The three-week North London Food Waste Challenge involved participation from one household in each of seven north London boroughs: Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington and Waltham Forest.
All seven participating households completed the challenge, which took place from October to December 2012, and managed to reduce their food waste by 38% on average. One household even achieved a 75% reduction.
Participating households also achieved a 30% average reduction in the cost of their weekly food shop, which equated to a saving of 32 per household per week.
As a result, each household received a voucher at the Portcullis House ceremony for an organic vegetable box every week for a month for their efforts.
The results of the challenge were presented by the UKs second largest waste disposal authority, the North London Waste Authority, and sustainability charity Waste Watch (part of Keep Britain Tidy).
The aim was to demonstrate how little food waste can be produced over the course of a week by planning meals, checking dates, getting portions right, being creative with leftovers and storing food correctly.
The households were provided with tools and one-to-one support and had to keep a food waste diary to record and understand the food they were throwing away.
‘amazing results’
Councillor Clyde Loakes, chair of North London Waste Authority, said: These amazing results make it clear that the average north London household could save a massive amount every month just by wasting less food but we shouldnt forget that the cost of wasted food stretches far beyond the home too.
He added: Waste disposal costs are rising, making it more expensive for your local council to dispose of it, when the money could be spent on better things, like schools and social care. Thats why weve put such an intensive effort into working alongside these valiant families who have demonstrated perfectly just how effectively north Londoners can reduce their food waste.
The results of the challenge follow the announcement last month of a global UN campaign to target the 1.3 billion tonnes of food lost or wasted each year (see letsrecycle.com story).
More information about reducing food waste is available on the Wise Up To Waste website.
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