, Machaela O’Leary, key accounts lead, Too Good To Go, said: “Summer should be a time for making memories, not wasting food.

“Whether it’s using up ingredients in the days leading up to your trip, freezing food that won’t be eaten in time, or sharing surplus items with neighbours, there are plenty of simple ways to prevent good food from going to waste.”

Unnecessary discarding 

Food waste has both financial and environmental consequences, with edible food often being discarded unnecessarily.

Every item saved from the bin represents not only money saved by households but also the resources that went into producing, transporting and storing that food.

y taking a few minutes to check cupboards, the fridge and freezer before travelling, households can help reduce waste while getting better value from the food they have already purchased.

 Too Good To Go’s Top Tips Before You Go on Holiday

• Plan your meals in the days before your trip to use up fresh ingredients.
• Freeze what you can so it stays fresh until you return.
• Check expiry dates and prioritise foods that need eating first.
• Share surplus food with friends, family or neighbours if you won’t use it in time.
• Avoid over-shopping in the days leading up to your departure.

Too Good To Go is encouraging consumers to make small changes this summer that can have a lasting impact on reducing household food waste.

Read more: Too Good To Go tackles heatwave food waste

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