Yahoo Finance Brits waste 11bn pieces of packaging eating lunch on the go
British workers waste 10.7bn items of packaging every year by eating lunch on the go, a survey by an environmental charity suggests.
The charity Hubbub suggests the average worker buying lunch out uses 276 items of packaging a year, and much of the waste cannot be recycled.
Its research points to the rise of a ‘lunch on the go’ culture in modern Britain, with survey participants saying busier lifestyles and a better range of takeaway options are behind their habits.
The charity interviewed more than 1,200 people in work in Britain. 64% said they now bought lunch out to take away than five years ago, spending £13.6bn a year.
But Hubbub said a trial it ran in East Anglia in March shows a few simple steps by consumers and shops could reduce such packaging waste by half.
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It set up the #FoodSavvy Lunch Club with Norfolk and Suffolk councils, challenging 50 employees at Aviva, AXA, the Environment Agency and BT to go a month without using any single-use packaging.
Participants were given a month-long meal plan and encouraged to swap ideas as a group, with three weeks of recipes based around using leftovers and buying versatile ingredients.
They also received lunchtime cookery demonstrations to break habits, as survey respondents admitted limited skills stopped them changing their habits.
Incentives to switch were important too, with local stores trialling discounts for people who brought their own Tupperware.
Is your team ready to start a #FoodSavvy Lunch Club? 10.7 billion items of lunch packaging go to waste each year in the UK. People at @EnvAgency, @BTGroup and @AvivaUK reduced their #plastic by over 50%. Find out more and get in touch at: https://t.co/3hdYD8nF0S #FoodSavvy pic.twitter.com/G7FTOkzaCT
— Hubbub (@hubbubUK) May 14, 2019
“The majority of people wanted to participate because of a concern about plastic pollution followed by a desire to cut food waste. By the end of the month participants had reduced their use of plastic and amount of food waste by over a half,” said Trewin Restorick, Hubbub’s chief executive.
They found two-thirds of those involved felt they were eating more healthily, and three-quarters had saved money.
Restorick said “proven behavioural change techniques” were key, such as being part of a mutually supporting group. “Change is more likely to occur if people can make easy alterations to daily habits,” he added.
The charity has a series of tips, meal plans and guidance on setting up food clubs on its #FoodSavvy website.
