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The trends driving the food industry
Food waste
Food waste A third trend that will benefit frozen food is growing concern over the volume of food being wasted. % O F AV O I DA B L E F O O D A N D D R I N K WA S T E BY F O O D G R O U P
Whilst this concern may have initially been the result of cash-strapped consumers trying to make the most of every penny spent on food, it is increasingly seen as something we can all do to reduce our impact on the environment. The ‘Love Food Hate Waste’ campaign run by the Waste & Resource Action Programme (WRAP) has highlighted that households throw away 7m tonnes of food and drink every year at a cost of £12.5 billion annually. Consumers concerned about making the most of their money have found the long shelf life and easy portion control of frozen very appealing. These factors are also very beneficial in reducing food waste. Awareness of the issue of food waste has also been highlighted by a number of celebrities.
Most recently, celebrity chef and campaigner, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall raised the issue in his BBC programme Hugh’s War on Waste. In addition, Jamie Oliver has been campaigning to find a use for odd shaped vegetables that are currently rejected by supermarkets.
Almost 50% of the total amount of food thrown away in the UK comes from our homes. We throw away 7m tonnes of food and drink from our homes every year in the UK and more than half of this is food and drink we could have eaten. Meat and fish: 7%
Summary The outlook for frozen food is positive. Ever more technologically savvy consumers will increasing shop online to the benefit of frozen food. This combined with growing evidence that frozen food is nutritious and helps reduce food waste will see more consumers opting for frozen in retail and more caterers selecting frozen ingredients and dishes for their menus.
Fresh vegetables and salad: 19%
Fresh fruit: 8% Dairy and eggs: 10%
Sauces, pasta, rice, cakes, desserts: 18%
Meals: 10%
Bakery: 11% Drinks: 17%
F R E E Z I N G R E D U C E S F O O D WA S T E
Independent research has highlighted the role frozen food could have in reducing food waste Dr Wayne Martindale’s: ‘Using Consumer Surveys to Determine Food Sustainability’ research into food waste, Sheffield Hallam University 2014, found that the amount of food wasted by families across Britain could be slashed by almost 50%, that’s equivalent to three million tonnes of household waste per year, through better meal planning and eating more frozen food.
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The research shows that frozen food generates 47% less food waste compared to ambient and chilled food consumed in the home. It also found that households who include more frozen foods in their weekly meal planning could save around £250 per year. Dr Martindale’s research also discovered that greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced by 2.4m tonnes a year if households incorporated frozen foods into smarter meal planning.
“Food waste costs the average household £470 a year, rising to £700 for a family with children: that’s the equivalent of £60 a month.” WRAP