Australian consumers have good intentions, but they are still wasting $9.6 billion worth of food every year.
The latest research from Rabobank shows 48 per cent of Australians are concerned that fruit and vegetables were rejected by supermarkets due to imperfections.
More than 65 per cent of Aussie consumers “prefer to buy local produce and support local growers and are happy to pay more for it”, while 80 per cent “believe in the importance of farmers for the wellbeing of the nation”.
However, the knowledge gap between producers and consumers means the country’s biggest wasters of food don’t realise the impact their habits are having.
The RaboDirect 2017 Food and Farming Report showed 15 per cent of consumers who indicated they “know hardly anything about food and farming production” waste more than 20 per cent of their food.
This compared with 11 per cent of consumers who “know a little bit”.
Victoria is the country’s biggest waster, its consumers throwing out 19 per cent of food a week. City people waste 16 per cent, compared with the 10 per cent discarded by regional citizens.
And once again, while 53 per cent of consumers considered themselves “ethically conscious”, and 77 per cent want to improve waste habits, the report still found Australian households wasted on average 14 per cent of their weekly groceries, adding up to more than $1000 annually.
RaboDirect head Bede Cronin said that as the Australian population expanded, the demand for food closely followed. “Food sustainability is not only an issue for farmers; it impacts us all,” he said.
He said Australians could make a few small changes to everyday habits, such as using leftovers for lunches through the week and making sure meals were planned before going shopping, which would help to reduce food waste and save money.
The report points to purchasing imperfect fruit and vegetables at the grocery store, shopping at local farmers markets and buying Australian products as the top tips for ethical consumption.
Source: weeklytimesnow.com.au
