Around 16% of a takeaway is thrown away, according to research by Just Eat Takeaway and Hubbub, with chips, rice, pizza, meat and curry the most wasted items.
The ‘Food waste race’ study, involving 91 people, also showed that large portions of rice and chips were a particular problem.
However, 39% didn’t think leftovers were safe to eat later. Participants were also confused about whether to prioritise the extra takeaway food or what they already had in the fridge.
Hubbub and Just Eat Takeaway used the insights to run an engagement programme with 72 of the participants. This included information and support on how to “reinvent” leftover takeaways, a community space to challenge perceptions about takeaways and food waste and spot prizes.
After three weeks, food wasted had fallen from 16% to 6%, with 92% of those involved wasting less food. More than eight in 10 (82%) were also wasting fewer groceries.
“Participants became more thoughtful about food waste when ordering,” a report published this week reads. “They ordered the right amount of foods that come in portions they consider too large such as rice and chips. They continued to order the same quantity of items like pizza and curry which can be seen as better for eating the next day.”
But the onus is not just on consumers to waste less; restaurants and food delivery platforms have to play their part.
A group of 15 restaurants will therefore be introducing a ‘savvy’ chip portion size. Just Eat Takeaway will be inspiring people with tips to use up their leftovers and providing advice on its website showing how best to store and reheat certain foods.
The delivery platform will also be encouraging all businesses to display calorie and portion sizes on menus, whether it is a legal obligation or not. (New calorie labelling regulations come into force next month for those with 250 or more employees).
Previous research from Just Eat Takeaway, carried out with the Sustainable Restaurant Association, found that in the UK £1.8bn worth of takeaway food is thrown away annually, of which household waste accounts for £1.4bn.
