Food and drink waste in the UK - Statistics & Facts
In the past decades, production of food in developed countries has increasingly topped demand. Today, various reports suggest that between one third and one half of all food produced worldwide is wasted.
In 2012, 5.8 million tons of food waste and 1.2 million tons of drink waste were produced. That same year, 1.6 million tons of fresh vegetables and salads were squandered in the United Kingdom, making it the most wasted food group, with the amount of avoidable fresh vegetable and salad waste reaching 810 thousand tons.
Nearly 83,635 businesses have been operating in the restaurant and mobile food service industry in the United Kingdom in 2016, producing increasing amounts of waste. As a matter of fact, the total cost of food waste in restaurants was forecast to have increased as well and reached 766.3 million British pounds that same year. When considering inflation, this would have amounted to 855.4 million British pounds.
For quick service restaurants, the total costs incurred from food waste were projected to have reached approximately 280 million British pounds in 2016 and up to 312 million British pounds with inflation. In England, this cost had been projected to have reached 262.4 million British pounds in 2016.
With regards to pubs, the total cost of food waste was forecast to have amounted to 368.6 million British pounds in the United Kingdom in 2016. In England, the total food waste cost in pubs was forecast to have totaled to 330.8 million British pounds, while it reached 19.5 million British pounds in Scotland.
Nearly 83,635 businesses have been operating in the restaurant and mobile food service industry in the United Kingdom in 2016, producing increasing amounts of waste. As a matter of fact, the total cost of food waste in restaurants was forecast to have increased as well and reached 766.3 million British pounds that same year. When considering inflation, this would have amounted to 855.4 million British pounds.
For quick service restaurants, the total costs incurred from food waste were projected to have reached approximately 280 million British pounds in 2016 and up to 312 million British pounds with inflation. In England, this cost had been projected to have reached 262.4 million British pounds in 2016.
With regards to pubs, the total cost of food waste was forecast to have amounted to 368.6 million British pounds in the United Kingdom in 2016. In England, the total food waste cost in pubs was forecast to have totaled to 330.8 million British pounds, while it reached 19.5 million British pounds in Scotland.
