New York, June 11
Although 31 to 40 percent of
the American food supply goes waste, but around two-thirds of Americans
believe they waste less food than the national average, says a new
study.
It said that most Americans are aware that food waste is a
problem and are concerned about it. The findings, from the Johns
Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health are significant given that 31
to 40 percent of the American food supply goes to waste, primarily in
homes, stores and restaurants.
The top foods wasted, by weight,
are fruits and vegetables, due in part to their perishability and bulk.
Food waste costs Americans $161.6 billion annually. The findings were
published in the journal PLOS ONE.
"Americans perceive themselves
as wasting very little food, but in reality, we are wasting substantial
quantities," said study leader Roni Neff.
"It happens throughout
the food chain, including both a lot of waste by consumers, and a lot
on our behalf, when businesses think we won't buy imperfect food. The
root causes are complex," Neff added.
This first nationally
representative consumer survey focused on wasted food sheds some light
on factors affecting consumers' waste.
The survey, administered
to 1,010 American consumers in April 2014, covered awareness, knowledge,
attitudes and behaviours related to wasted food.
Despite the
large environmental impacts related to wasted food, most survey
respondents listed environmental concerns last when ranking reasons to
reduce food waste, with just 10 percent calling them 'very important'.
Instead,
respondents said that saving money and setting a positive example for
children were the top motivators for wanting to throw out less food.
When
listing reasons why they toss food out before eating it, consumers gave
the top reasons as food safety concerns and a desire to eat only the
freshest food.
While consumers should never be encouraged to eat
potentially unsafe food, they can prevent waste by planning meals and
portion sizes ahead, only buying and cooking what they need, working to
use what they have on hand before it spoils, and freezing what they
can't use.
Of note, 41 percent of those who composted were not concerned about how much food they wasted.
"For
educators working to reduce food waste, a key finding is that
highlighting financial savings may resonate more with consumers than
other types of messaging. But there is still a need to explain the
environmental effects of wasting food," Neff said.
"For
policymakers, our findings suggest a priority on making date labels
clear and consistent, and encoding sell-by labels so they do not mislead
consumers.
"And for businesses, the survey highlights changes
consumers want, like offering re-sealable bags and smaller product
sizes, and discounting damaged or near-expiration foods," the researcher
said.
In 2010, wasted food cost American consumers $161.6
billion, and also placed a huge drain on the environment when
approximately 30 percent of the fertiliser, 35 percent of the fresh
water and 31 percent of the cropland in the US was used to grow food
that was eventually wasted.
