Nils-Gerrit Wunsch
Research expert covering foods trends in North America, Europe, and the global food system
Get in touch with us nowAttitudes towards how to address food waste in the United States 2020
Attitudes towards food waste
In 2020, U.S. survey respondents were asked "Who should primarily be responsible for addressing food waste?" The results show that approximately 43 percent of respondents believe that companies that produce foods should do more toward developing food waste initiatives. U.S. participants were also asked to state their attitudes towards food waste. More half of the participants stated that they do not waste food. Moreover, the same source conducted another global survey. According to the results, approximately half of the participants stated that food waste is morally wrong as a reason to minimize food waste. About 46 percent further stated that having consistent access to food is a privilege and that they do not take it for granted.
Food waste in Europe
In Europe, it is estimated that Germany produces more than six million metric tons of household food waste every year. This makes Germany the biggest producer of food waste throughout Europe, followed by France and the United Kingdom.
Food waste in the United Kingdom
In the United Kingdome, the figure of respondents who stated that they do not waste any food was even larger than in the U.S. Approximately 68 percent of UK respondents stated that they do not waste any food. In June 2021, approximately 71 percent of respondents in the UK considered food waste to be an important issue, according to another survey. Consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about topics such as food waste and sustainability. In September 2020, a survey in the UK found that 73 percent of concerned consumers were likely to order a dish in a restaurant with ingredients that would otherwise be thrown away. There seem to be no clear gender differences, when it comes to the self perception of food waste avoidance in the UK. The volume of food surplus redistribution in the UK has continuously increased in recent years.
In 2020, U.S. survey respondents were asked "Who should primarily be responsible for addressing food waste?" The results show that approximately 43 percent of respondents believe that companies that produce foods should do more toward developing food waste initiatives. U.S. participants were also asked to state their attitudes towards food waste. More half of the participants stated that they do not waste food. Moreover, the same source conducted another global survey. According to the results, approximately half of the participants stated that food waste is morally wrong as a reason to minimize food waste. About 46 percent further stated that having consistent access to food is a privilege and that they do not take it for granted.
Food waste in Europe
In Europe, it is estimated that Germany produces more than six million metric tons of household food waste every year. This makes Germany the biggest producer of food waste throughout Europe, followed by France and the United Kingdom.
Food waste in the United Kingdom
In the United Kingdome, the figure of respondents who stated that they do not waste any food was even larger than in the U.S. Approximately 68 percent of UK respondents stated that they do not waste any food. In June 2021, approximately 71 percent of respondents in the UK considered food waste to be an important issue, according to another survey. Consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about topics such as food waste and sustainability. In September 2020, a survey in the UK found that 73 percent of concerned consumers were likely to order a dish in a restaurant with ingredients that would otherwise be thrown away. There seem to be no clear gender differences, when it comes to the self perception of food waste avoidance in the UK. The volume of food surplus redistribution in the UK has continuously increased in recent years.
