On average, 24 percent of bread, milk, chicken and potatoes bought by customers in the UK ended up being uneaten or thrown out in November 2019. This figure fell to 13.7 percent during peak lockdowns caused by the outbreak of the coronavirus. With people less likely to visit supermarkets, consumers became more likely to use up their food resources. However, as lockdowns began to ease, food waste increased slightly, but remained lower than levels observed pre-lockdown.
Percentage of food types that ended up being uneaten and thrown away in the United Kingdom from May 2018 to June 2020
Characteristic
Potatoes
Bread
Average
Milk
Chicken
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Question originally phrased as "Thinking about the last time you bought [food type], approximately what percentage ended up being uneaten and thrown away (whether in a compost bin, ordinary bin, council food waste collection, or down the sink)?"
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WRAP. (July 29, 2020). Percentage of food types that ended up being uneaten and thrown away in the United Kingdom from May 2018 to June 2020 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved August 24, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1174735/food-types-uneaten-percentage-in-the-uk/
WRAP. "Percentage of food types that ended up being uneaten and thrown away in the United Kingdom from May 2018 to June 2020 ." Chart. July 29, 2020. Statista. Accessed August 24, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1174735/food-types-uneaten-percentage-in-the-uk/
WRAP. (2020). Percentage of food types that ended up being uneaten and thrown away in the United Kingdom from May 2018 to June 2020 . Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: August 24, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1174735/food-types-uneaten-percentage-in-the-uk/
WRAP. "Percentage of Food Types That Ended up Being Uneaten and Thrown Away in The United Kingdom from May 2018 to June 2020 ." Statista, Statista Inc., 29 Jul 2020, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1174735/food-types-uneaten-percentage-in-the-uk/
WRAP, Percentage of food types that ended up being uneaten and thrown away in the United Kingdom from May 2018 to June 2020 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1174735/food-types-uneaten-percentage-in-the-uk/ (last visited August 24, 2024)
Percentage of food types that ended up being uneaten and thrown away in the United Kingdom from May 2018 to June 2020 [Graph], WRAP, July 29, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1174735/food-types-uneaten-percentage-in-the-uk/